Physical conditioning and driving ergonomics trainings coming up

 Kathy Davis, Communications

Pest Program trapper Kathleen Patton working in a
state vehicle in 2016. 

In two upcoming trainings, WSDA employees can get support to regain lost body strength and capacity, as well as learn best ergonomic practices for driving. 

Agency staff have cited ergonomics as their top safety concern in the annual Safety Survey for the past two years. 

In response, WSDA Enterprise Risk Management Services (ERMS) contracted with ErgoFit Consulting Inc., a Seattle-based company that aims to reduce injuries and enhance employees’ health, performance and productivity through assessment and education. 

March 8, 1-2 pm - General Conditioning Program

Two years of COVID-19 disruption has caused many employees to reduce physical activity either from more sedentary work-at-home conditions or less frequent field work. In addition, injured workers may lose physical capacity for their job demands due to time off. 

ERMS and ErgoFit will offer this program to counteract physical deconditioning. 

Building, or reconditioning, strength and endurance focuses on physical work and life activities such as moving, bending, reaching, grasping, lifting, walking, and standing. ErgoFit offers general overall conditioning of basic muscle groups, common movement patterns, and endurance for walking and standing.

The program includes an introductory manual explaining the purpose of the program and guidance on how to progress through the conditioning program. 

Videos cover each activity and level. The trainer will do a live walkthrough of each video, and these will be available on the WSDA ErgoFit intranet webpage for staff to view at a later time.

The trainer Karen Wollgast has more than 20 years of experience in workplace wellness, safety, and ergonomic programming. 

April 5, 1 - 2 p.m. - Field Staff Ergonomic Driving Tips Training 

Many WSDA staff spend a lot of time behind the wheel of a vehicle, driving to inspection sites or other job requirements. For instance, seasonal pest trappers primarily drive from trap to trap, getting in and out of their vehicles many times a day.

Spending long hours sitting in the driver’s seat can strain joints and muscles as much as sitting at a desk all day. To address these risks to employees’ health and safety, ErgoFit will also present this training webinar offering ergonomic driving tips. 

The presentation will cover best practices such as how to safety get into and out of your vehicle, “cockpit” adjustments (seat, steering column, hand placement), moving equipment in and out, and working on mobile devices inside a vehicle. 

The trainer Deborah Read is as occupational therapist, and president of ErgoFit Consulting, Inc. 

In summary: In two upcoming trainings, WSDA employees can get support to regain lost body strength and capacity, as well as learn best ergonomic practices for driving. WSDA Enterprise Risk Management Services (ERMS) has contracted with ErgoFit Consulting Inc., a Seattle-based company that aims to reduce injuries and enhance employees’ health, performance and productivity through assessment and education. Learn about new training opportunities for all agency staff in this Insider blog post.  

New agency intranet website being planned

Hector Castro, Communications Director 

Inside Agriculture, the intranet website for WSDA employees, is overdue for an overhaul. The existing intranet is more than 20 years old and, though the homepage received a facelift a few years ago, it is operating on an older, outmoded framework.

This year the agency is tackling this problem by planning to build a new site with the system called Kentico, which is the same tool we use for our public website. 

While the agency will use the same tools for both websites, a new intranet need not mirror the layout and look of our public website. 

Decisions about the layout and navigation will be based on input from WSDA employees around what will be most useful for an agency intranet site. 

In the coming weeks, the project team will send a survey to all agency staff aimed at gathering feedback about what you consider the most important features and topics to build into a new intranet. 

Same content management system

One thing that will be the same for both internal and external websites is how webpages are managed, and content is created and updated.

Our current intranet uses a tool called Expressions that is difficult to maintain. This obsolete software is no longer supported by its manufacturer. Only a handful of agency staff have the software and know how to use it to update intranet content. 

Training to use the Kentico system is already available, and more than 80 WSDA employees are now familiar with using this tool. Using Kentico will make it much easier for programs to keep intranet content current and useful to staff. 

Along with me (Hector Castro), the intranet project team consists of Tim Valdez and Kathy Davis from the Communications Office; Susie Olson, Curt Secker, and Harold Boggs from IT; and Kristin Rondeau and Vicky Graham from the Performance and Planning Office. 

