| Safety and Risk Management |
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Contact Information, Office Hours
Functions, Office Responsibilities
FAQ's, Common Terms, History, Interesting Facts |
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| Functions
Workers' Compensation Insurance and Claims
Liability, Crime, Property, Equipment and Vehicle Insurance and Claims
Vehicle Collision Review Board
Insurance Certificates
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Job Site Safety Inspections
OSHA Compliance
Safety Planning
Safety Training
The Safety and Risk Management Office ensures that the risks of the County's assets, liabilities and employees are adequately insured. This office handles all workers' compensation, property, vehicle, equipment, aviation, liability, fidelity and crime insurance matters. Insurance claims are reviewed, reported and processed by this department.
Additionally, the Safety and Risk Management Office ensures that all County employees are provided a safe and healthful work environment as required by the General Duty Clause from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other pertinent regulations as mandated by OSHA. The Safety Manager reports violations to the concerned department head for corrective action and, if necessary, can report any hazard violation and recommend corrective action directly to the County Administrator. A Safety Committee, comprised of front line supervisors representing a cross section of County departments and assists this office in developing policy and identifying and resolving unsafe working conditions.
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This Office Does
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Insure all property and equipment owned by the County |
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Administer the Workers' Compensation Program for the County |
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Process insurance claims related to County property, equipment and workers' compensation |
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Provide the appropriate insurance language to be included in bid proposals and contracts |
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Review and approve insurance certificates required of contractors performing work for the County |
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Maintain all workers' compensation, property, vehicle, equipment, aviation, liability, fidelity and crime insurance claim files for the County |
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Conduct monthly Vehicle Collision Review Board (VCRB) meetings |
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Complete and maintain Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) record-keeping logs and reports |
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Train all County employees in general safety awareness, hazardous communications, blood borne pathogens and defensive driving |
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Conduct job site audits to assist employees in complying with applicable regulations and to record violations |
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Provide safety training materials, including safety videos and handouts |
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Coordinate and administer the Blood Borne Pathogen Program |
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Work closely with the Facilities Management Department to correct hazards |
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Manage and administer the County's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program as outlined in the Human Resources Policies and Procedures and S.C. Department of Transportation guidelines |
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Train County departments in different safety standards such as confined space, fall protection, personal protective equipment, general construction and ergonomics |
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Prepare statistical analyses of injuries and accidents to determine proactive approaches to prevention |
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Instruct general industry and construction personnel as an adjunct under the OSHA Outreach Training Program |
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Offer blood borne pathogen and general safety compliance assistance to other agencies |
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| This Office Does Not |
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Provide health and disability insurance for County employees (See Human Resources) |
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Compile vehicle and equipment repair estimates (See Fleet Operations) |
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Perform private sector enforcement or inspections |
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Frequently Asked Questions
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When an employee has an accident in a County vehicle, what happens? |
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All County vehicle or equipment collisions should be reported to the Risk Management Office immediately. The County has a vehicle Collision Review Board, which hears the circumstances of all accidents involving County vehicles and can assess points or suspend an employees' right to drive a County vehicle. |
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What should I do if I see a safety hazard involving a Charleston County employee? |
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Report it to their supervisor or call the Safety and Risk Management Office at (843) 746-3890. |
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How should employees report accidents or injuries occurring on County property and involving the public? |
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Contact their supervisor; who should call the Safety and Risk Management Office at (843) 746-3890. |
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Common Terms
Blood Borne Pathogen--Organisms that can be transmitted from one individual to another via blood to blood or specific body fluid contact.
Defensive Driving-- The practice of driving with increased consciousness of the potential hazards facing the driver, including the surroundings, road conditions and the actions of others.
Ergonomics-- The study of work environments, equipment and processes to design and develop tools that minimize physical stress.
Fidelity Insurance -- Insurance against a claim involving losses that occur through any fraudulent or dishonest act or acts committed by any employee.
