Chapter 2.38
COUNTY EMPLOYEES – SAFETY PROGRAM
Sections:
2.38.020 Compliance with existing laws.
2.38.030 Administrative duties.
2.38.040 Accident review procedure.
2.38.050 Accident report procedures.
2.38.010 Statement of policy.
A. Safety is a shared responsibility, involving all employees all the time. It is a matter of personal awareness of safety problems that may exist or arise. It is also a matter of teamwork and communication to correct unsafe conditions and to implement procedures that will prevent accidents.
B. Accidents do not just happen; they are caused. By reducing the number of causes, employees and employers can reduce the number of job-related accidents. To this end, it is the policy of the county to:
1. Provide training to employees in safety methods and accident prevention;
2. Provide an ongoing safety program, including inspection of the work environment and evaluation of work procedures;
3. Establish an administrative review process to determine the cause of job-related accidents, and implement corrective procedures to prevent reoccurrences;
4. Maintain compliance with appropriate federal, state and local safety regulations to the greatest degree possible within the scope of the county’s limited personnel and financial resource;
5. Establish the goal of zero accidents and injuries. (Res. 57-88, 1988).
2.38.020 Compliance with existing laws.
A. To the extent practicable within the personnel and financial resources available, the county and its employees will attempt to comply with all relevant safety regulations, including those as promulgated in the following Acts:
1. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (O.S.H.A.);
2. The Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (W.I.S.H.A.);
3. The Mine Safety and Health Act (M.S.H.A.);
4. The Chemical Hazard Communication Act.
B. It is the policy of the county that all legal rules of the road are to be followed by county employees and that defensive driving techniques be employed by all operators of county equipment. (Res. 57-88, 1988).
2.38.030 Administrative duties.
The administrative duties are assigned as follows:
A. Management Responsibility. Management shall provide a county-wide safety program coordinated through the office of the administrative assistant. It is the responsibility of management to provide leadership for the safety program, insure its effectiveness, initiate improvements in the program when needed, and to provide general safeguards which will contribute to safe working conditions.
B. Supervisory Responsibility. Each county supervisor shall aggressively promote safe working practices and is responsible for the effective control of accidents within their work group. Safety is a basic responsibility of the supervisor. Each supervisor shall:
1. Instruct employees in hazards that may arise relative to the assigned work, and how to avoid such injury;
2. Maintain safe working conditions within their functional area; being constantly alert for unsafe conditions, work habits or practices;
3. Take immediate action to correct unsafe conditions, work habits or practices, eliminate safety hazards, and discontinue use of unsafe equipment to protect employees and citizens;
4. Inform all employees that violations of established safety rules will not be tolerated;
5. Investigate the cause of all accidents, provide for corrective action and submit timely reports when required;
6. Review, with each employee involved, the cause of each accident and the corrective action to be taken to eliminate the possibility of reoccurrence.
C. Employee Responsibility. Each county employee is expected to assume primary responsibility for their own safety, and to cooperate in a wholehearted, genuine manner with all aspects of the safety program. It is the responsibility of each employee to:
1. Use reasonable precaution to protect themselves and others from injury;
2. Recognize that no job should be performed in an unsafe manner so as to jeopardize oneself or a fellow worker;
3. Be alert and report immediately any unsafe condition or practice;
4. Report immediately to their supervisor any accident or injury;
5. Be familiar with this safety policy and abide by it;
6. Cooperate fully with all measures taken to promote safe working conditions and work habits;
7. Report to work in a physical and mental condition that will promote safe completion of assigned tasks. (Res. 57-88, 1988).
2.38.040 Accident review procedure.
The county shall develop a formal accident review procedure which will:
A. Investigate and determine the cause of any industrial accident, vehicular accident or other work-related incident which requires an employee to receive medical attention;
B. Determine if the accident or incident was preventable. If preventable, determine whether disciplinary action is warranted;
C. Identify specific actions which should be taken to avoid recurrence. (Res. 57-88, 1988).
2.38.050 Accident report procedures.
The accident report procedures are as follows:
A. Industrial Accidents.
1. Any injury sustained by a county employee, while in the course of employment for the county, is to be immediately reported to the employee’s supervisor.
2. A written report concerning the nature of the accident, the nature and extent of injuries, probable cause(s), etc., shall be prepared by the employee/supervisor and submitted to the appropriate departmental official within one week from the date of the accident.
3. Any on-the-job accident requiring medical attention will also require the employee to submit a completed copy of the State Labor and Industries Industrial Accident form. This form is to be filed through the treating physician. Each employee will fill out the employee’s portion and assist the doctor in seeing that the employer copy is sent to the appropriate department official.
B. Vehicle Accidents.
1. All vehicle accidents involving county vehicles shall comply with legal obligations for reporting to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
2. Employees involved in a work-related vehicle accident must submit a written report to the appropriate departmental official in a timely manner.
3. In the event of bodily injury to a county employee, the procedures identified under the previous heading of industrial accidents in subsection A of this section shall be followed. (Res. 57-88, 1988).