We have not yet set a launch date for a new site, but expect the work to take most of 2022. Our goal is to create a new WSDA intranet that serves staff needs and makes their jobs easier. 

In summary: Inside Agriculture, the intranet website for WSDA employees, is overdue for an overhaul. The existing intranet is more than 20 years old and, though the homepage received a facelift a few years ago, it is operating on an older, outmoded platform. In the coming weeks, the project team will send a survey to all agency staff aimed at gathering feedback about what you consider the most important features and topics to build into a new intranet. 

Six win prizes in latest QUICK Award drawing

 Kathy Davis, Communications

Cindy Davis

Six WSDA employees became eligible to select a prize because their names were randomly selected from the full list of those receiving a QUICK Award during the fourth quarter of 2021. 

Agencywide that quarter, employees handed out 67 awards to their coworkers, with 33 awarded in Eastern Washington and 34 in Western Washington.

Lindsey House

QUICK Awards are presented by employees who see their peers demonstrating good work and service to others – either inside or outside the agency. Below are the prize recipients from the most recent drawing.

Cindy Davis –Seed Inspection, Yakima
Cindy provides a unique touch to our program by caring for all of our staff. Cindy initiated and proposed the Sunshine Committee two years ago as a means to coordinate support to staff and their families in times of need. This is a voluntary program for staff to support each other through the celebration of a new life event like the birth of a child and support staff through the difficult times like the death of a loved one. – Paula M. Moore

Sherry Lagerstam

Lindsey House – Pesticide Registration and Licensing, Olympia
Lindsey did an outstanding job tackling the Certification and Training Rule webinars this fall. She developed most of the material, structured the presentations in a clear and systematic way, and presented the material to our stakeholders. The presentations were well thought out and concise, presented in a way the audience came away with a good understanding of the material, repeating it multiple times for different audiences, even late in the evening. - Christina Y Zimmerman

Sherry Lagerstam – Plant Protection, Plant Services, Yakima
Sherry assisted this year by setting up traps and checking them all summer long, in the Grandview area, for Japanese Beetle. She did this while still conducting her normal field inspections and export work. – Benita Matheson   

Beth Lorence

Elizabeth (Beth) Lorence –Produce Safety, Bellingham
The additional work Beth has taken on recently has been instrumental to the Produce Safety Program, our ability to continue to meet in-state program goals and be seen as a leader nationally. As a program manager, I can’t overstate how much I appreciate her positivity, eagerness to learn, and willingness to temporarily step into a leadership role. - Connie Fisk 

Katie Noland – Natural Resources Assessment Section, Olympia
When asked to assist with the groundwater program dataset, Katie was able to familiarize herself with the database quickly, identify errors, and resolve them. Thank you Katie for your attention to detail and efficiency in the work you do! - Jaclyn Hancock 

Katie Noland

Chris Wiseman – Plant Protection, Chemical and Hop Lab, Yakima
For responding to a potentially hazardous spill and ensuring the safety of all staff in the Chemical and Hop Laboratory. Chris took initiative to organize the proper clean-up response team and personally lead the operation until complete. – Chemical and Hop Lab Staff   

Congratulations to all WSDA employees, listed below, who were recognized with a QUICK Award from a colleague between Sept. 30 and Dec. 31, 2021. 

Eastern Washington 

Lili Barahona, Amlan Barik, Amy Benfiet, Chad Berriman, Debra Bloomer, Jeffrey Brummel, Nicholas Caballero, Ricardo Cisneros, Paul Cote, Terri Cox, Karri Doescher, Samantha Gifford, Sara Gray, Greg Haubrich, Nancy Jones, Manuel Leon, Ryan Morales, Christy Norvell, Aaron Paul, Tara Roberson, Artemio Rodriguez, Enrique Rodriguez, Elissa Romero, Dave Ryan, Fermin Sanchez, Kevin Sauve, Eddie Lara Velazquez, Jaime Villa

