(1) A person, firm, or corporation aggrieved by a citation assessing a civil penalty issued by the department under WAC 296-128-830 may appeal the citation assessing a civil penalty to the director by filing a notice of appeal with the director within thirty days of the department's issuance of the citation assessing a civil penalty. A citation assessing a civil penalty not appealed within thirty days is final and binding, and not subject to further appeal.

(2) A notice of appeal filed with the director under this section will stay the effectiveness of the citation assessing a civil penalty pending final review of the appeal by the director as provided for in chapter 34.05 RCW.

(3) Upon receipt of a notice of appeal, the director will assign the hearing to an administrative law judge of the office of administrative hearings to conduct the hearing and issue an initial order. The hearing and review procedures will be conducted in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, and the standard of review by the administrative law judge of an appealed citation assessing a civil penalty will be de novo. Any party who seeks to challenge an initial order shall file a petition for administrative review with the director within thirty days after service of the initial order. The director will conduct administrative review in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW.

(4) The director will issue all final orders after appeal of the initial order. The final order of the director is subject to judicial review in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW.

(5) Orders that are not appealed within the period specified in this section and chapter 34.05 RCW are final and binding, and not subject to further appeal.

(6) An employer who fails to allow adequate inspection of records in an investigation by the department under WAC 296-128-830 through 296-128-850 within a reasonable time period may not use such records in any appeal under such rules to challenge the correctness of any determination by the department of penalties assessed.