Risk manager asks Cowlitz County commissioners to adopt hazard communication program

Shelley Pierce, the county’s risk and safety manager, asked the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners to approve a newly developed hazard communication program to standardize identification, training and protection from workplace chemical hazards.

Pierce told the board the program was developed following a recent inventory of cleaning closets, pesticide storage and maintenance materials; the inventory occurred about two months ago and staff reported roughly 70% of employees had completed the required training as of two weeks ago. The program aligns with Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and federal OSHA hazard communication standards, and it formalizes processes for maintaining safety data sheets (SDS), labeling, and employee training.

Commissioners asked whether the training platform (Vector) covers the program’s scope; Pierce said Vector training suffices for the identified chemical categories and that legal review and the county’s risk pool also reviewed the program. Pierce recommended board approval to implement the program countywide to reduce exposure risks, clarify management responsibilities and demonstrate regulatory due diligence.

What happens next: staff said training completion is being reinforced with department leaders and legal review has been completed; the transcript records a request for approval but does not show a recorded vote adopting the program.