Washington introduces new heat protections for workers

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that new heat protections for outdoor workers will go into effect July 17, introducing an update to expand the heat protection standard for outdoor workers first implemented in 2008.

The rules lower to 80 degrees the temperature requiring employers to take certain actions such as providing drinking water and shade.

Workers must be allowed to take cool-down periods as needed to prevent overheating. Employers must follow high-heat procedures that require close observation of workers and mandatory cool-down periods of 10 minutes every two hours when the temperature reaches 90 degrees, and 15 minutes every hour at 100 degrees or higher.

The updated permanent rules also add requirements for acclimatization and exposure to high heat, stating that employers must closely observe all workers during heat waves and any worker who is newly assigned to working in the heat or returning from an absence of up to 14 days.

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