Safety Policies

SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM

It is the policy and top priority of the City of Torrington to provide an accident free and comfortable work environment by eliminating recognized hazards from the work place. Our health and safety program, and specific individual programs, have been developed to assure compliance with federal, state and local regulations with particular emphasis on the Wyoming Occupational Health and Safety Rules and Regulations that apply to our operations.

In order to maintain the safety standards desired by our company, it is necessary to actively pursue an accident prevention program through all levels of our company, from top management throughout all our employees. Health and Safety are functional responsibilities of each supervisor and employee.

Health and Safety are of vital interest in the company: each level of our organization is accountable for safe performance. Compliance with this program and safety and health rules is taken very seriously. The means that failure to comply is sufficient grounds for disciplinary action or for termination of employment. These policies are an integral part of the City's personal policies, as well as part of each employee's annual evaluation process. Back to Top

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT

The Wyoming Occupational Health and Safety Act became effective January 1, 1974. It provides that every employer engaged in business in the State of Wyoming shall:

Furnish to each employee a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Comply with occupational health and safety standards and rules, regulations and orders pursuant to the Act that are applicable to company business & operation.
Comply with, and require all employees to comply with, occupational health and safety standards and regulations under the Act which are applicable to their actions and situations.
Encourage employees to contact their immediate superior for information that will help them to understand their responsibility under the Act. Back to Top

HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

Our goal is to protect employees from injury while working for the City. This must receive priority from everyone.

Duties and responsibilities of all personnel under our health and safety program are in the following:

HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER

Provides all levels of management the service and technical advice needed for property administration of the health and safety program.
Develops program and technical guidance to identify and remove physical, chemical, and biological hazards from facilities, operations and sites.
Assists management and supervisors in health and safety training of employees, provides quarterly safety and health meetings.
Conducts inspections of reported conditions of unhealthy or unsafe conditions or work practices. Prepares written reports of these inspections or reviews and action taken.
Recommends programs and activities that will develop and maintain incentives for and motivation of employees in health and safety. Will review for award of Safety Day.
Maintains accident and incident investigation reports and procedures and system. Investigates reportable accidents and takes actions to eliminate accident causes. All incidents shall be reported even if it is for review or prevention only.
Reports accidents that result in an occupational fatality or three or more hospitalized workers to WY Workers Safety, at 777-7786 within 8 hours of occurrence.
Sees that all inoculations for Hepatitis B are implemented and updated.
Maintains medical and training records as required by general safety rules. Back to Top

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Familiarizes him/her self with health and safety regulation related to area of responsibility.
Directs, implements and co-ordinates health and safety program elements and activities within area of responsibility: i.e.,; tailgate discussions, monthly meetings turns in logs to Safety Officer. Insures that employees within areas of responsibility attend monthly safety/ health meetings & provide record of attendance to the safety officer.
Requires all employees supervised to use individual protective equipment and safety devices as required by the job.
Ensures that safety equipment is available, maintained, used and stored correctly.
Conducts quarterly health and safety walk through inspections of work area. Directs correction of unsafe conditions, acts on reported problems, immediately and reports to safety officer.
Investigates with safety officer all accidents within area of responsibility.
Reviews all accidents/ incidents with supervisors and workers involved. Ensures accident reports and Workers Compensation forms are completed and submitted as appropriate. Insures that corrective action is taken immediately to eliminate the cause of the accident.
Requires all subcontractors and subcontractor's personnel working within the town facility to comply with health and safety regulations. Back to Top

WORKING FOREMEN/SERGEANTS

Be familiar with explains, and enforces health and safety regulations what apply to towns operations within his/her area of responsibility.
Ensures that safety devices and proper individual protective equipment are used by persons under his/her supervision.
Instructs and trains all person within area of responsibility in job health & safety requirements.
Conducts frequent and regular safety and health inspections of his/her work area, and ensures that no unsafe condition exist.
Conducts weekly safety briefings with all workers under his/her supervision.
Ensures that injuries are treated promptly and reported properly.
Investigates all accidents/ incidents, obtains all pertinent data, completes and submits the appropriate reports and initiates/takes appropriate corrective action.
Acts on reports of hazards or hazardous conditions reported to them by employees. Back to Top

CITY CLERK

Maintains all records and reports of accidents that have taken place during company operations. These forms and reports include OSHA 200, and the Workers Compensation reports.
Ensures that employees report of injury is filed with state within ten days of employees notification of injury.
Safety Officer maintains all paperwork associated with accidents, on site inspection and in house audits. Clerk will maintain permanent record for City.
Maintains all medical records and evaluations of exposure monitoring record for 30 years.

