Worker Safety

2022

• From 2021 to 2022, the agency-wide recordable incident rate improved 28.1% from 5.7 to 4.1 per 100 workers
• From 2021 to 2022, the agency-wide days away, restricted or transferred rate improved 36.2% from 3.6 to 2.3 per 100 workers
• Agency-wide between 2018 and 2022, the recordable incident rate improved by 18.0% while the days away, restricted or transferred rate improved by 25.9%
• From 2021 to 2022 the experience factor (workers' compensation) improved from 1.2604 to 1.0590

2021

• From 2020 to 2021, the agency-wide recordable incident rate worsened 29.5%
• From 2020 to 2021, the agency-wide days away, restricted or transferred rate worsened 33.3%
• Agency-wide between 2017 and 2021, the RIR worsened by 21.3% while the DART rate worsened by 56.5%

Agency-wide program aims to modify employee safety behaviors

The agency-wide safety program has been working to modify employee safety behaviors based on leading indicator strategies that can shed light on the effectiveness of safety activities and reveal potential problems in programs.

Leading indicators are proactive, preventative and predictive measures that provide processes to identify, mitigate and control risks that have the potential to lead to on-the-job incidents in the workplace. The agency is monitoring the performance outcomes of these leading indicators to assess its progress in changing its safety culture.

WSDOT as a whole will be focusing on hearing safety because 19.9% of 2021 recordable claims were related to hearing loss. The agency has implemented specialized equipment to test the effectiveness of employees' hearing protection devices in the field.

2020

• From 2019 to 2020, WSDOT's agency-wide recordable incident rate improved 6.4%
• From 2019 to 2020, WSDOT's agency-wide days away, restricted or transferred rate improved 3.6%
• Agency-wide between 2016 and 2020, the RIR improved by 4.3% while the DART rate worsened by 22.7%

WSDOT safely steps up during the pandemic

In response to the statewide "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order in March 2020—which shut down WSDOT's construction and maintenance activities—WSDOT implemented COVID-19 training to ensure the agency was using the most reliable information in response to the pandemic. The widely-available training ensured WSDOT employees recognized the hazards of COVID-19 and how to protect themselves. It also helped employees stay current on safety training requirements.

As the state moved into different phases of reopening, WSDOT developed plans to comply with the governor's orders, providing a safe work environment for employees. Even with these plans in place, WSDOT continues to troubleshoot and communicate any changes to policies and procedures to best ensure the continued safety of its employees and the public. Read more about how the agency moved projects forward during the pandemic on the WSDOT Blog.

2019

• From 2018 to 2019, WSDOT's agency-wide recordable incident rate improved 6%
• From 2018 to 2019, WSDOT's agency-wide days away, restricted or transferred rate improved 9.7%
• Both RIR and DART rates worsened agency-wide between 2015 and 2019, increasing by 9.3% and 55.6% respectively

WSDOT offers new online safety training

In January 2020, WSDOT rolled out online safety training for New Employee Orientation. Moving to online training ensures all incoming employees throughout the agency receive the same information. It also affords WSDOT the opportunity to talk with new employees about the agency's culture of safety.

WSDOT's culture of safety reflects the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values employees share about safety. Each WSDOT region has established ways for employees to share their reasons for working safely and share with coworkers statewide, allowing WSDOT employees to see how and why safety is incorporated into their daily lives.

2018

• From 2014 to 2018, WSDOT's agency-wide recordable incident rate improved 7.4%
• From 2014 to 2018, WSDOT's agency-wide days away, restricted or transferred rate worsened 14.8%

Worker health report moving to Workforce Development article

WSDOT's worker health report, previously included with worker safety, will become part of the Workforce Development Annual Report, scheduled to appear in Gray Notebook 74.

The report will feature information on WSDOT's Wellness Program, including employee participation in SmartHealth-related activities. SmartHealth is a voluntary, confidential health and wellness portal for state employees that focuses on positive lifestyle behavior changes.