Rule History

Notice:

Washington voters passed an initiative on November 4, 2003 to repeal L&I’s ergonomics rule, effective December 4, 2003. The Department of Labor and Industries has posted a statement here.

L&I adopted the ergonomics rule on May 26, 2000 after a 20-month rule-making process. Before drafting the proposed rule, L&I actively engaged the business and labor communities and health professionals in detailed discussions. The department hosted community meetings in October 1998 and worked with two advisory committees from February 1999 through June 1999. In January 2000, L&I held 14 public hearings in seven cities. More than 340 people testified at the hearings and 850 submitted written comments. Based on that testimony and commentary, L&I made a number of changes to the proposed rule. Finally, on December 4th, 2003, with the passage of Initiative 841, voters elected to repeal the ergonomics rule.

The following topics provide more detailed information about this process:

• Information Meetings and Updates
• How the Rule was Developed
• Rule Documents
• Public Meetings -links to transcripts of the public hearings testimony on the ergonomics rule proposal. 

Blue Ribbon Panel

• Final Report
• Executive Summary and Recommendation
  

  Meeting Minutes

  The minutes from the panel meetings are provided below.

  • November 1-2, 2001
  • July 19-20, 2001
  • April 3, 2001

Litigation Documents

• Thurston County Superior Court Decision

• Briefs to the Supreme Court of the State of Washington

  Department of Labor & Industries

  Appellant (WE CARE)

  Intervenors (AFL-CIO)

  AMICI CURIAE

A Summary of L&I's Prevention Efforts 1980's - 1999

Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace - A chronological summary of the most relevant activities that L&I developed in cooperation with businesses and labor to prevent the occurrence of these costly injuries.