Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 296-17 WAC, General reporting rules, classifications, audit and recordkeeping, rates and rating system for workers compensation insurance, safe patient handling.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 51.16.035, 51.16.100 and chapter 195, Laws of 2006 (ESHB 1672).

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: By January 1, 2007, chapter 195, Laws of 2006 (ESHB 1672) known as the safe patient handling law, requires the department to develop rules to provide a reduced workers compensation premium for hospitals that implement a safe patient handling program.

     Labor and industries is required by law to establish and maintain a workers compensation classification plan that classifies all occupations or industries with the state and sets basic rates of premium for these classifications that are distributed fairly.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of health is responsible for regulating hospitals. Department of labor and industries will coordinate activities with the department of health and survey hospitals to determine if they are in compliance with the safe patient handling law and eligible for the reduced premium rate.

     Process for Developing New Rule: The department will survey the applicable hospitals to identify the equipment they have and determine that a safe patient handling program has been established.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. A survey regarding equipment and the safe patient handling program will be sent to all affected hospitals by Ninica Howard of the SHARP program. Contact information, Ninica Howard, SHARP Program, P.O. Box 4330, Olympia, WA 98504-4330, phone (360) 902-5657, e-mail HOWO235@lni.wa.gov.

     Employers contact employer services at (360) 902-4774 or by fax at (360) 902-4729.

June 20, 2006

Gary Weeks

Director

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