New Outdoor Heat Rules for Washington Workers

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries has adopted new rules for employees who work outdoors.  The rules take effect on July 5 and are designed to address health hazards created by working outdoors in hot weather.  According to the Department, three workers have died in the past three years from working outdoors on hot days, and the Department has received some 582 workers’ compensation claims in the last 12 years related to heat-related illness.  Employers with outdoor workers are required to train employees and supervisors to recognize heat-related illness and on what to do if someone has symptoms of heat-related illness.  In addition, employers are required to increase the volume of water available on hot days.  As reported here, the new rules are opposed by farmers who have said that the rules are needlessly complicated and that farmers have enough worries.  A press release from the Department on the new rules appears here and a copy of the rules appears here.