The Cal/OSH Standards Board unanimously approved emergency protections for workers exposed to wildfire smoke. It applies to workplaces where the Air Quality Index reaches 151 – unhealthy – and when employers “should reasonably anticipate” that employees may be exposed to wildfire smoke. Exempted are indoor workplaces and enclosed vehicles with filtered air, firefighters engaged in wildland firefighting, and employees with short-term exposure to the foul air (no more than one hour).

Employers will have to monitor their worksites during fire season to check for particulate matter 2.5, the pollutant of concern. Employers would then have to move workers to an indoor location with filtered air or move them to a location where the AQI is below 151. If that’s not feasible, they will have to provide workers with respirators, such as N95s, for voluntary use and train them on the new regulation.

Only in extreme situations – an AQI above 500 – will respirator use be mandatory. Cal/OSHA says such situations are “very rare,” as Division of Occupational Safety and Health Deputy Chief for Health Eric Berg says. But employer representatives say they are not as rare as the Division characterizes them.

See the Cal-OSHA Reporter article here for more information on the Standards Board decision and the steps required to formalize this as a law.

Effective 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 24, 2019: Due to the current and forecasted hot, dry conditions, specified outdoor recreational fires (campfires, fire bowls, and fire pits) have been restricted throughout unincorporated and incorporated areas of Spokane County by order fire marshals and county officials. The restrictions will continue until further notice and are subject to change depending on conditions.

Citizens may still use backyard barbecues, manufactured portable outdoor fireplaces or other patio/deck warmers, provided the appliance has a spark arrester and a chimney, approved fuel is used, and weather conditions support safe recreational fires. Approved fuels include seasoned (clean/dry) firewood, briquettes, propane, or natural gas.

Details, including photos of devices allowed/not allowed are linked here.

Washington State E2SHB2158

According to a March 20, 2019 article in the Seattle Time, Microsoft and UW leaders  wanted to establish a dedicated workforce education investment fund that will create the learning opportunities that our state’s families need and deserve. The new fund would do this in three ways.

1. Expand access for all deserving students with more funding for financial aid like the state need grant, guaranteeing this grant is available to all who are eligible. And let’s make it usable for the broader range of 21st century learning opportunities that have become important.
2. Expand the state’s learning opportunities in all areas of postsecondary education. Many of today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce will benefit by pursuing career pathways that take them through community and technical colleges or apprenticeships, with counseling support to provide students from all backgrounds the help they need to complete their education and seek a new job.
3. Expand capacity at our public community and technical colleges and our four-year colleges and universities so deserving students can obtain the credentials our employers are requiring.

The legislative took this proposal and ran with it.  A brief Summary of the Engrossed 2nd Substitute Bill which passed both the House and the Senate on Sunday April 28th:

• Establishes a Legislative Workforce Education Investment Accountability and Oversight Board.
• Establishes the Washington College Grant Program, the Washington Student Loan Program, and a career connected learning cross-agency work group and grant program.
• Makes changes to the Working Connections Child Care Program and the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship. Imposes a 20 percent business and occupation (B&O) surcharge on the income from service and other activities of select businesses.
• Imposes a 33.33 percent B&O surcharge on the income from service and other activities of advanced computing businesses with revenue of more than $25 billion but less than $100 billion.
• Imposes a 66.66 percent B&O surcharge on the income from service and other activities of advanced computing businesses with revenue of more than $100 billion. Establishes a Workforce Education Investment Account.
• Makes biennial operating budget appropriations for the 2019-21 biennial.

See the summary here for more information on each of these aspects of the new legislation heading to the Governor Monday.

The Department of Ecology adopted amendments to Chapter 173-303 WAC Dangerous Waste Regulations on January 28, 2019.  The amendments become effective 90 days after adoption on April 28, 2019.   These regulations set standards for the safe management of dangerous wastes. Ecology amended specific sections of the dangerous waste regulations to incorporate new federal hazardous waste rules, including but not limited to:

1)     Conditional Exclusions for Solvent-Contaminated Wipes
2)     Revisions to the Definition of Solid Waste
3)     Revisions to the Export Provisions of the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Rule.
4)     Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule
5)     Hazardous Waste Export-Import Revisions
6)     Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Rule

Amendments also include several state-initiated technical and editorial corrections and clarifications. Substantive changes include, but are not limited to:

• Changes to the PCB waste exclusion to reduce duplicative regulation of state-only PCB wastes also regulated under the Toxic Substance Control Act 40 CFR Part 760.
• Above-ground signage requirements for underground dangerous waste tanks to increase safety awareness.

A summary of the amendments is available here.  Contact Spring Environmental for additional guidance on implementing the new rules.

It’s time to prepare, certify and post your OSHA 300A Annual Summary of workplace injuries and illnesses in your workplace. This is required for all U.S. employers, except those with ten or fewer employees or those whose NAICS code is in the set of low-hazard industries exempt from OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping requirements.

In addition, by March 2, 2019, establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in certain industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses. If employers in State Plan states (e.g. Washington) have questions about their obligation to submit injury and illness information, please contact your State Plan office.