Minutes 07-11-05
MINUTES OF THE SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN
THE FIRE/POLICE TRAINING ROOM, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH,
FLORIDA, ON MONDAY, JULY 11, 2005 AT 10:00 A.M.
Present:
John Bebensee, Chair
Kevin Nugent, Vice Chair
Barbara Madden, Secretary
Chris Mitchell
Frantz LaFontant (arrived at 10:25 a.m.)
Eric Falstad
Patricia Sholos
Glendon Morgan
Dwight Saulter
Barbara Scott
Chuck Magazine
Mark Bobich
Rodney Vicki
Recreation
Fire/EMS
City Clerk
Development
Engineering
Golf Course
Human Resources
ITS
Parks
Police/Code Compliance
Risk Management
Utilities
Finance/W arehouse
Absent:
Carisse LeJeune
Glenda Hall
Brenda LeVant
Sharyn Stump
City Manager
Public Works
Communications
Library
I. Call to Order
Chairman Bebensee called the meeting to order at 10:11 a.m.
II. Roll Call
The Secretary called the roll and declared a quorum was present.
III. Acceptance of Minutes of June 13, 2005 Regular Meeting
Motion
Mr. Magazine moved to accept the minutes. Motion seconded by Ms. Scott and
unanimously carried.
Meeting Minutes
Safety Committee Meeting
Boynton Beach, Florida
July 11, 2005
IV. Safety Committee Education and Training Program
None
V. Unfinished Business
A. Fire Drills
Vice Chair Nugent distributed a form that is used by Fire/Life Safety when fire drills are
conducted. He will be furnishing one to the Safety Coordinators of each Department to
use when in-house fire drills are held. After the Safety Coordinator completes the form,
it must be turned into Fire/Life Safety for their file.
Mr. Magazine inquired if this same form would be used in the event a fire alarm goes off
and City Hall must be evacuated. Vice Chair Nugent responded if an actual alarm were
set off, Fire/Life Safety would not be in charge. Mr. Magazine questioned if someone in
City Hall should be designated to complete the form. Vice Chair Nugent stated there is a
State form that must be completed in that event. Mr. Magazine pointed out the State
form does not have a place to indicate how long it took to evacuate the building. Mr.
Magazine inquired if Fire/Life Safety now had enough staff to handle this. Vice Chair
Nugent stated they have included hiring another person in the budget and he did not
want to tax the current staff with doing all the fire drills in the City.
Mr. Magazine recommended that he and Vice Chair Nugent discuss this further
because it is important that fire drills are held.
B. Proud to be a Safe Worker Awards
None
C. Departmental Inspections & Safety Meetings (C. Magazine)
Mr. Magazine reported that departments are sending the reports to Risk Management,
but he has not had an opportunity to enter them into the system. If possible, he will bring
hard copies to the next meeting.
Mr. Magazine reminded everyone that he needs the departmental calendars when their
regular inspections and meetings will take place so he could attend them. He has
already attended a departmental inspection for Utilities. He would like to be furnished
with calendars of inspections and meetings at least one month in advance.
D. Defensive Driver Course (C. Magazine)
Mr. Magazine announced that there are class openings as follows:
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Meeting Minutes
Safety Committee Meeting
Boynton Beach, Florida
July 11, 2005
. Tuesday, July 12-- morning and afternoon.
. Wednesday, July 13th - morning only;
. Wednesday, July 2ih - morning only; and
. Thursday, July 28th - morning only.
Anyone needing to take the course must complete the form and send it to Risk
Management or contact Ms. Webb. To date, 380 people have completed the class. Mr.
Magazine estimated there are approximately 40 slots open for the remainder of the
month. He stressed that people must sign up for the class; they cannot merely show up.
E. Incident Review Board Referrals (C. Magazine)
Mr. Magazine stated there is an issue regarding low-hanging branches in private
communities. This has been an ongoing problem for City vehicles, especially for the
solid waste vehicles that must go through the neighborhoods. He would like the Code
Compliance Division to start addressing this. Also, low hanging wires need to be
reported to the appropriate utility.
Ms. Scott inquired if there was an Ordinance dealing with these issues and Mr.
Magazine stated there was. Vice Chair Nugent noted the Ordinance was recently
amended to deal with fire apparatus that must traverse these streets.
