Workplace Safety and Health Proposed Scope and Objectives

1. Workplace Safety and HealthProposed Scope and Objectives Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee September 21, 2011 Elisabeth Donner, JLARC Staff

2. Review State’s Workplace Safety and Health Program(2011-13 Operating Budget) • Across the country, laws and regulations help maintain safe work environments to help avoid workplace injuries and illnesses • In Washington, the state administers a workplace safety and health program • Includes activities such as workplace inspections, consultations, and training • Legislature directed JLARC to review the state’s program Workplace Safety and Health

3. Provide an overview of the state’s workplace safety and health activities Purpose of the Scope and Objectives Presentation Overview Scope Describe the scope of the study Objectives List the study objectives Workplace Safety and Health

4. OSHA Gives States Option of Administering Their Own Programs • Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 establishes minimum workplace safety and health standards and gives states option of administering their own programs • Federal government maintains oversight and monitoring of state enforcement activities • Absent a state program, federal government enforces the standards OVERVIEW Overview Workplace Safety and Health

5. 25 States and Two Territories Administer Their Own Programs WA VT OR MN NY WY MI CT IA NV NJ IN IL UT CA MD VA OVERVIEW Overview KY NC TN AZ NM SC AK HI Virgin Islands Puerto Rico Workplace Safety and Health

6. WA Administers Its Own Workplace Safety and Health Program • In 1973 Washington received federal approval and passed enabling legislation • Our state’s standards are embodied in the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) OVERVIEW Overview Workplace Safety and Health

7. Department of Labor and Industries Administers WISHA through DOSH WISHA WA State Industrial Safety & Health Act Gives primary responsibility for workplace safety and health oversight to L&I L&I WA State Dept of Labor & Industries Div. of Occupational Safety & Health DOSH OVERVIEW Overview Administers WISHA: FY 2010 expenditures Conducts inspections • State $29.3 M • Federal $ 6.7 M • Total: $36.0 M Compliance assistance Free consultations Workplace Safety and Health

8. Study Scope: Focus on DOSH Activities, in 3 Categories • Describe activities conducted by DOSH • Identify strategies used in WA to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses • Compare WA’s injury and illness rates to rates in other states and to OSHA Compliance assistance Inspections Consultations OVERVIEW Scope Workplace Safety and Health

9. Five Study Objectives • How does Washington’s occupational safety and health program compare to programs in other states with state plans and to the federal program? • How do Washington workplace injury and illness rates compare to rates in other states with state plans and to the federal program? • What does research show about the impact of inspections and compliance assistance on workplace injury and illness rates? OVERVIEW Objectives Workplace Safety and Health

10. Five Study Objectives (Continued) 4. How does Washington’s occupational safety and health program determine where to focus its inspection and compliance assistance efforts? 5. How can a Washington business or worker find out about and access compliance assistance activities offered by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health? OVERVIEW Objectives Workplace Safety and Health

11. Next Steps and Contact Information Preliminary Report: April 2012 Proposed Final Report: May 2012 Elisabeth Donner 360-786-5190 elisabeth.donner@leg.wa.gov www.jlarc.leg.wa.gov Workplace Safety and Health