TUMWATER, Wash.-After a somewhat unsettled spring hot weather is hitting the Pacific Northwest this Mother’s Day weekend and with the heat comes new protections for outdoor workers across Washington.
The new rules, that kick-in when temperatures hit 80 degrees, are protections designed to prevent heat-related illness in agriculture, landscaping, construction, and other outdoor jobs, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
Washington State heat rules for temperatures above 80 degrees:
Employers must encourage and allow workers to take paid preventative cool-down rest periods as needed.Employers must provide enough shade or other way of cooling down for all employees on a meal or rest break to use.Employers must provide enough cool drinking water for each employee to drink a quart per hour.Employers must closely observe new employees, employees returning from absences, and all employees during heat waves.
Heat protection rules were updated by L&I in 2023 to take effect at 80 degrees, rather than 89, and to be in effect year-round based on temperature, rather than specific months. More information on the heat rules is available through L&I.
