Chapter 15 - Health and Safety

City of Redmond Personnel Manual

Chapter 15 - HEALTH AND SAFETY

15.10 Health and Safety Policy

15.20 Employee Responsibilities

15.30 Safety Committees

15.40 Accident Prevention Program

15.50 Hazard Communication Program

15.60 Payments to Injured Workers

15.70 Accident/Injury Reporting

15.10    Health and Safety Policy

(rev. 7/2018)

The policy of the City is to provide a healthy and safe work environment for its employees. The City is responsible to establish a safety committee to communicate and evaluate health and safety issues brought up by employees. To provide a safe and healthy workplace free from recognized hazards, the employer shall:

- Provide a workplace free from recognized hazards.

- Provide and use means to make the workplace safe.

- Prohibit employees from entering, or being in, any workplace that is not safe.

- Construct the workplace so it is safe.

- Prohibit alcohol and narcotics from the workplace.

- Prohibit employees from using tools and equipment that are not safe.

- Establish, supervise, and enforce rules that lead to a safe and healthy work environment that are effective in practice.

- Control chemical agents.

- Protect employees from biological agents.

This is in accordance with WAC 296-800-110.

Note: Employees may discuss and participate in any WISHA safety and health related practice and may refuse to perform dangerous tasks without fear of discrimination. Discrimination includes dismissal, demotion, loss of seniority, denial of a promotion harassment, etc.

15.20    Employee Responsibilities

(rev. 7/2018)

All City employees are generally responsible to conduct their work in a safe manner, to comply with all applicable safety and health rules, and to promptly report any unhealthy, unsafe, or potentially hazardous condition of which they become aware to their immediate supervisors. More specifically, employees must:

- Study and follow all safe practices that apply to their work;

- Participate in department safety programs and trainings;

- Coordinate and cooperate with all other employees in the workplace to try to eliminate on-the-job injuries and illnesses;

- Apply the principles of accident prevention in their daily work and use proper safety devices and protective equipment as required for their position and/or by their supervisor;

- Take care of all personal protective equipment (PPE) properly;

- Not wear torn or loose clothing while working around machinery. Note: Things such as clothing, hair, and jewelry can get caught in machinery and be a hazard on the job.

- Report promptly to their supervisor every industrial injury, occupational illness, and accident involving a City vehicle or damage to City property;

- Not remove, displace, damage, or destroy or carry off any safeguard, notice, or warning provided to make the workplace safe;

- Not interfere with use of any safeguard by anyone in the workplace;

- Not interfere with the use of any work practice designed to protect them from injuries;

- Do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of employees.

This is in accordance with WAC 296-800-12005.

15.30    Safety Committees

(rev. 5/2022)

City-wide Safety Committee Authority and Duties

In order to promote a safe work environment for all employees, and to comply with WAC 296-800-130, a City-wide Safety Committee has been created. The Committee advises the Mayor and all City departments on matters related to City safety policies and programs. The City-wide Safety Committee’s authority and responsibilities include the following:

- Updating and modifying safety policies;

- Monitoring compliance with industrial safety and health laws, tracking City injury and accident trends and overseeing accident and safety reporting;

- Recommending annual safety goals, training priorities and communication programs;

- Establishing and monitoring mandatory accident and claims investigation programs and central reporting of unsafe conditions;

- Monitoring Safety Subcommittee program activities and coordinating interdepartmental efforts.

City-wide Safety Committee Membership

The City-wide Safety Committee includes the City’s Safety Program Manager, the Chair of each Safety Subcommittee, the Human Resources and Finance Director, and other members as the Mayor may appoint. The City-wide Committee must include both employer-selected and employee-elected members. The number of employee-elected members must equal or exceed the number of employer-selected members. The term of employee-elected members must be a maximum of one year. However, there shall be no limit to the number of terms a representative can serve. If there is an employee-elected member vacancy, a new member must be elected prior to the next meeting of the City-wide Safety Committee. The Human Resources Director serves as the Committee’s principal staff. The Committee selects its own Chairperson.

