More COHEs: good for workers, good for employers, good for Washington

Among the huge workers' comp package we passed in 2011 was an expansion of the Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHE) program so that all injured workers have access to a COHE by 2015, regardless of where they live.

COHEs are based in clinics and hospitals, and they provide education and financial incentives to more than 2,000 health care providers to encourage the use of best practices in occupational health. Funding from L&I supports health services coordinators who help with case management and getting appropriate services early in an injury claim.

A December 2011 study found that treatment by COHE providers reduced lost work days by nearly 20 percent and claim costs by $500 per claim.

There are currently 4 COHEs in Washington State:

• Renton COHE at Valley Medical Center, Renton, WA.
• Harborview Medical Center
• Eastern Washington COHE at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute, Spokane, WA.
• The Everett Clinic

When you have a work-related injury, the priority is to restore your health so you can go back to work. Research shows that returning to normal activity as soon as safely possible after injury reduces the likelihood of long-term disability. Developing goals for returning to work may improve your overall health and outcomes while protecting your income and benefits.

The COHEs offer training and resources to your doctor, but may also be able to help you plan your return to work. COHEs have Health Services Coordinators that work with doctors, employers, and with you to understand your restrictions and find work that you can do. Want to make sure your doctor is participating in the program? Contact the COHE. And you can also find out more about what L&I has to offer injured workers here.

But back to the expansion, according to a press release, right now L&I is seeking proposals from health care organizations interested in sponsoring new COHEs, they expect to select at least six COHE sponsors by April 19. 

Read this story in Spanish.

Hurt on the job? There's a new provider network for you.

If you get injured on the job, there's a new medical provider network available to you as of this week.

Back in 2011, Governor Gregoire signed legislation that passed both the House and Senate nearly unanimously. This legislation required the state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) to create a provider network, and for participating providers to adhere to certain standards to ensure injured workers get the highest quality care.

An injured worker's initial medical visit can be to any provider or emergency room, but subsequent visits must be with a network provider in order to be covered by workers compensation.

This change will improve quality of care because providers within the L&I network will be required to have certain credentials and to follow evidence-based guidelines for treating patients. The goal is to help people get back to work as safely and quickly as possible.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a provider within the network - there are currently over 9,300 of them, with more being added each day. This online directory lists all of them, and L&I can also help you find a provider in your area if you aren't sure which one to see.

The Tri-City Herald published an article about this new network today, which you can read here.

Washington's minimum wage workers are getting a raise

​On January 1, 2013, minimum wage workers in 10 states - including ours - will receive pay increases as a result of legislation.

In our state's case, the increase is 15 cents per hour, bringing the total hourly minimum wage in Washington to $9.19.

Since January 1, 1999, Washington's minimim wage workers have received annual cost-of-living adjustments thanks to Initiative 688 (with the exception of 2010, when there was no increase). This law, which the voters overwhelmingly approved by over 66 percent, requires the state Department of Labor and Industries to make yearly adjustments to the minimum wage based on the federal Consumer Price Index.

While $9.19 an hour is nearly $2.00 an hour more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, it still amounts to an annual income of less than $20,000 per year.

In other words, nobody's living large on minimum wage.

Here's a helpful chart on the history of Washington's minimum wage.

This article from Stateline talks about efforts to boost the minimum wage in other states as well as at the federal level. It also links to a 2010 study that failed to find a correlation between the kind of minimum wage increases seen in states and layoffs/job losses.

Read this story in Spanish here.

Washing tons of hazardous gunk out of our lives best be a top priority

Here's a delicious refrain that moms (and all good, upright dads, too) can always be counted on to sing out strong: Washing up after tasks large and small is the only real way to put a safe distance between oneself and potentially hazardous materials. No matter, my friend, if it's job-safety in the workplace or good-health practices on the home front, there's no substitute for washing up.

A very recent state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) press release reminds us that it takes but an instant of inattention, a single careless moment of one dropping one's guard for tragedy to strike. Serious, permanent injury awaits, looms for those who would dare dodge the simple, common-sense policies and procedures for safety at home and abroad.

Too, you had better believe that in the 2013 legislative session the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee will continue discussing the right ways and means for promoting high standards in workplace safety and health. Indeed, with their final pre-session update set in a Friday, Nov. 30, committee meeting, panel members are looking forward to a thorough update in this arena, including labor and business comments. The meeting will get started at 8 a.m. in House Hearing Room C, John L. O'Brien Building, right here on your Capitol Campus.

Also, Labor & Industries is holding a series of workshops (intended specifically for employers) both to bring folks up to speed on the law, in general, and to nail down hazards in the workplace, in particular. These free workshops will talk about 1) The best techniques for emergency hand-washing and eyewashing after an accident, and 2) The best techniques for preventing these accidents from even happening in the first place. The upcoming workshop schedule is:

• Mount Vernon — Wednesday, Nov. 21, 9 a.m. to noon.
• Kelso — Tuesday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Spokane — Tuesday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m. to noon.
• Tacoma — Thursday, Dec. 20, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mount Vernon — Thursday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Tukwila — Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9 a.m. to noon.

There will be other workshops in 2013. To learn more and/or to register for a workshop (pre-registration is required, by the by), please click Emergency Washing Workshop, or call 1-800-574-2829.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Stay at Work working just fine

We told you about it when it was launched back in January, but the law (HB 2123) creating the Stay at Work program went into effect a year ago, on June 15, 2011. On the program’s anniversary the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) issued a release reporting that so far it has reimbursed 568 employers with $2.5 million and helped 1,200 injured workers remain on the job.

The Stay at Work program reimburses some of the costs to employers who bring their injured workers quickly and safely back to light-duty or transitional work, without negatively impacting the employers’ experience ratings. It’s a great deal for workers because they can continue making a living to support their families while they fully recover, and it’s a great deal for eligible employers because they can receive up to half of the worker’s base wages for up to 66 days or $10,000 per claim.

How it works:


To learn more and read the L&I press release click here.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

Worker deaths hit historic lows

The number of people dying due to workplace injuries hit an all-time low in Washington state during 2011 – despite our state having a higher population than ever before.

The Department of Labor and Industries says 51 workers died on the job last year.

While even one death is a tragedy for the worker and family members left behind, businesses and the state have worked hard on improving safety. Thankfully, worker safety is better.

Photo credit: Hazard_general

A total of 51 deaths is far less than the historical average of 80 to 90 work-related deaths per year. It’s much better than even the previous low of 65 worker deaths, back in 2009.

The most dangerous jobs are typically those in farming, forestry, fishing, manufacturing and construction.

Want more? You can read the full Labor and Industry report here, via the series of tubes.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.