Washington governor signs panic button safety bill

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday signed into law a bill that requires employers to train “isolated” employees on the use of panic buttons as a safety protocol, piggybacking on a 2019 law that requires the use of panic buttons for certain workers.

H.B. 1524 defines an isolated employee as one who “performs work in an area where two or more coworkers, supervisors, or a combination thereof are unable to immediately respond to an emergency without being summoned by the employee; or spends at least 50(%) of her or his working hours alone, or whose primary work responsibility involves working without another coworker present.”

The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, requires employers to maintain records of purchases and use of panic buttons.

Employers that violate the law face a fine of $1,000 for each willful violation and up to $10,000 for repeat willful violations.