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Contact Information |
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Washington Department of Labor and Industries
Division of Occupational Safety
& Health (DOSH)
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501-5414
Mailling Address:
P.O. Box 44600
Olympia, WA 98504-4600
Stephen M. Cant, CIH, Assistant
Director, DOSH
PH: (360) 902-9166
Fax: (360) 902-5619
L&I Information: 1-800-547-8367
Safety and Health Hot Line:
1-800-4BE-SAFE or 1-800-423-7233
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About the Washington State Plan
The state of Washington, under an agreement with OSHA, operates an
occupational safety and health program in accordance with Section 18
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The Washington
State Plan was approved in January, 1973, and the state's enabling
legislation, the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, took
effect in June of 1973. The Washington program received
certification for completing all developmental steps in January,
1982.
The Washington State Program is administered by the Department of
Labor and Industries (DL&I), Division of Occupational Safety and
Health (DOSH). A director, appointed by the Governor, heads the
department and serves as the state plan designee. The Assistant
Director for DOSH administers the day-to-day operations of the state
program. The central office for DOSH is located in Tumwater,
Washington. The Division has various regional and field offices
located throughout the state. The DOSH program establishes policy
and technical guidance, writes standards, develops internal and
external training, monitors and evaluates DOSH programs, conducts
inspections, and provides consultative services.
Jurisdiction
The state of Washington exercises safety and health jurisdiction
over most private sector employers in the state, and public sector
employers except the federal government.
Federal OSHA exercises jurisdiction over employers not covered by
the state of Washington, including civilian federal employees and
private contractors on military reservations and national parks,
floating maritime operations, the United States Postal Service,
tribal operations and tribal member employers on Indian Reservations
and Trust Lands, and certain contractors within the boundary of the
Hanford Reservation or the Hanford Reach National Monument not
regulated by DOE or the state of Washington.
See 29 CFR 1952.122.
Regulations and Standards
Over the years, the state of Washington has adopted a number of
safety and health standards which have some significant differences
from the federal counterparts. Examples include Washington's rules
for fall protection, respiratory protection, aerial lifts, and
agriculture. DOSH has also adopted a number of state-initiated rules
for which there are no federal counterparts, including requirements
for written safety and health programs, and for safety committees.
As part of the DOSH Standards Innovations Project, Washington
grouped a number of basic safety and health standards, necessary for
most employers, into one code section (Chapter 296-800 WAC). These
are referred to as Core Rules. The Core Rules include requirements
for Safe Workplace (similar to the OSHA General Duty Clause),
Accident Prevention Program, First Aid, PPE, Hazard Communication,
Safety Bulletin Board/Poster, Lighting, Housekeeping, Sanitation,
Environmental, Tobacco Smoke in the Office, Stairs and Railings,
Floor Holes and Openings, Open-sided Floors, Workplace Structural
Integrity, Basic Electrical Rules, Portable Fire Extinguishers, and
Exit Routes and Employee Alarm Systems.
Please see the
Washington Regulations section of the Washington
State Plan website.
Enforcement Programs
DOSH enforcement information, such as applicable rules and
regulations, DOSH Compliance Manual, policies and procedures are
found in program directives. You can also file a safety and health
complaint or a discrimination complaint electronically via the
Washington State Plan website. (Note: the DOSH Compliance Manual is
not available through the web page. However, questions related to
enforcement programs and policies should be directed to DOSH offices
or contacts listed.)
Voluntary and Cooperative Programs
As part of the DOSH mission to keep Washington workers safe, DOSH
conducts free on-site safety and health consultations each year for
employers who request help in complying with DOSH rules and in
improving their safety and health program in their unique workplace
setting. These consultations help prevent injuries, illnesses and
death and contribute to the DOSH goal of having the safest
workplaces in the nation. For additional details and to request a
free consultation or to find out about other voluntary compliance
resources, please visit the
Assistance & Consultation section of
the DOSH
website.
DOSH also offers and operates a
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
for employers who operate an exemplary safety and health program. VPP information, program application, and a list of current VPP
sites in Washington are available on the DOSH website.
Additionally, DOSH provides various
training resources and
publications.
Policies and Procedures
DOSH Program Directives (re: procedures and interpretations of
regulations)
Informal Conferences and Appeals
DOSH has procedures under Washington's Administrative Rules (Chapter
296-900 WAC) and the DOSH Administrative Manual that afford
employers the right to administrative and judicial review of alleged
violations, initial penalties and abatement periods. The same
procedures also provide employees and their representatives the
opportunity to participate in review proceedings and contest
citation abatement dates(s). See Chapter 49.17.140 RCW.
First appeals are sent to the Department for consideration and may
be sent to: DOSH Appeals, P.O. Box 44604, Olympia, WA 98504-4604,
telephone (360) 902-5486 and Fax (360) 902-5581 and office hours
8:00 am – 5:00 pm M-F, excluding legal holidays. The next step in
the appeals process is more formal and resides outside the
Department in the independent Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals
(BIIA), P.O. Box 42401, Olympia, WA 98504-4201, telephone toll free
1-800-442-0447 or call (360) 586-5611, Fax (360) 586-5611 [physical
address: 2430 Chandler Court SW, Olympia, WA 98504-4201] and office
hours 8:00 am – 5:00 pm MF, excluding legal holidays.
Other Resources
Publications (e.g. Basic Steps to a Safe Workplace) and
posters
(Chapter 296–800 WAC)
Employers may also contact one of the
DOSH regional or field offices
located in the state.
Disclaimer
OSHA makes every effort to ensure that the information on this page is accurate
and up to date, but changes in state law and procedures affecting the
information on this page are beyond OSHA's control. Contact state program staff
directly to verify important information.
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