WDFW statement
In March, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) delivered a final report to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) that identified safety violations related to the Wind River incident. The report included citations that the agency is required to correct. On May 9, WDFW submitted an update to L&I indicating that WDFW met and corrected all the citations from the report.
Completed and corrected citations include:
- Paid a $30,800 penalty to L&I.
- Verified each employee that conducts snorkel surveys in Region 5 has their own emergency device and is compliant with the agency’s field communication policy.
- Updated the agency’s snorkel procedures manual.
- Confirmed that all staff conducting snorkel surveys receive the specified training before starting work.
- Updated agency standard and protocol on equipment needed in first-aid kits based on the potential hazards staff could be exposed to.
“We continue to prioritize safety for all our staff at the agency,” said WDFW Director, Kelly Susewind. “I am committed to giving people the training and equipment they need to mitigate safety risks in the field.”
Previous WDFW statement on March 2024 L&I Wind River incident report: WDFW statement on March 2024 L&I Wind River incident report | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
More information on the incident on the Wind River in Skamania County, September 2023: Wind River, Skamania County incident | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Media contact: communications@dfw.wa.gov