Enhancing driver safety: Washington State Department of Agriculture's initiative to protect seasonal employees

Daniel Schafer
Communications

Every year, our agency employs dedicated seasonal workers responsible for trapping invasive pests. These trappers diligently scour every corner of the state to identify invasive species that pose a threat to Washington's agricultural health. Their work regularly takes them to remote, seldom-traveled, and often-narrow roads.

Challenges faced by field staff

Trappers face numerous challenges while performing their duties. Driving across their assigned regions, they make regular stops to set, inspect, and eventually remove traps. The nature of their work requires them to repeatedly park and leave their vehicles to perform tasks before moving on to the next site. Unfortunately, the roads they traverse are not only narrow but sometimes rough and overgrown. Such difficult conditions require frequent tricky turnarounds and maneuvers, resulting in between three and six slow-speed collisions reported by WSDA's seasonal employees each year. In fact, 28% of all auto accidents involving WSDA employees occur while backing into or driving over stationary objects such as mailboxes and utility poles.

Addressing safety concerns

Instructors offered WSDA employees hands-on training.

Recognizing the pressing need to enhance the safety of seasonal employees, Jason Gambill, WSDA's senior safety officer, is spearheading a mission to reduce accidents. In 2022, the first phase of Gambill's plan was implemented, equipping many of the agency's vehicles with backup cameras. As many collisions involve backing into stationary objects, these cameras have proven to be valuable tools for drivers.

Driver safety training 

Continuing the endeavor to prioritize safety, on June 6, 2023, all 30 seasonal employees responsible for trapping the invasive spongy moth participated in a comprehensive two-hour driver safety training session held at the Thurston County Fairgrounds. The training was conducted by Olympic Driving School, with three experienced instructors, including the company's owner and lead instructor, Scott Jansen. The program included group discussions on safe driving practices and hands-on instruction to equip WSDA employees with effective strategies for staying safe on the job. While this training session catered to the seasonal employees working in western Washington in 2023, subsequent training sessions will be held in 2024 and will include seasonal employees tasked with trapping apple maggots in eastern Washington as well. 

The vision for safety

By offering hands-on driver's safety training to seasonal employees, Jason Gambill and WSDA's safety team aim to eliminate slow-speed collisions entirely. Gambill emphasizes the significance of this training, saying, "With these newly acquired skills, our seasonal employees will have the ability to protect themselves, the public, and private property across the state."

In summary: Seasonal employees who will be working as spongy moth trappers this year participated in a driving safety training on June 6, 2023. This training is part of an effort by WSDA to decrease the number of on-the-job motor vehicle accidents. In 2024, the training will be provided for spongy moth trappers who work in western Washington as well as apple maggot trappers who work in eastern Washington.

Recent Policy Updates

WSDA recently updated several policies. Read below about the recent updates. 

Ethics – Policy POL-HR-212 Meeting Ethical Standards has been reorganized by subject matter for easier reference. Human Resources has scheduled open houses on July 20 and July 26 to discuss the policy in depth.

·       Email Records – All employees must manage their email to preserve public records and follow retention schedules. Policy POL-AM-121 Managing Email describes which types of emails to retain and who is authorized to search employees’ emails. For instructions on applying retention labels in M365, see Email Record Management Guidance and the Public Records Disclosure intranet site.

·       Commute Trip Reduction – WSDA participates in a statewide program to reduce commuting in single-occupancy vehicles. Policy POL-FS-407 Reducing Commute Trips provides information about public transit options and emergency rides homes for employees who use alternative commuting methods.

·       Media Contacts – To ensure consistent messaging, it is essential to consult the Communications Office before providing information to the media. Policy POL-AM-102 Responding to and Contacting the Media outlines responsibilities of the public information officer and program spokespeople. The Communications Office offers media training to anyone who will interact with the media.

In In summary: WSDA updated several policies, including ethics, email records, commute trip reduction, and media contacts. 

In

It pays to keep your health and safety in mind

Amber Betts
WSDA Communications

If you have prioritized your health and the health of those you work with by staying up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccination, it’s about to pay off in more ways than one.

As you know, Governor Inslee signed the 2023-25 operating budget earlier this month. Part of this budget included a $1,000 incentive bonus for employees who verify that they are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccination.

To receive this incentive, employees must verify their vaccination status with HR. In order to be eligible for the incentive payment, you will need to show that you are up to date on your vaccination according to the current CDC guidance.

It’s not too late, you have until December 31, 2023 to get your verification in and receive that incentive payment.