City-wide Safety Committee Meetings

The City Safety Committee may meet as frequently as needed, but at least every three months. The Committee shall elect, from within its membership, a Chairperson who will serve a one-year term. The Committee Chairperson is responsible to call for meetings of the Committee.

The subjects discussed and a record of those in attendance at each meeting must be memorialized in Committee minutes. The Committee Chairperson is responsible to see that meeting minutes are kept. The minutes must be preserved for one year. The minutes shall be made available for review by the safety and health consultation personnel of the Department of Labor and Industries.

Safety Subcommittees

In addition to the City-wide Safety Committee, the City has created four safety subcommittees to address the unique safety needs of the varied workplaces throughout the City. The four Safety Subcommittees include:

1. MOC Safety Subcommittee: oriented to the unique safety needs of Public Works and Parks Operations employees working out of the MOC.

2. Fire Safety Subcommittee: oriented to the unique safety needs of Fire Department employees.

3. Police Safety Subcommittee: oriented to the unique safety needs of Police Department employees.

4. City Hall Safety Subcommittee: Oriented to the unique safety needs of employees working at City Hall as well as employees not represented by one of the other three subcommittees. That is, the City Hall Safety Subcommittee is oriented to the safety needs of employees in the following departments: Finance, Planning, Human Resources, Technology and Information Services, Executive, Public Works and Parks and Recreation employees not assigned to the MOC, and any employees not otherwise represented.

Each of the safety subcommittees serve as an advisory panel to the department directors whose employees they represent. Each safety subcommittee is responsible to comply with the requirements of WAC 296-800-13020 as well as to:

- Review and analyze accident investigation reports for:

1. Accuracy and completeness;

2. Identification of trends and problem areas.

- Review safety inspection reports, job safety analyses, supervisor safety observation reports and employee suggestions for:

1. Possible changes in practices or procedures;

2. New or revised safety procedures;

3. Need for protective devices or equipment;

4. Need for training.

- Recommend safety program enhancements and training activities.

- Develop practical inspection procedures and assist with inspections when directed by the department director(s).

- Provide regular reports to the department director(s) on progress of the safety program and comparative safety records of work crews and other segments of the department(s).

- Coordinate department safety activities with the City-wide Safety Committee.

Safety Subcommittees include both management and non-management employees. Department directors appoint management members and employees elect employee members. Each subcommittee selects its own chairperson. The chairperson of each subcommittee also serves as a liaison to, and member of, the City-wide Safety Committee.

Safety Subcommittees meet monthly. The subjects discussed and a record of those in attendance at each meeting must be memorialized in subcommittee minutes. The minutes must be preserved for one year. Copies of the minutes are to be forwarded to the department director(s) of the employees represented by the Subcommittee.

15.40    Accident Prevention Program

(rev. 7/2018)

In addition to the City-wide Safety Committee and various Departmental Safety Committees, the City has developed and will maintain an Accident Prevention Program as required by WAC 296-800-140. The City’s Accident Prevention Program is outlined in writing and is tailored to the needs of each department’s workplaces and operations and to the types of hazards that may be present. The Accident Prevention Program must include:

A safety orientation:

- A description of the City’s total safety and health program;

- On-the-job orientation showing employees what they need to know to perform their initial job assignments safely;

- How and when to report on-the-job injuries including instruction about the location of first-aid facilities in each workplace.

- How to report unsafe conditions and practices.

- The use and care of any required personal protective equipment.

- What to do in an emergency, including how to exit the workplace.

- Identification of any hazardous gases, chemicals, or materials used on-the-job (See Chapter 296-901 WAC), instruction on the safe use of any hazardous gases, chemicals or materials used on the job, and instruction on emergency action to take if an accidental exposure occurs.

A plan for the development, supervision, implementation, and enforcement of safety and health training programs that are effective in practice. The plan must:

- Improve the skill, awareness, and competency of all City employees in the field of occupational safety and health;

- Make sure that training includes on-the-job instruction to employees prior to their job assignment about hazards such as:

- Safe use of powered materials-handling equipment such as forklifts, backhoes, etc.