Chris Wiseman

Western Washington

Kaile Adney, Sidney Black, Cassie Cichorz, Maryann Connell, Amanda Davis, Val Davis, Leah Doyle, Kyrre Flege, Roger Flournoy, Steve Fuller, Vicky Graham, Jeff Jacobson, Rickie Johnson, Curtis Kester, Kim King, Don Kitchens, Tracie Lindeblom, Jim McGreevy, David McMillan, Jadey Ryan, Robin Schaffer, Carol Schmidt, Kari (Karen) Smith, Angela Starr, Jen Tillman, Stormy Townsend, Beckie Weatherford, Christina Zimmerman

March 30 next drawing deadline

When you catch one of your coworkers doing something special for staff or customers, why not let them know with a QUICK Award? You can find the award form on the intranet. Forms are also available from your division coordinator or agency receptionists.

In summary: WSDA staff presented 67 QUICK Awards during the last quarter of 2021. Six names were randomly drawn to receive prizes. See who they are and why they were recognized by their colleagues. Insider now also lists all employees who received QUICK Awards during the previous quarter. 

HEAL Act instills environmental justice in agency work

 Kelly McLain and Nicole Johnson, WSDA Policy Office 

A new law taking effect this year requires state agencies to work with underserved communities and consider how policies affect those communities. 

It is called the Healthy Environment for All Act, referred to as the HEAL Act, and it became state law in 2021. 

The HEAL Act aims to reduce environmental and health inequalities, and prioritize vulnerable populations and overburdened communities by integrating environmental justice (EJ) into state agency activities. 

These activities include:

• Developing strategic plans 
• Community engagement efforts
• Budgets and expenditures decisions
• Granting or withholding benefits  

In plain language, the act defines environmental justice as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income when agencies develop, implement, and enforce laws, rules, and policies that affect the environment and human health.  

WSDA is among the state agencies required to follow the HEAL Act. Others covered by the act are the state departments of Commerce, Ecology, Health, Natural Resources, Transportation, and Puget Sound Partnership. Other agencies may opt-in to implement the HEAL Act. For instance, the Office of the Attorney General opted in when the legislation was passed. 

WSDA is just beginning research to understand how the HEAL Act will affect our work. However, some agency activities already reflect the law’s principles. 

For example, the Food Assistance Program launched a grant opportunity to expand food access, with one category focused on organizations supporting historically under-represented communities. 

In another new initiative, the Regional Markets Program is offering one-on-one coaching services to specialty crop farmers who had to change their business model due to the pandemic. The program is partnering with a small-business support nonprofit that works with traditionally underserved populations.

HEAL Act timeline 

The HEAL Act is phased in over several years, and contains specific requirements that covered agencies must meet. The act sets deadlines for agencies to take actions.  

2022

• By July 1, develop a community engagement plan that guides how to engage and involve vulnerable populations and overburdened communities.
• Beginning Sept. 1, provide annual reports to the Environmental Justice (EJ) Council (see below). 

2023

• By Jan. 2, incorporate an EJ implementation plan into agency strategic plans. 
• By July 1, conduct EJ assessments for significant agency actions, publish results on the agency website, and notify the Washington State Registrar of results.  
• By July 1, incorporate EJ principles into decision processes for budgeting, funding, and expenditures. 

2024 - 2025

• Beginning Sept. 1, 2024, publish an annual dashboard report on the Office of Financial Management’s website of agency implementation of previous three steps above.  
• By July 1, 2025, define additional significant agency actions.

Ongoing

• Develop a tribal consultation framework in coordination with tribal governments.

How is the HEAL Act being implemented?  

The HEAL Act established the EJ Council. Members of this council are appointed by the governor and advise affected agencies on incorporating EJ into agency activities. The HEAL Act directs the Department of Health to continue maintaining and regularly updating the Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map to track environmental public health data.  

The WSDA Policy Office (Nicole Johnson and Kelly McLain) is leading coordination for our agency. We will be reaching out to managers and staff to better understand the impact and outcome of our work, and identify how specific communities and populations may be disproportionately affected. 