Easier than ever

Human Resources and IT developed a secure process for employees to scan and submit their vaccine information to HR. Refer to the COVID Vaccine Documentation Scanning and Upload Instructions for more information.

When you have securely scanned your vaccine documentation, it can be electronically submitted to HR for review and processing with this secure form: COVID Booster Verification Form.

If you need help scanning your documents or completing the form, contact Lori Singleton in Human Resources at lsingleton@agr.wa.gov or 360-480-8040.

In summary: You can verify your COVID-19 vaccination status with HR and  be eligible for the $1,000 incentive payment. 

Wildfire smoke season; stay informed, be prepared

Spring in the Pacific Northwest is slowly settling into hot, dry summer days which increase the risk of wildfires that cause destruction and choking smoke in the air. 

Fires already raging through Alberta Canada, where over 1.2 million acres have already burned, is a stark reminder that wildfire season is approaching, this is a cautionary reminder to get prepared now for Washington’s wildfire season. 

Wildfire smoke is a major threat to human health, and the biggest source of particle pollution in Washington. Breathing in smoke causes wheezing and coughing, heart and lung disease, and can even cause death. A cautionary reminder to get prepared now for Washington’s wildfire season. 

The state Department of Ecology predicts the number of acres burned by wildfires is increasing as climate change reduces winter snowpack, and produces hotter and drier summers. 

L&I rules

The health risks from wildfire smoke prompted the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) last year to file emergency rules spelling out responsibilities for employers, including state agencies like WSDA, to identify harmful smoke risks, notify employees, and eliminate or reduce workers’ exposure. 

The emergency rules expired in November, but L&I is in the process of making the rules permanent and on May 10, 2023, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) filed proposed draft language for permanent wildfire smoke rules to protect the health of workers who are exposed to wildfire smoke while on the job. 

The agency has indicated that they would again adopt the rules on an emergency basis if permanent rules were not in place by the start of this year’s fire season.

WSDA will continue to follow the wildfire smoke rules to promote education and awareness of these health hazards to employees. 

These L&I rules, which apply specifically to people working outdoors, give clarification about when staff is most at risk and specific steps we as an employer need to take. They exempt worksites from within enclosed buildings and vehicles with windows and doors mostly kept closed (except for entry and exit) and air-filtration systems. 

The rules set the standard for dangerously poor air quality at 2.5 PM (particulate matter), which means suspended solid or liquid particles are at or below 2.5 micrometers in diameter. The fine particles at this level are the most concerning hazard, because they get deep into the lungs, worsening conditions like asthma, and affecting heart health.

Employer responsibilities 

WSDA managers and supervisors are responsible for monitoring air quality conditions in the areas where employees are working outdoors. They can check websites such as the EPA's AirNow website or state Department of Ecology's Air Monitoring Network and download mobile apps like "EPA AirNow" or "Air Quality WA." 

In addition, the emergency preparedness program has activated a Hazard Alert box on the Inside Agriculture home page, where employees can access current air quality alerts received from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Washington State Department of Ecology

When workers are at risk of exposure to hazardous levels of wildfire smoke, employers must take actions to eliminate or reduce their exposure. These measures may include:

• Moving work to enclosed buildings, structures, or vehicles where the air is adequately filtered.
• Moving employees to areas with lower smoke exposure.
• Reducing work intensity.
• Providing additional rest periods.
• Providing employees with respirators, such as an N95 or a KN95 disposal mask, at no cost for voluntary use when levels of particulate matter are high.

As WSDA’s emergency preparedness coordinator, I have been working with my Safety Office colleagues and agency leaders to review job hazards and help programs obtain the supplies they need to keep workers safe from smoke exposure. Use of respirators for this purpose is voluntary, so no medical exam or fit test is required.

Although it’s not required, WSDA and L&I recommend taking action to reduce employee exposure to dangerous air at even lower levels of particulate matter, especially for workers with asthma or other lung conditions.

We also recommend training employees and supervisors about wildfire smoke. WSDA staff will be receiving an email from The Learning Center (TLC) and guided to view L&I’s wildfire smoke training video.  

In summary: The health risks from wildfire smoke prompted the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) last year to file emergency rules spelling out responsibilities for employers, including state agencies like WSDA, to identify harmful smoke risks, notify employees, and eliminate or reduce workers’ exposure. WSDA will continue to follow the wildfire smoke rules to promote education and awareness of these health hazards to employees. Read this Insider blog post for updates on agency responsibilities.