The 2011 Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5594, requiring the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to set requirements to protect workers who handle chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs. The bill required L&I to adopt rules that are consistent with but do not exceed provisions in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) 2004 Alert on preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in health care settings, as updated in 2010.  

L&I’s hazardous drugs rule was adopted on January 3, 2012 and the rule will take effect in stages beginning January 1, 2014. Below you will find the rule, the link to the NIOSH hazardous drugs list, and a Q&A regarding the rule and implementation. 

As further information, sample programs, and additional Education and Outreach materials become available they will be added to this page, so keep checking for the latest info. Sign up for the Hazardous Drugs email list to stay informed.

Stakeholder Meetings

Hazardous Drug Advisory Committee Charter Work Group Meeting
May 7, 2012
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Labor and Industries auditorium in Tumwater. 

Watch this page and monitor the Hazardous Drugs Rule email ListServ for future meetings about the Hazardous Drugs Rules. L&I will post updates to the ListServ.

Rule:

Adopted Rule Language (80 KB PDF).

Concise Explanatory Statement (670 KB PDF).

Questions & Answers

Questions & answers about the new Hazardous Drugs rule.

Other Info:

NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings 2010.