I-1433 (Paid Sick/Safe Leave) Enforcement Rulemaking at L&I
While the public hearings concluded this week on the Department of Labor & Industries' efforts to craft rules on the state's new Paid Sick & Safe Leave requirement (passed as part of last year's statewide minimum wage Initiative 1433), and the written comment deadline for the proposed rules ends tonight, the Department is just ramping up its separate effort to craft the enforcement rules for employers' paid sick and safe leave obligations. To that end, the Department is hosting an in person and online meeting next Tuesday, September 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to hear from stakeholders on enforcement concerns. See the meeting notice and agenda here, and register online to participate here.
Needs attention: Lead Exposure Rulemaking at L&I
Perhaps not as well known in the employer community, the Department of Labor & Industries is also well along a project to update its safety rules governing occupational exposure to lead. Discussions around the new rules involve significant reductions in the amount of permissible environmental levels of lead, along with new recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Initially thought to impact mostly employers like gun ranges (and municipal owners of firearm ranges), the new rules will also implicate many elements of the construction, manufacturing, aerospace, health care, and retail industries. If you or your safety program have not been monitoring this process, now is the time to get engaged. Further, given the likelihood among certain hobbyists for non-occupational lead exposure, the rules potentially set up some interesting workers' compensation issues. Check out the latest information, including a copy of the first rules draft under consideration, at this link.
Only two weeks left til Fall Conference - Hope to see you in Tukwila
Excitement is building for our first major event of the 2017-18 program year as we get together two weeks from today for Fall Conference 2017 at the Embassy Suites in Tukwila. For those with safety and accident prevention top of mind, we have a great lineup legal, regulatory, and employer program updates and opportunities for interaction, as well as a presentation on carpal tunnel prevention and treatment under the new L&I treatment guideline. We hope everybody has taken a look at the program information (here) and don't wait to get your registration in!
WSIA Liaison Committee meeting coming up - any issues?
WSIA's Liaison Committee has its next bimonthly meeting with L&I's self-insurance top brass on Monday, September 11, and we're collecting any claims, technical, performance, communications, or other issues that the WSIA membership would like us to discuss with the Department. Our liaison committee, made up of Lisa Vivian of Eberle Vivian, Patrick Reiman of Sedgwick, and Glenn Hansen of MultiCare, is a great forum to get issues brought up and handled. Drop me a line here if you have anything for us to bring up.
WISHA Advisory Committee to meet next week
The Department of Labor & Industries Washington Industrial Safety & Health Act (WISHA) Advisory Committee holds its next quarterly meeting at the L&I HQ in Tumwater next Thursday, September 7th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. WISHA Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public, and a great forum in which to engage DOSH staff on concerns. Learn more about the advisory committee here.
Have a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend!
We'll be back in the office Tuesday, September 5th.
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