Washington SB 6188: Concerning the department of labor and industries' authority to enact rules related to regulating asbestos training.

Bill Text

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SENATE BILL 6188
Chapter 179, Laws of 2026
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
ASBESTOS WORKER TRAINING—RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND INDUSTRIES
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 11, 2026
Passed by the Senate March 10, 2026
Yeas 30 Nays 19
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Passed by the House March 3, 2026
Yeas 61 Nays 33
LAURIE JINKINS
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
CERTIFICATE
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
Washington, do hereby certify that
the attached is SENATE BILL 6188 as
passed by the Senate and the House
of Representatives on the dates
hereon set forth.
SARAH BANNISTER
Secretary
Approved March 24, 2026 10:38 AM FILED
March 25, 2026
BOB FERGUSON
Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to department of labor and industries' authority 1
to enact rules related to regulating asbestos training; and amending 2
RCW 49.26.110.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 49.26.110 and 2011 c 301 s 14 are each amended to 5
read as follows:6
(1) No employee or other individual is eligible to do work 7
governed by this chapter unless issued a certificate by the 8
department.9
(2) To qualify for a certificate:10
(a) Certified asbestos workers must have successfully completed a 11
four-day training course. Certified asbestos supervisors must have 12
completed a five-day training course. Training courses shall be 13
provided or approved by the department; shall cover such topics as 14
the health and safety aspects of the removal and encapsulation of 15
asbestos, including but not limited to the federal and state 16
standards regarding protective clothing, respirator use, disposal, 17
air monitoring, cleaning, and decontamination; and shall meet such 18
additional qualifications as may be established by the department by 19
rule for the type of certification sought. The department may require 20
the successful completion of annual refresher courses provided or 21
SENATE BILL 6188
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed Legislature - 2026 Regular Session
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Hunt, Conway, and Nobles; by request of Department of
Labor & Industries
Read first time 01/16/26. Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.
p. 1 SB 6188.SL

approved by the department for continued certification as an asbestos 1
worker or supervisor. ((However, the authority of the director to 2
adopt rules implementing this section is limited to rules that are 3
specifically required, and only to the extent specifically required, 4
for the standards to be as stringent as the applicable federal laws 5
governing work subject to this chapter)) Rules adopted by the 6
department must be: (i) Based on the best available evidence, 7
established best practices, and nationally recognized industry 8
standards; and (ii) the least burdensome to applicants necessary to 9
address safety and health hazards; and10
(b) All applicants for certification as asbestos workers or 11
supervisors must pass an examination in the type of certification 12
sought which shall be provided or approved by the department.13
These requirements are intended to represent the minimum 14
requirements for certification and shall not preclude contractors or 15
employers from providing additional education or training.16
(3) The department shall provide for the reciprocal certification 17
of any individual trained to engage in asbestos projects in another 18
state when the prior training is shown to be substantially similar to 19
the training required by the department. Nothing shall prevent the 20
department from requiring such individuals to take an examination or 21
refresher course before certification.22
(4) The department may deny, suspend, or revoke a certificate, as 23
provided under RCW 49.26.140, for failure of the holder to comply 24
with any requirement of this chapter or chapter 49.17 RCW, or any 25
rule adopted under those chapters, or applicable health and safety 26
standards and regulations. In addition to any penalty imposed under 27
RCW 49.26.016, the department may suspend or revoke any certificate 28
issued under this chapter for a period of not less than six months 29
upon the following grounds:30
(a) The certificate was obtained through error or fraud; or31
(b) The holder thereof is judged to be incompetent to carry out 32
the work for which the certificate was issued.33
Before any certificate may be denied, suspended, or revoked, the 34
holder thereof shall be given written notice of the department's 35
intention to do so, mailed using a method by which the mailing can be 36
tracked or the delivery can be confirmed to the holder's last known 37
address. The notice shall enumerate the allegations against such 38
holder, and shall give him or her the opportunity to request a 39
hearing before the department. At such hearing, the department and 40
p. 2 SB 6188.SL

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