Washington L&I proposes rules on prescribing opioids to injured workers

Tumwater, WA – The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is considering new rules to help prevent misuse of opioids among injured workers.

On April 23, L&I hosted a public hearing on the proposed rules, which describe best practices for doctors prescribing opioids, including monitoring the recovery of a worker who has been prescribed pain medication for more than six months.

The requirements line up with pain management rules adopted by the state’s Department of Health in 2011 and 2012. Washington has one of the highest rates of prescription opioid-related death, but has begun seeing fewer such deaths among injured workers, according to L&I.