Mr. Magazine stated if anyone sees a low-hanging line, they should report it to Code
Compliance for handling and follow-up. Mr. Magazine requested that Ms. Scott speak
with Mr. Blasie to determine if Code Compliance would be the proper division to deal
with low hanging wires and branches.
Mr. Bobich pointed out there are also issues with bushes and shrubs that block the
roadway and impair people's vision from seeing the road.
Mr. Mitchell inquired if FP&L should be contacted whenever a low hanging line is found.
Mr. Magazine pointed out that a low hanging line does not necessarily mean it belongs
to FP&L. It could, in fact, be owned by another utility.
F. Lightning Protection (C. Magazine)
Chairman Bebensee noted there is a meeting scheduled for Monday and an update will
be provided at the next meeting.
G. Department Alternates (J. Bebensee)
Alternates from the City Manager's Office, Golf Course and Library are needed. Mr.
Falstad stated that Joe Dougherty is the new Alternate for the Golf Course. Mr. Falstad
requested that Mr. Dougherty also be provided minutes. Mr. Magazine will check with
the two remaining Departments.
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Meeting Minutes
Safety Committee Meeting
Boynton Beach, Florida
July 11, 2005
H. Low-hanging Branches in Private Communities (Previously Addressed)
VI. New Business
A. Departmental Safety Issues
Ms. Sholos reported that John Jordan, Assistant Director of Human Resources, would
be contacting Department Heads to request a list of employees in their departments that
they deem eligible to receive safety shoes. After he receives the list, Mr. Jordan will
refer them to the Safety Committee for further review.
Mr. Magazine noted he has discussed this with Mr. Jordan. The issue is that some
employees feel they should or should not receive safety shoes. He pointed out the
policy is stated in the APM and the Safety Committee does not identify job descriptions
because they are subject to change. The Safety Committee looks at job areas and
responsibilities. If part of a person's job falls within a scope of that job area, they would
be entitled to safety shoes based upon what the Safety Committee deems appropriate.
The Departments have always determined those employees that have jobs that fall
within those job areas. The system has worked well over the years. If a Department
would like to change the policy, they can always come before the Safety Committee,
and in most cases the Safety Committee has accepted the Department's
recommendation for a change. Mr. Magazine was opposed to redoing the entire policy,
unless there are specific job areas that a Department would like changed regarding
safety shoes, helmets, gloves, etc.
B. Other
Mr. Magazine reported within the next 90 days Risk Management would be doing MVR
checks on City employees. If any employee has had a moving violation, either on or off
the job that was not reported to their Department, it will show up during the check. Mr.
Magazine recommended the Safety Coordinators inform staff within their Department if
they have received a moving violation, they must notify their supervisor.
Mr. Magazine reminded members that employees who are working outdoors should be
kept well hydrated. The Warehouse has stocked ample supplies of Gatorade for this
purpose. If any employee suffers a heat injury on the job, Mr. Magazine will hold
supervisors responsible. Mr. Bobich noted water is always available at Utilities.
Mr. Bobich brought a sufficient number of cards for Sunshine State One that was
discussed at the June meeting.
Vice Chair Nugent reported the hurricane season is here and there has already been a
fatality caused by a downed power line in Broward County as a result of last weekend's
storm. Mr. Bobich noted there have been power lines down in Boynton Beach recently.
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Meeting Minutes
Safety Committee Meeting
Boynton Beach, Florida
July 11, 2005
Chairman Bebensee referred to E-mail he sent to Safety Committee members regarding
a website entitled www.floridasexualpredators.com. By entering a zip code where
indicated, a map of the area comes up with balloons marking areas where sexual
predators live. By clicking on the balloon, a picture of the predator and their crime is
shown.
Mr. Magazine noted this same information will be available on the City's website shortly.
Mr. Morgan reported he is working on this project for ITS and he is putting the
information into GIS. When the site is complete, the names, faces, addresses and the
crimes of the predators will be available. Mr. Magazine inquired who would be updating
the information and Mr. Morgan responded he would be updating the site. In this event,
Mr. Magazine recommended Mr. Morgan speak with Mr. Wallace to determine if it
should be updated on a monthly or quarterly basis. Mr. Morgan stated this would be
determined.
VII. Announcements
None
VIII. Next Meeting Date: Monday, August 8, 2005 10:00 a.m.
There being no further business, the meeting properly adjourned at 10AOa.m.
Respectfully submitted,
, .6~In:,VlJI- ~, JJ\. di~
Barbara M. Madden
Recording Secretary
(July 12, 2005)
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