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Annually
Any 12-month cycle.
Buddy
system
A system
of organizing employees (who enter or stand by danger
areas) into work groups, so each employee can be observed
by at least one other member of the group. The purpose
of this system is to provide rapid assistance to employees
in an emergency.
Clean-up
operation(s)
An operation where hazardous substances
are removed, contained, incinerated, neutralized, stabilized,
cleared up or, in any other manner, processed or handled
with the goal of making the site safer for people or the
environment.
Danger
area
Areas where conditions pose
a serious danger to employees, such as areas where:
- Immediately dangerous to life
or health (IDLH) conditions could exist
or
- High levels of exposure to
toxic substances could exist
or
- There is a potential for exceeding
the lower explosive limit (LEL), also known as the lower
flammability limit (LFL), of a substance.
Decontamination
Removing hazardous substances
from employees and their equipment so potential adverse
health effects won't occur.
Emergency
response
An organized response to an anticipated
release of a hazardous substance that is, or could become,
an uncontrolled release.
Emergency
response plan
A written plan that requires coordination
between emergency response participants, and contains
procedures, criteria, and other information that will
be applied to emergency response operations. Each employer's
plan should be compatible with local and state plans.
Engineering
control
Methods of controlling employee
exposures by modifying the source or reducing the quantity
of contaminants.
Hazardous
materials team (HAZMAT team)
A group of employees who are expected
to perform responses to releases, or possible releases,
of hazardous substances for the purpose of control and stabilization.
As a result of their duties, HAZMAT team members may have
close contact with hazardous substances.
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Note:
A HAZMAT team may be a separate
component of a fire brigade or fire department.
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Hazardous
substance
Any of the following substances
that could adversely affect an exposed employee's health
or safety:
- Substances defined under section
101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) or “Superfund”
Act (visit: http://www.epa.gov).
- Biological or other disease-causing
agents released that could reasonably be expected to
cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer,
genetic mutation, physiological malfunctions (including
malfunctions in reproduction) or physical deformations
in a person or their offspring when the person:
- - Is
directly exposed to the agent in the environment
- - Directly
ingests, inhales, or assimilates the agent from
the environment
- - Indirectly
ingests the agent through a food chain
- Substances listed by the United States
Department of Transportation as hazardous materials
under Title 49 (Transportation) in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), Part 172, section 101 and appendices
(visit: http://www.nara.gov
and search for “List of CFR subjects”)
- Hazardous wastes as defined in this
chapter.
Hazardous
waste
A substance designated by Chapter
173-303 WAC, Dangerous Waste Regulations, Department of
Ecology, as a dangerous waste or an extremely hazardous
waste and any waste fitting the definition of “health
hazard” in this chapter.
Health
hazard
A chemical, a mixture of chemicals,
or a pathogen for which there is statistically significant
evidence, based on at least one study conducted according
to established scientific principles, that acute or chronic
health effects may occur in exposed employees.
The term “health hazard”
includes stress due to temperature extremes and chemicals
that are:
- Carcinogens
- Toxic or highly toxic agents
- Reproductive toxins, irritants,
corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins,
or neurotoxins
- Agents acting on the hematopoietic
system agents that damage lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous
membranes. (Detailed definitions of these chemical terms
can be found in the Safety and Health Core Rules, WAC
296-800-170, Chemical Hazard Communication.)
Immediately
dangerous to life or health (IDLH)
Any atmospheric condition that
would:
- Cause an immediate threat to
life
or
- Cause
permanent or delayed adverse health effects
or
- Interfere with an employee's
ability to escape
Incident
command system (ICS)
An organized approach to control
and manage operations at an emergency response incident.
Incidental
release
A release that can be safely controlled
at the time of the release and doesn't have the potential
to become an uncontrolled release.
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Note:
Example of a situation that results in an incidental
release:
A tanker truck is receiving a load of hazardous liquid
when a leak occurs. The driver knows the only hazard
from the liquid is minor skin irritation. The employer
has trained the driver on procedures and provided
equipment to use for a release of this quantity. The
driver puts on skin protection and stops the leak.
A spill kit is used to contain, absorb, and pick up
the spilled material for disposal. |
Limited
action
Action
necessary to:
- Secure an operation during emergency responses
or
- Prevent an incident from increasing in severity
Examples include shutting down
processes and closing emergency valves.
Lines
of authority
A preestablished ranking of individuals,
qualified to assume a commanding role during an emergency
response, noted in an emergency response plan and implemented
during a response. This is most important when responders
from multiple employers could participate in an emergency
response.
Lower
explosive limit (LEL)
See lower flammable limit (LFL).
Lower
flammable limit (LFL)
The lowest concentration of a
material that will propagate a flame. The LFL is usually
expressed as a percent (by volume) of the material in
air (or other oxidant).
Must
Must means mandatory.
Permissible
exposure limit (PEL)
Means the established time-weighted-average
(TWA) concentration or ceiling concentration of a contaminant
that must not be exceeded. The exposure, inhalation, or
dermal permissible limit specified in chapter
296-841 WAC, Airborne contaminants.
Personal
protective equipment (PPE)
Protective items designed to be
worn by the user to protect them against airborne, skin
contact, and other hazards. This includes items such as
respiratory protection, protective suits, gloves, eye
protection, etc.
Post-emergency
response
The stage of the emergency response
where the immediate threat from the release has been stabilized
or eliminated, and cleanup of the site has started.
Published
exposure level
Exposure limits published in “National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommendations
for Occupational Safety and Health” (DHHS publication
#92-100, 1992).
If an exposure limit isn't published
by NIOSH, then “published exposure level”
means the exposure limits published by the American Conference
of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) in “TLVs
and BEIs-Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances
and Physical Agents” (1999 edition).
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Note:
Additional exposure levels published
by recognized organizations such as the American Industrial
Hygiene Association aren't required to be observed
by this rule; however, they may be a useful resource
when a hazardous substance isn't covered by NIOSH
and ACGIH publications. |
Release
A spill, leak, or other type of
hazardous substance discharge.
Uncontrolled
release
A release where significant safety
and health risks could be created. Releases of hazardous
substances that are either incidental or couldn't create
a safety or health hazard (i.e., fire, explosion, or chemical
exposure) aren't considered to be uncontrolled releases.
Examples of conditions that could
create a significant safety and health risk:
- Large-quantity releases.
- Small releases that could be
highly toxic.
- Potentially contaminated individuals
arriving at hospitals.
- Airborne exposures that could
exceed a WISHA permissible exposure limit or a published
exposure limit and employees aren't adequately trained
or equipped to control the release.
Example of an uncontrolled release:
A forklift driver knocks over
a container of a solvent-based liquid, releasing the contents
onto the warehouse floor. The driver has been trained
to recognize the vapor is flammable and moderately toxic
when inhaled. The driver hasn't been trained or provided
appropriate equipment to address this type of spill. In
this situation, it isn't safe for the driver to attempt
a response. The driver needs to notify someone of the
release so an emergency response can be initiated.
Workplace
- A fixed facility
or
- A temporary location (such as
a traffic corridor)
or
- Locations where employees respond
to emergencies
You
The employer. For a complete definition
of “employer” see Safety and Health
Core Rules, chapter
296-800 WAC.
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