- Safe use of machine tool operations;

- Use of toxic materials;

- Operation of utility systems.

15.50 Hazard Communication Program

(rev. 7/2018)

Each department having hazardous materials in the workplace must develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program complying with WAC 296-901-14010.

15.60 Payments to Injured Workers

(rev. 5/2022)

Policy

Employees receiving time-loss payments pursuant to Labor & Industries regulations after suffering an injury in the workplace are eligible to use accrued leave to cover any shortfall between their regular base rate of pay and time-loss payments received. Any amount paid out by the City will be charged to sick leave, compensatory time-off, or vacation. When the employee’s paid leave accounts are exhausted, City’s payment will cease. An employee may not receive more pay while on time loss than the employee would have received had he or she not been injured. If an employee desires their paid leave balances to be utilized to make up the shortfall between their regular salary and what time loss pays, that employee must fill out the Voluntary Leave Buy Back DocuSign Form to choose if they want to use their leave banks to supplement any difference between time loss and their regular salary.  If an employee elects not to sign the Voluntary Leave Buy Back form the City cannot supplement time loss with their leave banks and the employee will only receive time loss.

Method of Reimbursement

On receipt of time-loss payments while participating in the voluntary leave buy back, the employee shall endorse those payments to the City.

Continuation of Benefits

During time-loss leave, an employee's benefits will be paid by the City and the employee will continue to accrue sick leave and vacation leave so long as the employee remains on the City's regular payroll.

Time-Loss Leave

Employees without a paid leave balance, and employees who choose not to draw against their accrued paid leave balances, may request time loss leave without pay. No vacation, sick leave or other benefits accrue while an employee is on time loss leave without pay, except that the injured worker and their dependents remain eligible for City health benefits for up to six months from the date of the on-the-job injury. During this six-month period, the City will continue to pay its portion of the employee’s health insurance premiums. Employees on unpaid time loss leave retain their State Worker's Compensation payments.

Disability Leave Supplement for Police Officers and Firefighters

Police Officers and Firefighters on time-loss receive payment of a "disability leave supplement" as described in RCW 41.04.500-550.

State Denial of Eligibility

In the event the State denies an employee’s eligibility for Worker's Compensation payments, the employee's absence from work and continuation of health care benefits will be handled under the City's sick leave policy.

15.70    Accident/Injury Reporting

(rev. 5/2022)

When Required

Employees must notify their supervisor and complete (or have completed for them) a City accident/injury report when any of the following occur:

- The employee suffers any job-related injury or illness regardless of severity;

- The employee is involved in any accident using a City vehicle or equipment;

- The employee is involved in or becomes aware of any accident or event damaging City property or equipment.

Procedure

City accident/injury reports are to be promptly completed by employees. Reports are to be filled out online within 48 hours. The form is available on the City’s Human Resources intranet page.

In the event of a serious incident involving personal injury or major property damage, the employee should immediately call 911. The employee should never admit fault, imply that the City is responsible, or agree to pay for damages. The employee should not give an explanation as to why an accident happened to a victim or any witnesses. Except for mandatory reporting to law enforcement as required by State law, employees should refrain from discussing the incident with anyone other than their supervisor, City management, the City Attorney, or a union representative.

Reports

An employee who receives medical attention for a job-related injury must also complete a Self-Insured Accident Report (SIF-2), and a Provider’s Initial Report (PIR). These forms are available on the City’s intranet or from the Human Resources Department.

Supervisor follow-up

When notified by an employee of a work-related injury or an accident involving a City vehicle or damage to City property, the supervisor must immediately investigate. The supervisor sees that the proper forms are completed and obtains estimates of property or vehicular damage. Supervisors inspect accident/injury scenes and collect as much vital information as possible, including photographs of the scene, witness names, statements, addresses, and phone numbers, and other relevant information.

Employee Duty to Cooperate in Investigations

Employees are expected to cooperate with any internal investigation that occurs, and to give honest and complete answers in response to all inquiries.