Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Emergency Response Chapter 296-824, WAC

Effective Date: 10/01/02

Incident Requirements WAC 296-824-500

For printing

Your responsibility:

To conduct and manage emergency response operations so employees are protected from hazardous substances and conditions.

You must

Recognize emergencies and initiate a response WAC 296-824-50005 Implement and maintain an incident command system (ICS) WAC 296-824-50010 Prepare skilled support personnel WAC 296-824-50015 Make sure the incident commander oversees activities during the response WAC 296-824-50020 Use the buddy system in danger areas WAC 296-824-50025 Provide rescue and medical assistance WAC 296-824-50030

WAC 296-824-50005

Recognize emergencies and initiate a response

You must

• Make sure employees follow procedures in your emergency response plan to:
  • - Recognize when an emergency response must be initiated
  • - Notify employees, and others designated in your plan, of the release
  • - Follow immediate emergency procedures
  • - Prevent the incident from increasing in severity or to secure the operation

WAC 296-824-50010

Implement and maintain an incident command system (ICS)

You must:

(1) Make sure a single individual, acting as the incident commander (IC), is in charge of the site-specific incident command system (ICS) and acts within their designated role and training level.

Note: For multiemployer worksites: - The IC has responsibility for controlling emergency response operations at the site for all employers. - Emergency response plans should be consistent in designating who assumes the IC position. If the first employee arriving at the scene isn't trained as an IC (see Table 5, Competencies for Incident Commanders, WAC 296-824-30005), they may take control of the incident within their designated role and training level.

(2) Make sure all employers' emergency responders and their communications are coordinated and controlled by the IC.

Note: The IC may delegate tasks to subordinates (within their training level).

(3) Make sure each employer at the scene has designated a representative to assist the IC.

(4) Establish security and control of the site as specified in your written emergency response plan.

 

WAC 296-824-50015

Prepare skilled support personnel

Note: The duties of skilled support personnel are described in Table 1, Roles and Duties of Emergency Responders.

You must

(1) Make sure that your skilled support personnel (including those employees who aren't regularly employed by you) who could be exposed to on-scene hazards are given an initial briefing at the site before they participate in any emergency response. The initial briefing must include:

• What chemical hazards are involved
• What duties are to be performed
• Instruction in the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment

Note: Skilled support personnel don't need to comply with the other training requirements of this chapter.

(2) Make sure the safety and health precautions given to your employees are also given to skilled support personnel.

WAC 296-824-50020

Make sure the incident commander oversees activities during the response

The employer of the incident commander (IC) must:

(1) Identify all hazardous substances and conditions present, within their training level, using site analysis and maximum exposure limits, when appropriate.

(2) Implement emergency response procedures appropriate to the hazardous substances and conditions present, such as:

• Procedures that address the use of engineering controls, hazardous substance handling, and new technologies
• Procedures that address decontamination
• Procedures that address PPE
• Procedures that limit the number of personnel to those who are actively performing emergency response operations, in areas where exposure could exist.

(3) Designate an incident safety officer (ISO).

• Make sure the ISO demonstrates knowledge about operations being implemented at the emergency response site. They must:
  • - Identify and evaluate hazards
  • - Communicate with the IC about hazards, immediately informing the IC of
       corrective actions that must be taken when conditions are judged to be:
    • An imminent danger
      or
    • Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
  • - Provide direction about the safety of operations.

WAC 296-824-50025

Use the buddy system in danger areas

You must

• Make sure operations and tasks (including limited actions) in danger areas are conducted using the buddy system in teams of two or more.

Definition: Danger areas are 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 hazardous substance

WAC 296-824-50030

Provide rescue and medical assistance

You must

(1) Provide stand-by employees equipped with the same level of personal protective equipment (PPE) as the entrants, for assistance or rescue.

Note: The buddy system applies to stand-by employees (see WAC 296-824-50025). One of the two stand-by employees can be assigned to another task provided it doesn't interfere with the performance of the stand-by role. Rescue equipment should be selected and provided based on the types of rescue situations that could occur.

You must

(2) Make sure employees trained in first aid are readily available with necessary medical equipment and have a way to transport the injured.

Note: Employee training is covered by WAC 296-800-150, first aid. This rule requires training on the 18 subjects listed in addition to any subjects that are specific to your workplace emergency hazards (for example: If exposure to corrosive substances could occur, training would need to include first-aid procedures fortreating chemical burns). Employers who designate and train their employees to provide first aid are covered by chapter 296-823 WAC, Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.