Liability-- Fiscal responsibility incurred when a person fails to do what a reasonable or prudent person ordinarily would do under similar circumstances and causes another injury or causes property damage.
OSHA(U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration) --The federal agency charged with implementation and enforcement of safety codes in the workplace.
OSHA General Duty Clause-- The requirement that employers provide a healthful and safe working environment for employees.
VCRB (Vehicle Collision Review Board)-- A County board whose purposes are to identify the cause of collisions, establish responsibility and devise means to reduce the number of collisions involving County vehicles.
History
Prior to the creation of the Safety and Risk Management Office, several employees within the Human Resources Department executed insurance-related functions (including non-personnel insurance matters like vehicle and equipment insurance). On July 1, 1986, a separate Risk Management Office was formed to meet the needs of the growing organization and to address the increasingly technical requirements of insurance coverage.
In July 1988, the newly created Safety Office consisted of one Safety Coordinator charged with job site inspection, general safety training and initiation of the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Program for County employees. In May 1992, the Safety Office added the Blood Borne Pathogen Program to its duties and a Safety Compliance Officer position to enforce the program.
In 2000, the Safety Office and Risk Management Office were merged into one department as a division of the Deputy Administrator's Office but with the authority to report directly to the County Administrator. In 2003, Safety and Risk Management was aligned to report to the Chief Deputy Administrator.
In 2006, Safety and Risk Management was aligned to report to the Chief Support Officer.
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Interesting Facts
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In 1994 and 1995, the S.C. Association of Counties presented Charleston County with the Award for Outstanding Risk Management and Safety Programs, the first two such awards ever presented. |
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In 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the department was awarded a plaque for "Sustained Excellence in Risk Management" by the S.C. Association of Counties. |
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In 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 the Department was again awarded a plaque for Outstanding Safety and Risk Management Programs by the S.C. Association of Counties. |
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In 2004, the department was awarded the National Association of Counties (NACO) achievement award for developing a successful strain injury reduction campaign that reduced strain injuries by 54% and lost time days by 82%. |
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In 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the department was awarded the "Service Award" by the S.C. Association of Counties for their assistance in helping other counties establish safety programs. |
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The Safety Manager and Risk Manager serve as an advisors to the County's Disability Management Committee, a group which meets monthly to resolve issues affecting County employees who have been injured or who have developed a disability that affects their ability to work. |
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This office participates in the presentation of disability management training for supervisors and managers. |
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The Safety and Risk Management Director chairs the County's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Board. |
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When appropriate, the VCRB can recommend suspending the driving privilege of any County employee involved in an accident while operating a County vehicle. |
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The Blood Borne Pathogen Program trains and vaccinates employees, manages exposures and monitors the status of affected employees. |
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Since 1991, the Safety and Risk Management Office received the following awards: |
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The Most Improved County Award from the Trustees of the S.C. Counties Workers' Compensation Trust and Sedgwick James of the Carolinas, Inc. (insurance provider). |
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Five Sustained Excellence in Risk Management Awards from the S.C. Association of Counties. |
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Nine Outstanding Safety Achievement Awards from the Trustees of the S.C. Counties Workers' Compensation Trust. |
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This office has received the 90 percent Plus Safety Belt Use Award from the U.S. Department of Transportation. |
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Some of the hazard evaluations conducted by this office include ergonomic worksite/duties realignment, complaint-generated inspections, OSHA hazard evaluations, random inspections, work site inspections, safety inspections, environmental assessments, S.C. Department of Labor inspections and indoor air quality assessments. |
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The 2004-2005 M.A.P. Commission commended Safety and Risk Management for it's excellent, pro-active initiatives for analyzing workers compensation data and identifying ways to reduce workers compensation claims and concomitant costs. |
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Contact Information
Perimeter Center
4050 Bridge View Drive
North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 746-3890
(843) 746-3897 (Fax)
Office Hours
Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
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