PDFWAC 296-305-01509
Management's responsibility.
(1) It must be the responsibility of management to establish, supervise, maintain, and enforce, in a manner which is effective in practice:
(a) A safe and healthful working environment, as it applies to both nonemergency and emergency conditions.
(b) An accident prevention program as required by this chapter.
(c) Programs for training employees in the fundamentals of accident prevention.
(d) Procedures to be used by the fire department health and safety officer and incident commander to ensure that emergency medical care is provided for members on duty.
(e) An accident investigation program as required by this chapter.
(f) Policies that clarify "rules of engagement" or parameters when personnel should commit to work activities within a hot zone.
(g) Policies that clarify the right of every employee to notify the employer of potential life-threatening situations during emergency operations and processes that clarify how this notification is to occur.
(2) The fire department must be responsible for providing suitable expertise to comply with all testing requirements in this chapter. Such expertise may be secured from within the fire department, from equipment and apparatus manufacturers, or other suitable sources.
(3) Members who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs must not participate in any fire department operations or other functions. This rule does not apply to persons taking prescription drugs as directed by a physician or dentist providing such use does not endanger the worker or others.
(4) Alcoholic beverages must not be allowed in station houses, except at those times when station houses are used as community centers, with the approval of management.
(5) A bulletin board or posting area exclusively for safety and health and large enough to display the required safety and health posters. The WISHA poster (WISHA form F416-081-909) and other safety education material must be provided. A bulletin board of "white background" and "green trim" is recommended.
(6) The fire department must develop and maintain a hazard communication program as required by WAC 296-901-14010, which will provide information to all employees relative to hazardous chemicals or substances to which they are exposed, or may routinely be exposed to, in the course of their employment.
(7) Personnel.
(a) The employer must ensure that employees are physically capable of performing duties that may be assigned to them.
(b) The employer must not permit employees with known physical limitations reasonably identifiable to the employer, for example, heart disease or seizure disorder, to participate in physically demanding activities unless the employee has been released to participate in such activities by a physician or other licensed health care professional (LHCP) who is qualified by training or experience as determined by the fire department to evaluate firefighters.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 18-22-116, § 296-305-01509, filed 11/6/18, effective 12/7/18; WSR 17-02-066, § 296-305-01509, filed 1/3/17, effective 2/3/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910.156, Fire brigades. WSR 13-05-070, § 296-305-01509, filed 2/19/13, effective 1/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. WSR 01-11-038, § 296-305-01509, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040. WSR 99-05-080, § 296-305-01509, filed 2/17/99, effective 6/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].050 and [49.17].060. WSR 96-11-067, § 296-305-01509, filed 5/10/96, effective 1/1/97.]