Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Core Rules

Accident Reporting and Investigation Reports WAC 296-800-320

For printing

Your Responsibility:

To report and conduct an investigation of certain types of accidents

You must:

Report the death, or probable death, of any employee, or the in-patient hospitalization of any employee within 8 hours	WAC 296-800-32005
Make sure that any equipment involved in an accident is not moved	WAC 296-800-32010
Assign people to assist the Department of Labor & Industries	WAC 296-800-32015
Conduct a preliminary investigation for all serious injuries	WAC 296-800-32020
Document the investigation findings	WAC 296-800-32025

 

WAC 296-800-32005

Report the death, probable death of any employee, or the in-patient hospitalization of any employee within 8 hours

(1) You must report to us within eight hours of an incident that:

• Causes a fatal or possibly fatal injury
• Causes injury requiring in-patient hospitalization of any employee

To report, contact your nearest Labor & Industries office by phone or in person, or call the OSHA toll-free hotline, 1-800-321-6742.

Exception: If any employer does not learn of a reportable incident at the time it occurs and the incident would otherwise be reportable under this subsection, the employer shall make a report within eight hours of the time the incident is reported to any agent or employee of the employer.

(2) Your report must include:

• Establishment name
• Location of the incident
• Time of the incident
• Number of fatalities, hospitalized employees, or pesticide exposures
• Contact person
• Phone number
• Brief description of the incident.

(3) Fatalities or hospitalizations that occur within thirty days of an incident must also be reported.

WAC 296-800-32010

Make sure that any equipment involved in an accident is not moved

You must:

• Not move equipment involved in a work or work related accident or incident if any of the following results:
  • - A death
  • - A probable death
  • - An employee's hospitalization.
• Not move the equipment until a representative of the Department of Labor & Industries investigates the incident and releases the equipment unless:
  • - Moving the equipment is necessary to:
  • Remove any victims.
  • Prevent further incidents and injuries.

 

WAC 296-800-32015

Assign people to assist the Department of Labor & Industries

You must:

• Assign witnesses and other employees to assist Department of Labor & Industries personnel who arrive at the scene to investigate the incident involving:
• - A death
• - Probable death
• - An employee's hospitalization.

Include:

• - The immediate supervisor
• - Employees who were witnesses to the incident
• - Other employees the investigator feels are necessary to complete the investigation.

WAC 296-800-32020

Conduct a preliminary investigation for all serious injuries

You must:

• Make sure your preliminary investigation is conducted to evaluate the facts relating to the cause of the incident by the following people:
• - A person designated by the employer.
• - The immediate supervisor of the injured employee.
• - Witnesses.
• - An employee representative, such as a shop steward or other person chosen by the employees to represent them.
• - Any other person who has the experience and skills.
• If the employee representative is the business agent of the employee bargaining unit and is unavailable to participate without delaying the investigation group, you may proceed, by using one of the following:
• - The shop steward.
• - An employee representative member of your safety committee.
• - A person selected by all employees to represent them.

 

WAC 296-800-32025

Document the preliminary investigation findings

You must:

• Document the preliminary investigation findings for use at any formal investigation.