Too often the communities most severely and frequently hurt by environmental health hazards have lacked clear and effective ways to address environmental injustice. The HEAL Act is a historic step toward eliminating differences in environmental and health outcomes for disproportionally affected communities.  

In summary: A new law taking effect this year requires state agencies to work with underserved communities and consider how policies affect those communities. It is called the Healthy Environment for All Act, referred to as the HEAL Act, and it became state law in 2021. The HEAL Act aims to reduce environmental and health inequalities, and prioritize vulnerable populations and overburdened communities by integrating environmental justice (EJ) into state agency activities. Learn more about the HEAL Act in this Insider blog post. 

Courses help equip staff to respond to difficult situations

 Kathy Davis, Communications

Tony Cloud

You may have noticed WSDA’s Enterprise Risk Management Office, which includes the Safety and Health/Wellness programs, has been inviting agency employees to several specialized training opportunities. 

Enterprise Risk Management Services (ERMS) has contracted with Tony Cloud, a trainer specializing in wellbeing and mental health, to present a set of training sessions for agency staff. 

“Over the past few years in annual statewide safety surveys, employees have requested specialized training courses like these being offered,” said Ron Hussung ERMS manager. 

ERMS covers the cost of these trainings so they are free to staff. These are optional, not required, trainings. They are presented online; employees anywhere in the state are welcome to participate. However, be sure to check with your supervisor for approval of taking training time within your regular work duties. 

Two of the courses are open to as many as want to join in; no registration required. One has limited capacity and requires completing some work assignments before the session. 

Here are details about each of the upcoming training opportunities. 

Verbal de-escalation
Jan. 26, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (more coming up) 

Titled “Aggression vs Violence: Learning the Difference and How to Verbally De-escalate Intense Interactions,” this interactive, skills-based training teaches laypersons to understand the root cause of these intense emotions and behaviors, what each responds to, and how to verbally de-escalate intense interactions.

Tony Cloud uses agency-specific scenarios of intense interactions encountered in our workplace for practice and skill-building. For future courses, you may send scenarios to Stacy Laney, WSDA health and wellness coordinator. These sessions are presented over Teams. 

Mental Health First Aid
Feb. 16, 8 a.m. – 12 noon

The course covers identifying signs and symptoms of mental health issues with visitors, stakeholders, and coworkers, skills to respond (e.g., with a hostile customer or stakeholder), and dealing with unauthorized visitors in facilities, who may be experiencing homeless, substance abuse, or some form of behavioral health issue. 

The course is limited to 20 participants. Contact Stacy Laney to register. Participants will receive an email invitation to access the learning platform (called MHFA Connect) where they will create an individual account to submit the pre-course assignments, which must be completed 48 hours before the training. Presented over Zoom.  

Helping someone who’s struggling
Feb. 14, 10:30 am – 12 noon
March 23, 12 noon - 1:30 p.m.

Research indicates that people are far more likely to seek help when suggested by someone they know and trust. In this course titled “How to Notice and Navigate with Someone Who May be Struggling,” participants learn how to notice when someone is struggling in their wellbeing and how to navigate with them, using the C.A.R.E. approach - create connection, assess, reflectively listen, encourage professional and self-help strategies.

This 90-minute course is being offered twice; you may join either one. Presented over Teams. 

If you have questions or need more information about participating in any of these trainings opportunities, contact HealthandWellness@agr.wa.gov.

In summary: You may have noticed that the agency’s Enterprise Risk Management Office, which includes the Safety and Health/Wellness programs, has been inviting agency employees to several specialized training opportunities. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) has contracted with Tony Cloud, a trainer specializing in wellbeing and mental health, to present a set of training sessions for agency staff. Read this Insider blog post for details about each of the upcoming training opportunities.

Food and consumer protection lab meets high standard

 Luisa Castro, Food Safety and Consumer Services Division

Mychal Hendrickson and Charles Thompson working in the Food Safety and
Consumer Services laboratory, located in Tumwater, Washington. 

WSDA’s Food Safety and Consumer Services (FS&CS) laboratory recently celebrated another successful assessment that resulted in the lab’s reaccreditation to an international quality standard. 

