State Board Assessing Needs of Hanford Workers

Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | 0

The Washington State Department of Commerce received $250,000 in state funds to run an advisory panel charged with assessing the health care needs of workers at the federal Hanford nuclear reservation, according to a report by the Tri-City Herald.

The board will review studies on how to protect workers at the facility where more than 50 million gallons of hazardous and nuclear waste is stored in underground tanks. Any recommendations the board develops will be submitted to lawmakers by June 1.

The Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board was created as part of legislation that made it easier for workers to get their workers’ compensation claims approved, according to the Tri-City Herald.

Gov. Jay Inslee in 2018 signed House Bill 1723 that created a presumption that conditions including respiratory disease, heart problems and certain cancers were compensable for Hanford workers. In April 2019, the governor signed a bill eliminating the requirement that workers undergo a pre-employment medical exam to qualify for the presumption if pre-employment exams were not required when the person was hired.

More information about the Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board is here.