START Program

A group of people in green shirts with a woman in front presenting a certificate. Caption reads "The first approved START employer: Cascades Sonoco, Inc. September 16, 2010&quote;

START: Safety Through Achieving Recognition Together

Learn how your business can achieve START status through a new program that recognizes occupational safety and health excellence and leads to a safer workplace, lower costs, improved morale, and community recognition.

Benefits for START companies:

Employers lower their costs.
Employees come home safe after work.
Employers and employees work together cooperatively.
Employers receive a comprehensive, no-charge safety and health consultation from the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

And there’s more. Being a START work site:

Lets you establish a positive working relationship with L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).
Gives you an exemption from routine inspections.
Helps establish a competitive advantage by being recognized as a safety-conscious company.
Leads to enhanced public recognition.

Program Requirements

The START program is open to employers operating work sites in Washington State and is administered by the Department of Labor & Industries. Employers with fewer than 50 workers at a specific work site and not more than 250 at all work sites within Washington State are the primary focus for this program. Additionally, employers must be in operation for at least one year at the particular work site that is being considered for a START certification. The employer’s injury/illness rate for the preceding year must also be below their industry’s average for the location being considered for START.

What you need to do to participate:

Request a full service safety and health consultation from your local L & I Consultation office that will involve a comprehensive review of your company’s safety and health program;
Involve employees in the consultation process;
Submit a commitment letter (37 KB DOC);
Correct all hazards identified by the consultant;
Maintain your company’s Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate and Total Recordable Case (TRC) rate below the national average for your industry; and
Agree to notify your local consultation office prior to making any changes in the working conditions or processes that may introduce new hazards into the workplace.

START Approval

Businesses that achieve START status will be approved for a period of one year with three renewals possible. The START status under the renewal periods will be effective for up to 18 months.

START Sites

Company	Address	City	Number of Employees	Certification Year
Cascade Sonoco, Inc.	4320 95th St. SW Ste C	Lakewood	40	June 2010
Papé Machinery, Inc.	2504 Talley Way	Kelso	8	January 2011
City of Anacortes Water Treatment Plant	14489 Riverbend Road	Mt. Vernon	10	September 2011

To learn more contact:

START Coordinator
Division of Occupational Safety and Health
Department of Labor & Industries
360-902-5735

Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Assistance & Consultation