WAC 296-155-17311   Exposure monitoring.  (1) General.

     (a) Determinations of employee exposure shall be made from breathing zone air samples that are representative of each employee's exposure to airborne MDA over an eight-hour period. Determination of employee exposure to the STEL shall be made from breathing zone air samples collected over a fifteen minute sampling period.

     (b) Representative employee exposure shall be determined on the basis of one or more samples representing full shift exposure for each shift for each job classification in each work area where exposure to MDA may occur.

     (c) Where the employer can document that exposure levels are equivalent for similar operations in different work shifts, the employer shall only be required to determine representative employee exposure for that operation during one shift.

     (2) Initial monitoring. Each employer who has a workplace or work operation covered by this standard shall perform initial monitoring to determine accurately the airborne concentrations of MDA to which employees may be exposed unless:

     (a) The employer can demonstrate, on the basis of objective data, that the MDA-containing product or material being handled cannot cause exposures above the standard's action level, even under worst-case release conditions; or

     (b) The employer has historical monitoring or other data demonstrating that exposures on a particular job will be below the action level.

     (3) Periodic monitoring and monitoring frequency.

     (a) If the monitoring required by subsection (2)(b) of this section reveals employee exposure at or above the action level, but at or below the PELs, the employer shall repeat such monitoring for each such employee at least every six months.

     (b) If the monitoring required by subsection (2)(b) of this section reveals employee exposure above the PELs, the employer shall repeat such monitoring for each such employee at least every three months.

     (c) Employers who are conducting MDA operations within a regulated area can forego periodic monitoring if the employees are all wearing supplied-air respirators while working in the regulated area.

     (d) The employer may alter the monitoring schedule from every three months to every six months for any employee for whom two consecutive measurements taken at least seven days apart indicate that the employee exposure has decreased to below the PELs but above the action level.

     (4) Termination of monitoring.

     (a) If the initial monitoring required by subsection (2)(b) of this section reveals employee exposure to be below the action level, the employer may discontinue the monitoring for that employee, except as otherwise required by subsection (5) of this section.

     (b) If the periodic monitoring required by subsection (3) of this section reveals that employee exposures, as indicated by at least two consecutive measurements taken at least seven days apart, are below the action level the employer may discontinue the monitoring for that employee, except as otherwise required by subsection (5) of this section.

     (5) Additional monitoring. The employer shall institute the exposure monitoring required under subsections (2)(b) and (c) of this section when there has been a change in production process, chemicals present, control equipment, personnel, or work practices which may result in new or additional exposures to MDA, or when the employer has any reason to suspect a change which may result in new or additional exposures.

     (6) Accuracy of monitoring. Monitoring shall be accurate, to a confidence level of ninety-five percent, to within plus or minus twenty-five percent for airborne concentrations of MDA.

     (7) Employee notification of monitoring results.

     (a) The employer shall, as soon as possible but no later than five working days after the receipt of the results of any monitoring performed under this standard, notify each employee of these results, in writing, either individually or by posting of results in an appropriate location that is accessible to affected employees.

     (b) The written notification required by subdivision (a) of this subsection shall contain the corrective action being taken by the employer or any other protective measures which have been implemented to reduce the employee exposure to or below the PELs, wherever the PELs are exceeded.

     (8) Visual monitoring. The employer shall make routine inspections of employee hands, face, and forearms potentially exposed to MDA. Other potential dermal exposures reported by the employee must be referred to the appropriate medical personnel for observation. If the employer determines that the employee has been exposed to MDA the employer shall:

     (a) Determine the source of exposure;

     (b) Implement protective measures to correct the hazard; and

     (c) Maintain records of the corrective actions in accordance with WAC 296-155-17327.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 06-05-027, § 296-155-17311, filed 2/7/06, effective 4/1/06. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 93-04-111 (Order 92-15), § 296-155-17311, filed 2/3/93, effective 3/15/93.]