04/24/06 Relief over heat stress rule

Washington Ag April 24, 2006 The Department of Labor and Industries has taken notice of the concerns of agriculture and the building industry in the actions it is taking to address the issue of heat stress for outdoor workers in hot weather. The agency has adopted a rule that will primarily focus on promoting a hazard-awareness effort to educate employers and workers. Jim Hazen, Executive Director of the Washington State Horticultural Association, says they are pleased L&I took a more common-sense approach rather than implementing an overly restrictive rule. Employers are expected to evaluate their workplaces and determine if their employees will be at risk from heat-related illness during temperature extremes and hot weather. Workplaces must have a safety plan in place to train employees on recognizing the symptoms and preventing heat-related illness. There also is apparently not going to be any pilot pesticide notification program anytime soon either, similar to a rule proposal dropped by the state Department of Agriculture last year. Ag Director Valoria Loveland had this blunt response to reports that the governor's office wants to move ahead with a pilot program. Loveland: "This is the Department of Agriculture who writes rules it is not the governor." Director Loveland does says she is continuing to review the issue with the industry and experts. Loveland: "I am looking. I don't have an answer. I haven't come up with one yet that is going to work." I'm Bob Hoff.