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Charleston County News Release

MEDIA CONTACT

Name:   Jennie Davis, Charleston County Public Information Officer

Phone: 843.958.4012

Email:   jdavis@charlestoncounty.org

Release Number: 2970

Date: February 2, 2009

See photo: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/newsimages/safety3.htm

County’s Safety and Risk Management Department Receives Three State Awards

Charleston County Government announces that its Safety and Risk Management Department received the following three awards at the South Carolina Association of Counties (SCAC) annual Risk Management Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.:

• SCAC 2008 Service Award

• SCAC 2008 Outstanding Safety Achievement Award

• SCAC 2008 Sustained Excellence in Risk Management Award

“A safety program is only successful if it is firmly endorsed and supported by management and practiced daily throughout each department and by each employee,” said Larry Hodge, Charleston County’s Safety and Risk Management Department Director. “Charleston County’s above average success has been possible due to the continued excellent support and cooperation we receive from all employees.”

Charleston County has had five consecutive years of reduced workers compensation claims, which has continuously decreased the County’s workers compensation expenses. The County’s workers compensation expenses were reduced by $400,000 from 2007 to 2008.

SCAC 2008 Service Award

• Given for the Safety and Risk Management Department’s help in not only providing continuing technical assistance to other SCAC member counties, but also for its service to the following public entities during 2008:

  • Town of Bluffton – how to set up a formal safety program

  • Charleston Water System – how to set up a vehicle accident review board

  • Town of Folly Beach – how to set up a hearing conservation program

  • Town of James Island – how to set up a formal safety program

  • St. Paul’s Fire Department – First Aid, CPR, and Fire Incident Safety Training

SCAC 2008 Outstanding Safety Achievement Award

• Given for Charleston County’s improvements in its Drug and Alcohol Awareness Program.

• During 2008, Charleston County’s Safety and Risk Management Department developed an Alcohol and Substance Abuse Awareness program for supervisors.

• During 2008, 26 training classes were conducted. The primary focus of the class was to intervene early and offer the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to avoid future problems.

• County employees responsible for this program are:

  • Ron Puckett, Safety Manager

  • Mark Cowell, Director, Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS, also known as Charleston Center

  • Charlie Stinson, Program Manager, DAODAS

  • Christine Martino-Lambert, Deputy Director, Human Resources Department

  • Rachelle Moore, Training Specialist, Human Resources Department

SCAC 2008 Sustained Excellence in Risk Management Award

•  In 2008, Charleston County experienced the lowest number of employee injuries since joining the SCAC Workers Compensation Trust in 1991.

• This achievement is significant because the number of employees increased 33 percent, from 1,800 employees in 1991, to almost 2,400 employees in 2008.

• The decreased number of claims in 2008 follows four consecutive years of reduced claims, which continue to decrease the County’s workers compensation expenses. The County’s workers compensation expenses were reduced by $400,000 from 2007 to 2008.

Visit the Charleston County Web site at www.charlestoncounty.org for news, services and up-to-date information relating to Charleston County Government.