About Labor and Industries
Protecting Washington Citizens
L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health and security of Washington's 3.2 million workers. We help employers meet safety and health standards and we inspect workplaces
when alerted to hazards. As administrators of the state's workers' compensation system, we are similar
to a large insurance company, providing medical and limited wage-replacement coverage to workers who
suffer job-related injuries and illness. Our rules and enforcement programs also help ensure workers
are paid what they are owed, that children's and teens' work hours are limited, and that consumers
are protected from unsound building practices.
We serve customers in 20 offices throughout
Washington, and have approximately 2,700 skilled employees, including safety inspectors, claims
specialists, nurses, researchers, accountants, labor experts and support staff.
Protecting the health and safety of workers
L&I's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) administers the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) law by developing
and enforcing rules that protect workers from hazardous job conditions. Our inspectors visit about
7,000 workplaces each year and cite businesses that violate health and safety rules. Each year, we
also conduct about 2,500 free, on-site
safety and health consultations for employers who request our help complying with these rules
in their unique workplaces. We also conduct research into workplace health
and safety, which focuses on promoting healthy work environments and preventing workplace injuries
and illnesses.
Ensuring medical care and financial help for injured workers
Our claim managers oversee benefits to
workers who are injured or become ill on the job. They also work closely with doctors, employers
and counselors to help severely injured employees return to paid employment. Washington's workers'
compensation system is funded by premiums from
employers and workers and income from investments. In addition, we regulate about 400 large, self-insured
employers who have qualified to provide their own workers' compensation insurance.
Protecting workers' wages, hours, breaks and more
We enforce child labor
laws,
as well as laws that protect workers'
wages and working
conditions. Our agency also oversees apprenticeship programs
and administers rules covering prevailing
wage on public-works construction projects.
Protecting the public from unsafe work and economic hardship
Our technical experts protect the public by inspecting
electrical work, boilers, elevators
and manufactured homes. We also test and license
electricians, certify plumbers, and
issue operating permits for amusement rides. In addition, our agency registers
construction contractors, requiring them to be insured and bonded. We also provide an easy-to-use
web site that allows customers to see whether a contractor is bonded and insured and alerts them to
problems associated with hiring unregistered contractors.
Get more information about L&I:
Did you know? L&I's redesigned Web site won the national 2005 People's Voice "Webby Award," also known as the "online Oscars." Find
out why we've been honored. Also find out what we've
done to make it easier for customers to find and use information on our Web site. |
