[Adopted 5-13-2003 (P-74A)]
This Policy establishes a safety program for Kent County operations
and assigns responsibility for administering the program to the Division
of Emergency Management.
A.
Goals
and purpose.
(1)
The goals of the safety program are to:
(a)
Create an awareness that County government activities are subject
to risks of loss and that these risks can be controlled;
(b)
Teach department heads the five steps of risk management (risk identification,
risk evaluation, risk treatment, selection and implementation, and
monitoring); and
(c)
Motivate department heads to identify and control risks in their
respective departments.
B.
Administration.
(1)
The Division of Emergency Management in the Department of Public
Safety shall be responsible for the administration of a County-wide
safety program and the County's risk management effort. At least
two employees designated by the department head shall be the County's
Safety Officers and responsible for developing and directing a workplace
health and safety program by assisting operating personnel in achieving
compliance with OSHA based guidelines.
(2)
At a minimum, the duties of the Safety Officers shall include:
(a)
Investigating every workplace accident and documenting steps taken
to remove or reasonably reduce hazards;
(b)
Writing and distributing risk management policies and rules;
(c)
Creating a risk management policy statement;
(d)
Establishing inspection procedures to identify, monitor, and remedy
key risks in each department;
(e)
Reviewing all major purchases, proposals of new services or designs
for new buildings to identify loss exposures;
(f)
Developing and conducting safety training programs for employees;
(g)
Establishing procedures for reporting and investigating all claims,
incidents, and safety violations;
(h)
Preparing a financial impact analysis of potential risks;
(i)
Developing and updating a safety procedure handbook; and
(j)
Monitoring and publicizing safety efforts.
(3)
The Safety Officers shall each be vested with the authority to order
the work of any County employee or Department stopped if judged by
either of them to be unsafe or posing the risk of injury or significant
financial loss. Work may not resume until a Safety Officer has determined
that it is safe to do so. In addition, a Safety Officer may close,
block off, or otherwise prevent the entry or use of any County facility
or equipment judged to be unsafe or posing a risk of injury or significant
financial loss.
C.
The
Emergency Management Division Manager shall coordinate safety and
risk management program efforts with the Personnel Office as the office
responsible for County insurance administration; the Department of
Finance as the office responsible for determining safety improvement
costs; the Division of Facilities Management as the office charged
with making building alternations; the Division of Wastewater Facilities,
which has the largest employee base in a high risk environment; the
Division of Emergency Medical Services, which is exposed to hazards
unique to the field of work; the County Administrator to provide direction
and leadership in assessing risk; and other departments in identifying
and managing specific hazards.
D.
Employees
violating this Policy or disregarding the safety handbook shall be
subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
E.
An
annual report shall be provided to the Levy Court detailing identified
hazards, remediation efforts, compensable and noncompensable injuries,
and related costs.
[Adopted 9-10-2002 (P-88)]
This Policy defines and prohibits acts or behavior which might
contribute to workplace violence and establishes reporting requirements
for the protection of County employees.
A.
"Violence"
shall mean an act or behavior that:
(1)
Is physically assaultive (including but not limited to fist fighting,
punching or slapping);
(2)
A reasonable person would perceive as obsessively directed (grudge,
etc.);
(3)
Consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to harm
another individual or in any way endanger the safety of an individual;
(4)
Would be interpreted by a reasonable person as carrying potential
for physical harm to the individual or to another;
(5)
Is a behavior or action that a reasonable person would perceive as
menacing;
(6)
Involves the carrying or displaying of weapons, destroying property,
or throwing objects in a manner reasonably perceived to be threatening;
or
(7)
Consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to destroy
property.
B.
Violence
or violent actions on County property or facilities, or while on County
business, are prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any unlawful violent
action committed by employees or members of the public while on County
property or while using County facilities will be prosecuted as appropriate.
C.
In
the interest of maintaining a workplace that is safe and free of violence,
except as hereinafter provided, possession or use of a firearm or
dangerous weapons/instruments is prohibited on County property, in
County vehicles, or in any personal vehicle which is used for County
business or parked on County property. A dangerous weapon or dangerous
instrument at a minimum is defined as any instrument capable of producing
bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place
that manifests an intent to harm or intimidate another person or that
warrants alarm for the safety of another person. A dangerous weapon
or dangerous instrument, as defined above, shall include, but not
be limited to, all handguns, rifles, shotguns, knives or any instrument,
device or object capable of causing physical harm or mental intimidation
to another person.
D.
Employees
and members of the public may only possess a firearm on County property
or in County vehicles if engaged in military or law enforcement activities;
or legally in possession of a firearm for which the person holds a
valid permit to carry a concealed deadly weapon. Small knives or similar
instruments used in the performance of duties shall be permitted,
if possessed for their intended lawful purpose.
E.
Employees
are responsible for refraining from acts of violence and for seeking
assistance to resolve personal issues that may lead to acts of violence
in the workplace; and reporting to their department head and/or supervisor
any dangerous or threatening situations that occur or are observed
in the workplace. Employees are also encouraged to report any situations
that occur outside of the workplace which may affect workplace safety.
F.
Department
heads and/or supervisors are responsible for taking immediate action
to prevent the occurrence or reoccurrence of any act of violence and
reporting said act or complaints of acts or possible acts of violence
to the Personnel Director and Safety Officer for investigation and
recommendation for appropriate resolution.
G.
Employees
violating this Policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to
and including termination and criminal prosecution, where appropriate,
to the fullest extent of the law.
[Adopted 9-22-2009 (P09-04)]
This Policy establishes provisions for the maintenance of County
business operations during an epidemic, such as an especially virulent
influenza or similar contagious disease/virus, and prevention of transmission
of such diseases between employees and/or the public.
A.
In
order to protect the health of employees and the public, the County
may offer annual seasonal influenza vaccinations to employees, when
vaccine is available. Priority for such vaccinations shall be given
to employees working in public safety, wastewater processing, facilities
management, and directly with the public. Any remaining vaccine will
be offered to other employees on a first-come-first-served basis and
then to County retirees and employee family members. If vaccine for
virulent influenzas or other communicable diseases is available, the
County may offer vaccinations to eligible and interested employees/retirees
in the priority order referenced above. Such vaccinations shall be
provided to employees at no cost or reduced cost.
B.
Employees
exhibiting symptoms of influenza or similarly contagious diseases/viruses
are encouraged to remain at home and, if necessary, to seek medical
attention. Supervisors, after consultation with their respective department
head, are authorized to direct sick employees to leave the workplace
in order to avoid the transmission of a communicable disease to coworkers
and/or the public. Employees are responsible for treating or seeking
treatment for the illness and keeping their supervisor informed about
the seriousness of their health condition and their anticipated return-to-work
date.
C.
Whenever
a serious influenza or contagious disease outbreak occurs, the County
Administrator, in consultation with the President of Levy Court and
affected department heads, may initiate a Business Continuity Response,
which affords him/her maximum flexibility to maintain County government
operations with limited available staff. At a minimum, the response
plan authorizes building closures or reduced operating hours, suspension
of absence verification provisions, reassignment of work duties and
personnel, authorization for overtime, establishment of alternative
work environments, cancellation of nonessential business travel, implementation
of employee health assessments, extension of compassionate leave provisions,
waiver of limitations for care of sick family members, acquisition
of supplies necessary to reduce contamination, mandated use of protective
devices, etc.
D.
The
Personnel Director shall be responsible for coordination of the staffing
components of this Policy and development of implementation guidelines.
