DPW AIPP Manual

DPW AIPP Manual

K. Employee Involvement – Safety Committees

/ Department of Public Welfare
Accident and Illness Prevention Program Manual
K. Employee Involvement - Safety and Health Committees
By Direction of:
Jay Bausch, Director
Bureau of Human Resources
Issue Date: / July 22, 2009 / Effective Date: / Immediately

Implementing Instructions: This policy replaces the DPW Safety/Occupational Health Manual 7067.3, Safety Committees issued September 10, 2007 in its entirety. Please share this information with your local safety coordinator or manager, infection control coordinator, and other local supervisors and managers as appropriate.

Comments and Questions Regarding This Manual Section Should Be Directed To:

Bureau of Human Resources, Division of Employee Relations and Workplace Support, Employee Health, Safety, and Disabilities Section, DPW Safety Coordinator at 717-783-9916.

The Safety and Health Committee is a key component of the workplace safety and health program and efforts. The Safety Committee ensures safety and health issues are treated as an integral function of the agency. The purpose of a Safety Committee is to regularly bring workers and management together in a non-adversarial, cooperative effort to promote safety and health in the workplace. The committee is empowered to routinely identify and recommend solutions to senior management for the agency’s safety and health related issues.

A.  DPW SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEES

1.  Safety and Health Committees (except for the Executive Safety Advisory Panel) should have management representatives as well as representation from each bargaining unit make up the membership of the committee. It is important that each individual representing a union be appointed to the committee by the union. If a committee is seeking recognition as a certified committee by the Department of Labor and Industry, the structure of the committee should have a membership that is at most 50 percent management and at least 50 percent bargaining unit represented positions. The structure of the recognized committee under Pennsylvania’s Accident and Illness Program Legislation (Act 44, 1993) can have bargaining unit membership which exceeds 50 percent; however, management membership cannot exceed 50 percent. Membership of DPW Safety and Health Committees should meet these standards whenever possible unless specific requirements for the safety committee at a location are outlined by accreditation organizations. (Example: JCAHO requirements for the State Hospital System)

2.  Executive Safety Advisory Panel (ESAP)

ESAP shall be an executive headquarters committee led by the Bureau of Human Resources Safety Coordinator as the central focus and composed of:

·  A representative from each of the Program Offices

·  The Director of the Bureau of Human Resources or appropriate representative

·  The Director of the Division of Facilities and Property Management (DFPM) or appropriate representative

·  The Director of the Bureau of Administrative Services

·  The DPW Employee Safety Coordinator

·  The DPW Occupational Health Specialist

·  DFPM Safety and Environmental Section representative

·  Other representatives will be requested, based on specific topics of discussion

The ESAP will meet, in whole or in part, on a quarterly basis or whenever a need arises for action(s) addressing the committee’s responsibilities. The chairperson will have authority to schedule meetings. Written minutes of each meeting, outlining the issues discussed and actions taken shall be distributed to all committee members.

ESAP’s responsibilities shall be to:

·  Advise the Secretary, through the Deputy Secretary for Administration, on pertinent unresolved safety or occupational health issues needing action;

·  Write and publish safety policies and procedures, modifications or additions;

·  Provide management direction through emphasis of safe work rules and practices and safety awareness; and,

·  Promote agency compliance to the Accident and Illness Prevention Program (AIPP) legislation.

3.  Office Safety and Health Committees

Every office/building occupied by DPW employees must have a local Safety and Health Committee. In situations where a building has several different program offices sharing a building or where space in a building is shared with another agency, the committee may be a combined committee. Office Safety and Health Committees which would include headquarters safety and health committees should meet on a quarterly basis. Headquarters and office safety and health committees should meet more frequently if circumstances warrant the increase in committee activity due to an increase in incidents or changes in safety program activity. If the local safety and health committee is established to represent numerous groups of DPW staff sharing space in a building, the following criteria should be met when establishing the committee:

·  Management representative(s) from each DPW Program Office (with employees located in the building);

·  Safety/Occupational Health related personnel, as applicable (e.g., security officer, fire marshal);

·  Union representative (all bargaining units) in accordance with collective bargaining agreement provisions and the guidelines set forth in the Pa. AIPP legislation (union representatives shall be appointed by the union); and

·  The building manager (except for state office buildings).

The Safety and Health Committee Chairperson shall be the local safety coordinator or the appropriate management representative. DPW satellite offices co-located within another DPW facility (example: a program office leasing space at a state hospital for a regional office) will participate in that location’s Safety and Health Committee and safety programs (i.e., emergency evacuations).

4.  Hospitals, Centers, County Assistance Offices (CAO’s), CAO District Offices (CAO DOs), and Field Offices Safety and Health Committees.

Each hospital, center, CAO, CAO DO, field unit, shall establish a Safety and Health Committee which has membership comprised of:

·  The Safety Coordinator/Manager and Committee Chairperson, appointed by the unit head (chief of business function/administrative services or other capable individual recommended);

·  Functional department heads (e.g., business, dietary, pharmacy, intake, etc.);

·  Representative from infection control, if applicable;

·  Safety-related personnel (e.g., security officer, fire marshal), if applicable;

·  Union representatives (all bargaining units) in accordance with collective bargaining agreement provisions and the guidelines established under the PA AIPP legislation; and,

·  Individuals committed to promoting a safe working environment whose work assignments are located in different areas of the workplace.