ALL EMPLOYEES

Be familiar with and comply with proper health and safety practices.
Use the required safety devices and proper personal protective safety equipment.
Notify supervisor or safety officer immediately of unsafe conditions/acts, accidents and injuries. Back to Top

SAFETY COMMITTEE

The safety Committee shall be a Peer Review Group consisting of five (5) members. The safety officer shall be the sole permanent member and shall preside at all meetings. The remaining four (4) members shall be appointed to stagger two (2) year terms by the recommendation of the department heads and confirmation by the mayor. Terms shall run from January 1, to December 31st. No appointed or elected officials will be allowed to serve on the committee.
It shall be the duty of the Safety Committee to meet at least quarterly, at the Safety Officer's direction, to review incidents, accidents and injuries reported in the proceeding quarter. Employees involved in said incident will be invited to appear before the committee with their immediate supervisor to discuss the incident and answer any questions by the committee. Upon deliberation, the Safety Committee will issue a written report regarding the Committee's understanding of the incident and recommendation to prevent a similar recurrence. The report and recommendations shall be forwarded to the following persons: the employee involved, the employee's immediate supervisor, the relevant department head, the City Clerk, (for inclusion in employee's personnel folder) and the Mayor.
The Safety Committee may make recommendations to the immediate supervisor regarding additional safety training for employees; or repeated violations of health and safety rules make recommendation for disciplinary actions.
The Safety Committee will assist the Safety officer regarding the distribution of on going safety incentive awards, annual employee safety awards, and award of annual Safety Day. Back to Top

WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

The following actions will be taken/followed on all accidents/ injuries being submitted as a Workers' Compensation claim.

Injured employees must report all accident/ injuries to their supervisors immediately (within 72 hours), which in turn will notify other appropriate city officials. All accidents/ incidents will be investigated by the Safety Officer., supervisor, or the claims manager to determine the facts and take corrective action to prevent reoccurrence.
Employees, within 10 days after notification to employer, must complete the Worker Info section only of the Workers� Safety and Compensation Report. This may be done by phone calling $00‑870‑8883.
The Supervisor and clerk will complete the Employer's Info. Section of same report within 10 days of notification.
The clerk will ensure that the Wyoming Workers� Safety and Compensation Division is notified as appropriate by filing the above report with the state.
The accident investigation must confirm the injury was job related for the resultant claim to be valid.
Injured employees will be entered into modified job program, only if temporary light duty is available. It may be offered with the understanding that this is not a new job but strictly temporary. Upon maximum recovery injured person will return to their old job.

Training and education cannot be over‑emphasized as a means of learning a healthful and safe approach to employees work efforts. Knowledge of the safety rules and how and when to function under the rules, is essential to job safety.

Employees scheduled for any safety training will attend such training.
New employees will be provided orientation training and will be furnished info, and handbook covering the City's health and safety policies. Orientation training will be provided by Safety Officer.
Individual job training, includes regulations/standards for their job, will be provided to all employees.
Quarterly on going safety-training sessions will be conducted to provide information and training on new equipment, procedures and chemicals. Refresher training in specific areas of concern will be held.
Various training such as fire extinguisher, confined entry, respirator, hazard communications and lockout/tag out procedures, shall be provided.
Training address above will be document in the employee�s master training record. Back to Top

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT, AND CONTROL

Hazard identification and elimination is not only an inherent responsibility of supervision in providing a safe workplace for employees, but also requires employee involvement. As such, hazard evaluation and control shall be an ongoing concern for all. It is the responsibility of everyone to identify, report and correct, all possible hazards. Employees are particularly important in this process as they are in the best position to identify hazards in the workplace and day‑to‑day operations. REPORTING HAZARDS IS A PROTECTED ACTIVITY AND NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST ANYONE FOR IDENTIFYING UNSAFE CONDITIONS. Reports should be made to the Safety Officer or supervisor for appropriate action. WORK PLACE SAFETY INSPECTION all workplace safety inspection reports will be forwarded to Safety Officer in timely manner. It is the intent of the City Council to afford to all employees of the City a safe and injury free workplace. The position of Safety Officer should be that of a facilitator, not a Safety Cop. It will be the duty of the Department Heads to create and maintain a "Safety Mind set" from the top down within their areas of responsibility. Facilitation of the safety program by the department heads will be a level of measurement of annual evaluations.

The City has a procedure for conducting inspections of work-sites for compliance with health and safety rules. The purpose of the in-house inspection is to identify hazards and unsafe practices before they cause an injury of accident.

Health and Safety Officer yearly will make an inspection of all fixed facilities and shops.
Foreman/Sergeant monthly will inspect his/her area of responsibility.
Supervisors weekly inspect area of responsibility, not in conjunction with above inspection.
The City's Health and Safety program will be reviewed at least annually. Back to Top

___e. Protective guards and devices in use, equipment properly maintained and in operation condition.

___k. Availability of personal protective equipment. Hard hats, safety belts, lifelines, safety shoes, eye protection gloves and other equipment.

___l. Fire protection, prevention and control, use of fire protection equipment.

___o. Storage of flammable and combustible liquids including refueling areas for vehicles

___r. Electrical system and devices; condition and use of cords, ground fault protection

In order for a health and safety program to be effective, it is vital that it be understood and implemented at all levels from management to employees. The following are primary City of Torrington health and safety rules. Included or WOHS Rules and Regs.