03/31/08 New L&I proposed heat stress rule

Washington Ag March 31, 2008 The Department of Labor and Industries has proposed a new workplace heat stress rule it says is significantly different from the temporary rules L&I has used the past two summers. It is needed says the department because there have been four worker deaths from heat stroke over the past ten years and hundreds who have sought medical treatment. Dan Fazio of the Washington State Farm Bureau says it is not clear how this rule will apply to agriculture. Fazio: "The legislature has stated that all agriculture workplace safety rules will be placed in one chapter and that is the agriculture chapter. This rule is not in the agriculture chapter but L&I is telling us it will apply to farmers. So from a baseline we have a problem determining whether or not farmers will be forced to follow this new rule." Fazio says in addition to that the current farmer workplace safety rules do have a heat stress program in them, which is very practical and this rule would be very different and mean farmers would have two different rules to follow depending upon temperature and humidity. Tentative adoption of the rule is June 4th following five public hearings which will be held in late April in Tumwater, Bellingham, Yakima, Richland and Spokane. Written comment will be accepted by L&I through May 2nd. I'm Bob Hoff. Complete information is online at www.Lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/HeatStress/ or by calling 360-902-4568.