B.  SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

The Safety and Health Committee shall be responsible for:

1.  Recommending modifications/additions to the safety policies and procedures in the Department’s and/or unit’s safety program;

2.  Identifying safety inspection/hazard identification tasks to be performed;

3.  Developing, reviewing, and/or making recommendations regarding:

a.  Local safety policies and procedures;

b.  Accident statistics and analysis;

c.  Accident prevention needs as identified by the Pennsylvania AIPP guidelines and requirements of Accreditation Agencies, including safety inspections and the documentation and follow up of inspections;

d.  Safety-related training needs as identified through hazard identification inspections, the critique of drills, and the requirements of accreditation agencies and DPW policy;

e.  Fire Safety/Life Safety Management program, including fire drills (see P. Protocol Elements, 8. Fire Prevention and Control Practices and DPW Manual 7068 Emergency Operations Planning);

f.  Compliance with Management Directive 205.19, Smoking Policy;

g.  Facility/office and job safety practices;

h.  Compliance with the Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know (R2K) Act and, if applicable, with SARA Title III (see P. Protocol Elements, 6. Hazardous Material Handling, Storage, and Disposal Procedure (R-2-K Program);

i.  Infection control (if applicable); and,

j.  Occupational health issues, including first aid, CPR, HIV/AIDS, and other communicable diseases, stress, smoking, etc.

k.  Compliance with the PA AIPP requirements.

C.  SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON RESPONSIBILITIES

The Safety and Health Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for:

1.  Scheduling and chairing safety and health committee meetings and appointing a recorder.

2.  Developing and disseminating meeting agendas.

3.  Overseeing and coordinating all safety-related activities (including training), such as general safety, fire safety, job specific safety training (such as the proper use of tools and equipment), occupational health, Right to Know (R2K), State Employee Assistance Program/Drug Free Work Place (SEAP/DFWP), smoking, etc. In state office buildings, coordination with the Department of General Services (DGS) must be made for certain activities, such as those related to fire safety and building security.

4.  Assigning responsibilities for safety-related tasks (i.e., safety inspections/hazard identification activities, accident analysis, the development of department specific safety policies (housekeeping, maintenance, dietary, etc.), the conducting and evaluation of fire drills, etc.) to safety and health committee members and monitoring completion.

5.  Disseminating safety-related information to appropriate person(s).

6.  Scheduling inspections of DPW occupied buildings and grounds.

7.  Advising appropriate management (i.e. superintendent, director, administrator, unit head, and/or building manager) on pertinent safety issues, problems and recommended corrective actions, as well as providing a method of tracking corrective action to eliminate safety hazards.

D.  SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND REQUIREMENTS

1.  In order for a safety and health committee to achieve recognition from L&I under the guidelines set forth in the Accident and Illness Prevention Program, the committee must meet on a monthly basis.

2.  Each hospital, center, field unit and Headquarters’ Safety Committee shall meet once a month;

3.  Each County Assistance Office (CAO) and District Office (DO) Safety Committee shall meet as follows;

·  For CAOs or DOS with over 75 staff…………...monthly

·  For CAOs or DOS with 25 to 75 staff…………..every two months

·  For CAOs or DOS with up to 24 staff…………..every three months

4.  Meeting agendas shall consist of:

a.  Updates and follow-up to the previous meeting’s minutes

b.  Safety inspections/Hazard Identification reports of the work area(s)

c.  Fire drills and evaluations

d.  Emergency Preparedness drills and evaluations

e.  R2K issues

f.  Accident reports and analysis

g.  Infection control (facilities)

h.  First aid and CPR

i. Smoking policy implementation and monitoring as required

j.  Other safety related topics as required by accreditation agencies and/or local need

5.  Safety and Health Committee meeting minutes shall include:

a.  Name of facility/office

b.  Date of meeting

c.  Safety Coordinator/Manager’s name and telephone number

d.  Names of committee members present and names of committee member’s absent/excused

e.  Time meeting started and ended

f.  Narrative of all issues resolutions/conclusions and recommendations (who, what, when, and where) to assist in tracking issues to conclusion

g.  List of follow-up assignments/tasks to committee members.

h.  Supporting documentation such as fire drill critiques, accident analysis, training statistics, inspection documentation, etc. should be attached to the minutes as appropriate.

i.  Minutes of all safety and health committee meetings shall be posted/distributed to all employees, facility/office heads, area managers, etc. as per local procedure; whether electronically or paper copy. A copy should also be sent within 20 days of the meeting to the Division of Facilities and Property Management and the DPW Employee Safety Coordinator at the following address: Department of Public Welfare, 2nd Floor Bertolino Building, P.O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675

Note: Electronic submission of the minutes to the DPW Safety Coordinator in the Employee Health, Safety, and Disabilities Section and to the Division of Facilities and Property Management is preferred.

E.  SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE CERTIFICATION
All safety and health committees that meet on a monthly basis are encouraged to obtain certification through Labor and Industry.

1.  Training – all safety and health committee members must receive annual training in three areas: Accident Investigation, Hazard Identification and Safety Committee Operations.

2.  Application and Annual Recertification - must be filed between 90 and 30 days prior to June 1st each year (the commencement of the Commonwealth’s self-insurance fiscal year) using the “HandS” system.
Before completing and submitting an application, each location must request a unique ID Number from the Labor & Industry Health and Safety Section. This can be obtained by calling 717-772-1635 or at .
The “HandS” home page can be found at www.state.pa.us, keyword “hands”. Instructions and screen shots are available on the home page, illustrating what users will see and how to navigate to the appropriate pages.

REFERENCES

·  PA Accident and Illness Prevention Program (AIPP), Act 44, 1993

·  PA Community and Worker Right to Know Act (R2K)

·  SARA Title III

·  Management Directive 205.19, Smoking in Commonwealth Buildings and Facilities

·  Management Directive 530.31, Workplace Safety and Health Program

·  DPW AIPP Manual (AIPP)

·  DPW Manual 7068 Emergency Operations Planning

July 22, 2009

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