Washington Developing Wildfire Smoke Worker Safety Regulations

WASHINGTON — For several days last month, wildfire smoke caused Washington state to have some of the worst air quality in the world, and environmental experts say the problem of wildfire smoke will likely only get worse as the climate changes. As that happens, the state is planning ahead for future wildfire seasons by developing new regulations to protect workers when the smoke rolls in.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says workers in construction, agriculture, and other outdoor work environments deserve to be protected from bad air and subsequent health risks, and so they have filed official notification, alerting the state that their department has started the rule making process to create uniform labor laws protecting workers from exposure to poor air quality.

“It’s clear that wildfire smoke isn’t a short-term issue. It impacts all of us, but is especially concerning for workers who have to be outside and breathe it in all day long,” said Craig Blackwood, deputy assistant director for L&I's Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

Labor and Industries says the rules will address multiple issues including:

• How to identify harmful exposures.
• Training and instruction for dealing with wildfire smoke.
• Controlling and limiting harmful exposures.

“By developing clear rules that spell out the safety and health requirements related to protective equipment and training, we can help businesses protect workers from these serious hazards,” Blackwood said.

The rule making process will take several months, and include talks with stakeholders and a period of public input.

When complete, Washington will be just the second state to formally adopt worker protections relating to wildfire smoke. California adopted similar regulations in 2019.