The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has changed the name of the division responsible for workplace safety and health from WISHA to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health — or DOSH, for short.

“We think the new name will help people understand more clearly what the division does,” said L&I Director Gary Weeks. “It also brings Washington’s workplace safety and health program more in line with the titles of similar programs in other states, and with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. We talked to many business and labor organizations about the name change, and the support we received has been great.”

Weeks said the change coincides with a restructuring of the state’s workplace safety and health program to better ensure consistent enforcement statewide, and the naming of a new assistant director for workplace safety, Steve Cant.
Though the name change is effective immediately, L&I will continue to use its existing WISHA letterhead stationary, brochures and publications until supplies have been depleted.

“The cost of this change will be minimal,” said Weeks. “We have no intention of dumping perfectly good publications and brochures simply because they contain the name WISHA.”

WISHA stands for the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, the law that dictates the state’s workplace safety and health regulations.