The assessment took more than two days. The auditors conducted a records review, and randomly selected several microbiologists to answer technical questions. They also observed and examined staff performing a variety of microbiological and biochemical methodologies. 

Crystal Verellen, lab quality assurance manager, said the auditors told her “the WSDA lab is doing very well, staff are extremely competent and knowledgeable, and records are well maintained.”

Lab accreditation is expected in government regulatory work to ensure standardized quality and to yield defensible data that supports compliance actions. Furthermore, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation is required for other WSDA programs to receive funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

The lab received abundant support from other FS&CS programs, as well as agency leadership, to secure funding necessary to achieve accreditation. Division colleagues are clear about what an accredited lab means for their programs and why they trust working with the FS&CS Laboratory. 

“Peace of mind,” said Ashlee-Rose Ferguson, interim program manager for the Animal Feed Program. “We have trust in our sample results. The lab does a great job communicating to us non-laboratory people. They are always open to providing new services and listening to feedback.” 

“For the Food Safety Program, having an accredited lab to work with is critical for the regulatory role we have,” noted David Smith, Food Safety Program manager.  “Having confidence the lab uses recognized methods and procedures to produce legally defensible microbiological results gives the program a valuable tool.” 

David continued, “The FS&CS Laboratory team is recognized across the country as being a leader. Laboratory work is challenging and often requires weekends and long hours to complete their analysis. This team always approaches their work in a positive and supportive manner.”

In summary: WSDA’s Food Safety and Consumer Services (FS&CS) laboratory recently celebrated another successful assessment that resulted in the lab’s reaccreditation to an international quality standard. Lab accreditation is expected in government regulatory work to ensure standardized quality and yield defensible data that supports compliance actions. It’s required for other WSDA programs to receive funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Pesticide inspector Val Davis retires after over 35 years at WSDA

 Kathy Davis, Communications

Pesticide investigator Val Davis on the job.
Val retires from WSDA at the end of January.

The Pesticide Management Division is about to bid farewell to one of their longest serving colleagues. Pesticide Compliance Program investigator, Val Davis will retire at the end of January. 

She began in Pesticide Management on May 1, 1986, after completing graduate school at WSU and nine years at a pesticide industry company. She started working in Yakima and moved to Olympia in 1990. She worked in the division’s Licensing and Registration programs, but spent most of her time in the Compliance. 

“I have had the privilege to work all over the state and with all different types of agriculture and businesses that work with pesticides,” Val said. 

During her long career, Val has worked on a number of high-profile inspections and investigations. For instance, she’s been assigned to observe all applications aimed at eradicating invasive (gypsy) moth since that work began. 

She was involved with the “Alar scare” of 1989 when the national news show “60 Minutes” raised health alarms about this pesticide used on Washington-grown apples. 

In 1995, she worked on investigating allegations of pesticide drift onto several farms and homes in Badger Canyon, Benton County. 

“Pesticides and compliance are not the most popular subjects,” Val noted. “A lot of the time, both parties we work with expect a different outcome from our investigations. I try to educate them on what we can do, and what can be done to correct a situation so it doesn’t happen again.” 

For Val, the most rewarding part of working at WSDA has been the people she’s worked with. 

“I’ve spent most of my adult life with many of these people and been with them through so many life events – marriages, children, grandchildren, sickness and death. I feel like we are family,” she said. 

“I feel very lucky to have had Val as a co-investigator,” said her Western Washington area colleague, Rusty Sauls. 

“Val’s experience, knowledge, and willingness to always answer questions and help with investigations made compliance a more efficient program. Val always had a great attitude and was a friendly, supportive teammate who made our jobs easier.”

After retirement, Val plans to keep busy with many projects around her house and taking college classes. 

Congratulations Val! Thanks for your many years of valued service. 

In summary: The Pesticide Management Division is about to bid farewell to one of their longest serving colleagues. Pesticide Compliance Program investigator Val Davis will retire at the end of January. She began with the division in 1986, starting in Yakima and moving to Olympia in 1990. She worked in the division’s Licensing and Registration programs, but spent most of her time in the Compliance.