Here's the latest information regarding the permanent Heat Stress Rules.  The Department announced the draft rules March 19, 2008, as well as a deadline for written comments and a schedule of public hearings.

You can click HERE for the language of the proposed Heat Stress Rules.

Public Hearings are scheduled for the following dates and times:

1:00pm, Mon., April 28 - Comfort Inn, 1620 74th Ave SW, Tumwater

1:00pm, Tues., April 29 - Quality Inn Baron Suites, 100 E. Kellogg Rd, Bellingham

9:00am, Wed., April 30 - Clarion Hotel, 1507 N. First Street, Yakima

2:00pm, Wed., April 30 - Red Lion Hotel, 802 George Washington Way, Richland

1:00pm, Thurs., May 1 - Red Lion Hotel at the Park, W. 303 N. River Dr, Spokane

If you have Written Comments for the Department, please submit them to the Department by 5:00pm, Friday, May 2 via mail, fax or email to: Jamie Scibelli, Administrative Regulations Analyst, Division of Occuaptional Safety and Health, P.O. Box 44620, Olympia, WA  98504-4620.  FAX - 360.902.5619   Email - SCIJ235@LNI.WA.GOV

Here are DLI Director Judy Schurke's comments to legislators concerning the proposed rules:

______________________________________________
From:   Schurke, Judy (LNI) 

Sent:   Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:30 PM

To:     Murray, Ed; Holmquist, Janea; Jeanne Kohl-Welles - Chair (D); Karen Keiser - Vice Chair (D); King, Curtis; Margarita Prentice (D); Mike Hewitt (R); Rosa Franklin (D); Alex Wood - Vice Chair (D); Brendan Williams (D); Bruce Chandler - Asst Ranking Minority Member (R); Cary Condotta - Ranking Minority Member (R); Jim Moeller (D); Larry Crouse (R); Steve Conway - Chair (D); Green, Tami

Cc:     Brown, Lisa; Chopp, Frank; alison hellberg; Ingrid Mungia; Jamila Thomas-Roberts; Jeannie Gorrell ; Jill Reinmuth; Joan Elgee; Kathleen Buchli; Mac Nicholson; Maria Hovde; Naomi Goodman; Owen Rowe; Roman

Subject:        Labor and Industries Heat Related Illness Proposed Rule

Dear Honorable Members of the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development and House Commerce and Labor Committees, Senator Brown and Speaker Chopp, 

I am writing to let you know that I am proposing a permanent worker safety rule for heat related illness.  The proposal will be filed tomorrow, March 19th.  Many of you know that over the past two summers L&I put an emergency rule in effect when we could not reach consensus on language in our meetings with business and labor.  Over the course of the past summer, fall and winter we have continued to work toward a rule that is simple, easy to comply with, and effective.   It is my hope that, while not all will agree a rule is necessary, the current proposal will viewed as reasonable.  The proposed rule language is substantially different from the prior two emergency rules.  The changes are the result of public meetings last summer and stakeholder input during the fall and winter.  The rule requires employers to:

I know many employers already include some of these elements in their business practices.  We will be holding public hearings across the state to receive input from citizens and interest groups.  A copy of our press release and public hearing dates and locations will be emailed to you tomorrow. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at (360) 902-4203 if you have any questions or would like more information about our proposal.   

Sincerely,

Judy Schurke, Director
Department of Labor and Industries

--------------------------------------------------

You can also read an Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis HERE, and a Small Business Economic Impact Statement HERE.

If you have other thoughts you would like to share regarding the rules, please don't hesitate to contact WSIA Executive Director Dave Kaplan at dave.kaplan@wsiassn.org.