Washington Department of Labor & Industries News

Amazon Injuries Risk State Backlash, Higher Workers’ Comp Costs

Injuries in Amazon.com Inc. warehouses could damage more than just the company’s reputation. They could start to hurt the e-commerce giant’s bottom line, as well. Washington state’s workplace safety regulator says workers in Amazon’s highly automated warehouses are injured at …

Washington Contractor Charged With Felony for Trench Collapse Death

A Seattle contractor has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of an employee who was killed when a sewer trench collapsed in 2016. The Seattle Times reports Philip Numrich, the owner of Alki Construction, allegedly violated and ignored …

Recent Violations Demonstrate Crane Use Near Power Lines Risky

Recently, three Washington construction contractors were fined by the state’s Department of Labor & Industries for safety violations after a crane boom made contact with high-voltage power lines at a construction site in Seattle. An estimated 14 kilovolts traveled down …

Washington Agency Proposes Small Increase in Workers’ Comp Rates for 2017

The rate paid for workers’ compensation coverage in Washington would rise by an average of 0.7 percent next year under a proposal released by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Last year, L&I covered nearly 93,000 work-related …

Washington Roofer Cited 7th Time for Safety Violations

An Olympia, Wash., roofing company has been cited for the seventh time in recent years for safety violations involving fall protection for roofers, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). The Roof Doctor Inc., was cited …

Spokane Woman Charged With $101,000 Disability Fraud

A Spokane, Wash., woman stands accused of raking in more than $100,000 in disability benefits while working with her husband to operate his motel, and their nightclub and apartment building. The Washington Attorney General’s Office has charged Mistie S. Crosby …

Washington L&I Calls for Better Escalator Safety

In the year since the tragic death on a King County Metro escalator, more than 60 people have been injured on escalators, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). At least 70 percent of those injuries …

Washington L&I Proposes 2.7% Average Rise in Workers’ Comp Rates in 2014

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has proposed an average 2.7 percent rate increase for 2014 workers’ compensation premiums, an increase of less than 2 cents per hour worked. Over the past two years, workers’ compensation surveys have shown …

Washington Man Caught Faking Work Injuries For Drugs

A Washington man thought he found the perfect way to get prescription narcotics – go to a hospital claiming to be in pain due to a work related injury. But an investigation by Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries uncovered …