You are required to report any work-related illness or injury to your manager immediately. If you are seriously injured, you should seek immediate medical treatment.

If you are injured while working, or contract an occupational disease, you may be eligible for benefits such as paid medical care and wage replacement provided through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (‘L&I”). These benefits are financed through insurance premiums paid by you and PROVAIL.  PROVAIL is not self-insured for industrial injuries or occupational diseases.

If you suffer a work-related injury or illness: 

• Complete the Employee Accident/ Injury Report  and send it to hr@provail.org within 24 hours of your injury, even if you don’t think it’s serious

• Provide HR additional information about the incident if they need it
• If needed, seek medical treatment from a doctor of your choice who is qualified to treat your injury or disease
• File an L&I claim via one of these options:

Communicate with HR about your injury or illness so they can:

• Provide information to our workers’ compensation carrier
• Contact OSHA if necessary
• Provide you with information about a leave of absence and returning to work

If you need to see a doctor, make sure they:

• Know your injury or disease is work-related
• Complete a “Report of Accident” and send this report to HR (hr@provail.org); the “Report of Accident” initiates a worker’s compensation claim.
• Complete a Return to Work Authorization before returning to work.

Health Care Services

For more information about your benefits, review the Department of Labor & Industries Workers’ Compensation Benefits.

Types of Work-Related Events to Report

1. Injury events are defined as any harm to a person, including physical injury, that may or may not require first aid (e.g., use of medication, band-aids, ice packs, etc.).
2. Illness events are workplace illnesses that can result from exposures to infectious agents, communicable diseases, and heat.
3. Exposure events are workplace contact with a hazardous material such as a chemical, biological, or radiological agent; contact could be with the eyes, nose (inhalation), mouth (ingestions), or skin (absorption or injection).
4. Property damage-events are work-related events involving property where there was potential for personal injury.
5. Fire events include flames and/or smoke, even if the fire goes out by itself.
6. Near-miss events identify a potentially unsafe condition or behavior at work where no injury, illness, or property damage occurred, but where, given a slight shift in time or position, they could have occurred. For example, if a worker tripped while walking, but was not injured, this would be considered a near-miss event. Near-misses are valuable opportunities to correct potential hazards.

How to Report Safety Concerns

If you believe there is a condition, practice, or violation that could lead to physical harm, property loss, or have an environmental impact, email safety@provail.org or contact Human Resources at 206.826.1071 or hr@provail.org.

PROVAIL has a responsibility to maintain the COVID-19 Operating Plan, including procedures for screening, exposure control, mitigation and recovery post-exposure. All staff should be aware of the details of the COVID-19 Operating Plan. 

Teams should review the COVID-19 Operating Plan regularly at staff meetings. The plan details general procedures, as well as program-specific procedures for Home & Lifestyle, Mobility & Communication, and Employment.

Safety Training & Orientation

All new employees will go through an orientation that covers safety. If an employee’s main workplace is not at the headquarters, their manager or a designated Safety Committee representative will provide a safety orientation during their first week at the assigned location.

Employees who work directly with vulnerable clients undergo annual training on blood-borne pathogens (BBP) to keep their skills up to date. Staff in Home & Lifestyle, Mobility & Communication, and Employment must maintain active certifications in CPR, BBP, and First Aid. PROVAIL may provide the training or assist in arranging it through external resources.

Safety Committee

The Safety Committee at PROVAIL is made up of representatives from Headquarters, satellite Employment locations, and Home & Lifestyle locations. Members of the committee are responsible for overseeing safety at their respective facilities. They guide new employees through safety walk-throughs, manage safety and first-aid supplies, inspect fire extinguishers, conduct periodic safety inspections, and handle other safety-related tasks. In satellite offices, they also communicate with building management about safety issues.

In all PROVAIL departments, safety issues are discussed in department meetings, and concerns are reported to the safety steering committee. Each site conducts and documents safety training drills, including at least one full evacuation drill per year.

The Safety Committee will document and engage departments in training in the following subjects (and others as time and interest presents itself):

• Earthquake readiness
• Fire safety and Fire Extinguisher Use
• Violence in the workplace
• Volcanic emergencies
• Tsunamis/seiche considerations
• Stress in the workplace
• Pandemic flu
• Chemical emergencies
• Personal preparedness
• Gas Leaks
• Active shooter scenarios
• Shelter in place
• Evacuation routes (+ considerations)

The Safety Committee keeps records about safety, provides resources for staff, and important information. The committee includes members from all departments and satellite offices, including both managers and non-managers. Every year, the committee’s members are chosen by asking for volunteers from all staff and getting recommendations from department heads if necessary. The list of members for the year is then shared with all employees. The committee meets at least quarterly, and its leader reports to the Executive Team when necessary.

The committee’s responsibilities include sharing educational information, organizing real and virtual drills, and conducting surveys to understand how well everyone knows about safety. They analyze the results and give recommendations to the Executive Team regarding safety issues and educational needs.