WAC 296-62-07373   Communication of EtO hazards to employees.  (1) Signs and labels.

     (a) The employer shall post and maintain legible signs demarcating regulated areas and entrances or accessways to regulated areas that bear the following legend:

DANGER

ETHYLENE OXIDE

CANCER HAZARD AND REPRODUCTIVE HAZARD

AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

RESPIRATORS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING MAY BE REQUIRED

TO BE WORN IN THIS AREA

     (b) The employer shall ensure that precautionary labels are affixed to all containers of EtO whose contents are capable of causing employee exposure at or above the action level or whose contents may reasonably be foreseen to cause employee exposure above the excursion limit, and that the labels remain affixed when the containers of EtO leave the workplace. For the purpose of this subsection, reaction vessels, storage tanks, and pipes or piping systems are not considered to be containers. The labels shall comply with the requirements of chapter 296-839 WAC, Content and distribution of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and label information, and WAC 296-800-170 of the safety and health core rules. Labels shall include the following legend:


     (i)

DANGER

CONTAINS ETHYLENE OXIDE

CANCER HAZARD AND REPRODUCTIVE HAZARD; and

     (ii) A warning statement against breathing airborne concentrations of EtO.

     (c) The labeling requirements under WAC 296-62-07355 through 296-62-07389 do not apply where EtO is used as a pesticide, as such term is defined in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.), when it is labeled pursuant to that act and regulations issued under that act by the Environmental Protection Agency.

     (2) Material safety data sheets. Employers who are manufacturers or importers of EtO shall comply with the requirements regarding development of material safety data sheets as specified in WAC 296-62-05413 of the hazard communication standard.

     (3) Information and training.

     (a) The employer shall provide employees who are potentially exposed to EtO at or above the action level or above the excursion limit with information and training on EtO at the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter.

     (b) Employees shall be informed of the following:

     (i) The requirements of WAC 296-62-07353 through296-62-07389 with an explanation of its contents, including Appendices A and B;

     (ii) Any operations in their work area where EtO is present;

     (iii) The location and availability of the written EtO final rule; and

     (iv) The medical surveillance program required by WAC 296-62-07371 with an explanation of the information in Appendix C.

     (c) Employee training shall include at least:

     (i) Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of EtO in the work area (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, etc.);

     (ii) The physical and health hazards of EtO;

     (iii) The measures employees can take to protect themselves from hazards associated with EtO exposure, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to EtO, such as work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used; and

     (iv) The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, including an explanation of the labeling system and how employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 07-03-163, § 296-62-07373, filed 1/24/07, effective 4/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].040 , and [49.17].050. 01-11-038, § 296-62-07373, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 88-23-054 (Order 88-25), § 296-62-07373, filed 11/14/88; 87-24-051 (Order 87-24), § 296-62-07373, filed 11/30/87.]