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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Safety Committee Meeting 09130119 0 tt�'J CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS MEMORANDUM TO: Department Heads, Assistant Department Heads & Supervisors DATE: September 24, 2001 FROM: Phyllis Stirparo, Risk Management 'Q� SUBJECT: Safety Committee Minutes — September 13, 2001 SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES MEETING DATE: September 13, 2001 CALLED TO ORDER: 10:10 a.m. ADJOURNED: 11:10 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Phyllis Stirparo, Risk Management - Chair • Chris Brown, Fire — Vice Chair Jay McKee, Public Works Ketty Labossiere, Finance Jay Spencer, Police OLD BUSINESS ■ A review of the medical treatment and auto accident costs listed below were discussed. 2000 -01 Dollars Spent _ Medical Treatment Citywide $ 163,665 Days Lost: 330 Auto Accidents Citywide $117,915 (29) Light Duty: 395 �J 1999 -00 Dollars Spent Medical Treatment Citywide $211,521.49 Days Lost: 725 Auto Accidents Citywide $47,848.47 (16) Light Duty: 548 1998 -99 Dollars Spent Medical Treatment Citywide $315,893.83 Auto Accidents Citywide $38,867.44 (22) 0 SE T THE PA CE... I"" /5;.1 „.SAFETY IN THE ' er. WORKPLACE. OLD BUSINESS (Cont'd) • The high dollar amount of auto accidents this year is attributable to the Police • Department, which has incurred $108,988 in losses. The Police Chief is committed to having defensive driving, and has secured a new location for this training. The Sheriffs Department had been utilized in the past, but was very hard to schedule. Phyllis Stirparo will propose a plan to the Chief outlining more strategic methods to reduce these losses. NEW BUSINESS • The Safety Mistake Winner was drawn and Ann Schilling was the lucky employee receiving 4 hours paid time off for having the right answer. The correct answer was utilizing proper lifting technique. • Chris Brown reviewed the City Manager's request to have all employees trained in CPR/first aid. • The Safety Committee Chairperson will go to each department and solicit new members for the upcoming fiscal year. It was suggested that if any members wanted to be replaced, now was the time to let your Department Head know. Incident #'! • A Fire Department employee was washing the bay floor and slipped and fell. It was discovered that the degreaser container had been filled with Amor -all instead. The employee was wearing department issued boots at the time of the fall. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: This incident is preventable with better communication between employees on different shifts, particularly when the container commonly used is marked for degreaser, but has been changed to another product. Incident #2 A Fire Department employee opened the west bay door with the remote control and the driver began driving the engine into the bay. While entering the bay, the garage door began closing and struck the roof of the engine. The roof of the engine was scraped, the antenna was broken, and the garage door dented. Outcome: Undeterminable Reasoning: The policy is to have the door all the way open or closed. This garage bay door has had repair several times. It was felt that there was interference with the remote from another frequency. No real caused was determined. • 0 SET THE PA CE... ,SA FE Y IN THE '``''.� WORKPLACE. Incident #3 isA Police Department employee sprained a finger when pulling the stop sticks from the roadway. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: There was no retrieval string on the stop sticks. Considering that these devices are supposed to be inspected before going out on the road, this incident was determined to be preventable. Incident #4 A Police Department employee had two incidents involving a reaction to bug spray, and cleaners used by the janitorial staff, which caused breathing problems. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: The contributing cause is hypersensitivity of employee. The City's - contractor does not have entry in the evenings to spray problem areas. Contractor does utilize non -toxic products. In addition, the janitorial crews have changed to low fragrance cleaners. Public Works will work with the contractor to try to make that area the last stop of the day. Supervisor has eliminated all foodstuffs in this area and the • cleaning crew will try to clean as early in the morning as possible. Employee needs to avoid these areas as much as possible, particularly the elevator when it is cleaned since it is an enclosed area. Incident #5 A Police Department employee slipped and fell in the main hallway on the first floor where floors were being cleaned. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Employee's have to be extra careful when walking on wet floors, wear rubber soled shoes. Public Works Supervisor will try to have floors done earlier. Signage is utilized throughout the City while wet floors are drying. Incident #6 A police Department employee was stung on the thumb by a wasp that was under a bowl when it was picked up. Outcome: Undeterminable Reasoning: Committee was curious if the employee had been outside and the wasp had come inside on his clothing. More information had been requested, but not received. The Committee assumed that the employee had not been outside. SET THE PACE... SAFETY IN THE 6VORKPLACE. Incident #7 A Public Works employee was using the chamsaw to remove trees and strained a shoulder muscle. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: While working a job that spans several days, the employee needs to make sure that his intake of fluids is adequate, take breaks from the heat, and switch off arms if at all possible. Supervisor can change out people so the duties are rotated if number of people on the crew will allow for this. Incident #8 A Public Works employee strained the left side of his back while lifting a pipe vise. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Employee should have asked for help and utilized the proper lifting technique to avoid injury. Incident #9 A Public Works employee hit his knee on a counter balance when he climbed out of • vehicle to help a coworker. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Look where you are going and pay more attention to what you are doing. Incidents #10 A Public Works employee strained his lower back when he lifted an engine cover on the Gradall and turned while on steps to step down. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Same as above. SE T THE PA CE... SAFETY !N THE 6 {'VORh PLA CE. • Incident #11 A Police Department employee had a sore n ec k and after making an arrest and was placed in a head -lock and fell to the sidewalk. Outcome: Undeterminable Reasoning: More information was requested from supervisor, but not received. It was unknown by the Committee why more force (pepper spray) was not utilized during this confrontation or why officer did not obtain more help. Incident #12 A Fire Department employee developed shortness of breath after a long period of swim training which resulted in a pulled thoracic muscle. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Proper warmup was not given by the supervisor and should always be used in any physical training exercise. Incident #13 • A Growth Management employee stepped in a concealed hole in one of the landscape islands at City Hall, twisting his ankle when he fell. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Be more aware of your surroundings when walking in areas that are not pedestrian walkways. Incident #14 A Public Works employee's foot slipped off of the brake while the truck was in gear, - hitting the bumper of another vehicle. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Employee's shoe was muddy from working in the swale, which allowed for his shoe to slip off the brake. Pay more attention to the task at hand. SE T THE PA CE... :SAFETY !N THE '` C,� {'VORKPLACE. 1*6 Incident #15 A Fire Department employee participating in dive and rescue had a sharp pain in the head upon surfacing and was told by coworkers he had a nose bleed. . Outcome: Non - Preventable Reasoning: It is normal procedure to clear nose to equalize ears. No other reason could be attributed that would have caused the nose bleed. incident #16 A Parks & Recreation Department employee had pain in the wrist while using the computer. Outcome: Preventable Reasoning: Proper placement of furniture and computer equipment should be made available when employee has identified that they have difficulty in doing repetitive- tasks. Use of good posture a must, and the adjustment of the office chair to fit each individual that uses it. VO SET THE PACE... SAFETY /N THE IYORKPLA CE. • • •