New heat rules go into effect July 17
New state rules that govern how employers must provide for their workers during hot temperatures go into effect July 17.
Workers who are unprepared for outdoor heat face an increased risk for heat exhaustion, life-threatening heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses, according to the state Department of Labor & Industries.
“Even the healthiest worker can get sick when working outdoors in the heat without proper protections,” the agency said. Heat can make workers more susceptible to equipment-related injuries, falls and other on-the-job safety hazards.
Under the state’s new rules, employers must do the following:
• Provide annual training to workers and supervisors to recognize the symptoms of outdoor heat exposure.
• Provide a sufficient amount of cool drinking water and breaks to drink the water.
• Provide adequate shade or alternative cooling methods at all times.
• Encourage and allow workers to take paid, preventative cool down rest periods so they don’t overheat.
• When temperatures rise to 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more, workers are required to take additional paid, rest periods of at least 10 minutes every 2 hours. Longer and more frequent breaks are required when temperatures rise to 100 degrees.
To view the complete list of requirements go to: tinyurl.com/3fpwyma8
Snohomish County Tourism Grants
Apply for Snohomish County’s 2024 annual tourism grants through Aug. 23.
Next year’s Hotel-Motel Small Fund is expected to total $600,000.
Grants usually range from $5,000 to $50,000.
The Snohomish County Tourism team will host a grant workshop for applicants via Zoom on Wednesday, July 19.
For more information and an application go to the Seattle NorthCountry website at seattlenorthcountry.com.
Completed applications must be submitted via email to Tourism@snoco.org by Aug. 23.
For more information about the program, contact Trudy Soriano, at 425-471-8738 or Trudy.Soriano@snoco.org.
Eviation Adds to Order Book
Arlington’s Eviation Aircraft booked 80 new orders this spring for Alice, the firm’s all-electric commuter airplane.
Both orders — one for 50 new aircraft and one for 30 — were placed by leasing companies, Eviation said.
“Leasing companies have been a missing piece of the puzzle for prospective end users of Eviation’s battery-powered electric planes,” Eviation CEO Greg Davis said in a statement.
More than 50% of aircraft in use are leased by commercial airlines and cargo carriers, according to a 2021 report.
At this year’s Paris Air Show, Aerolease, a Miami-based aircraft leasing company, signed a letter of intent for 50 Eviation aircraft.
“We work with major airlines around the world, and we know from many conversations that sustainability is a major concern,” said Jep Thornton, Aerolease’s managing partner.
Across the pond, MONTE, a U.K.-based regional aircraft signed a letter of intent for 30 of the nine-seat Alice aircraft earlier this year.
Built from a clean-sheet design around a magniX electric propulsion system, Eviation’s Alice produces zero carbon emissions, the company said.
Last fall, the airplane completed a successful eight-minute test flight at the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake.
Aviation is responsible for 9% of transportation emissions in the United States and 3% of the nation’s greenhouse gas production, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Now, the race is on to reduce or eliminate the airline industry’s reliance on conventional petroleum-based fuels. So far, hydrogen-powered and electric-powered aircraft have emerged as the most promising technologies.
“The aerospace industry is facing increasing pressure to turn sustainable solutions into reality,” said Eddie Jaisaree, Eviation’s vice president, commercial sales. “The Alice aircraft meets the demand for zero-carbon technology that we are seeing from governments, regulators, and the public,” Jaisaree said.
magniX and Eviation are both subsidiaries of the Clermont Group, a Singapore-based, private investment firm. The two aerospace companies relocated to Snohomish County in 2020.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com;
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