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Safety and Health Committee Meeting Minutes - June 26, 2007

The Safety Committee met in the State Office (SO) Conference Room on June 26, 2007. The meeting commenced at 10:00 am.

Members in attendance were: Grace McGrath, Chairperson; Tim Miller, John Piskac, Jody Gienger, Rich Wynia, and Brian Lang.

Member Lori Graff was unable to attend.

Safety handbooks and memos were reviewed, sorted, and purged. Safety policy was reviewed with assignments given to rewrite as appropriate.

Discussion on safety talks at staff meetings evolved to expand policy to include:

  • Safety meetings at area offices, SO, and Management Team meetings.
  • Follow up by assistant state conservationists for field operations.

It was decided to create a safety Web page on the Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service Web site to include links to safety topics to support safety talks. Topics will include:

  • Travel hazards, such as a link to the Kansas Department of Transportation for driving and road conditions and construction information.
  • Environmental hazards, such as insects, snakes, poison control, hazardous materials, and fire safety.
  • Personal hazards, such as, ergonomics, heat-related conditions, and back safety.

The committee will make a recommendation to the state conservationist to provide areas with relevant digital versatile discs (DVDs) to assist them with safety tools. The Coastal Safety Training Web site was reviewed with several selections made to be previewed to determine appropriateness. Topics included:

  • Avian Flu
  • Working Outdoors
  • Hand Washing
  • Basic Safety Orientation

A discussion commenced on defensive driver training and a methadone refresher to be provided by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The option to provide safe driver awards was discussed and dismissed as additional busy work without gleaning the results or value added as desired.

Action Item 1: Members will provide links to the chairperson who will have the Web page created.

Action Item 2: Chairperson will preview DVDs and purchase, if appropriate.

Action Item 3: Members will update safety policy where noted.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 am.

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Last Modified: 08/03/2007