QUARTERLY SAFETY TRAINING FOCUSES ON HURRICANE

May/June 2012
QUARTERLY SAFETY TRAINING FOCUSES ON HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN
Volume 3, Issue 3
Does Florida have a hurricane problem? That was the question Amy Godsey, State
Meteorologist with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, State Emergency
Response Team (SERT), posed to Department of Management Services (DMS)
employees during their quarterly safety training, held on May 8th at the Betty Easley
Center in Tallahassee.
Inside this issue:
Hurricane Preparedness
Department of Management
Services Implements Tornado
Plan & First Practice Drill
1
2
Department of Juvenile Justice
Creates New Communication Tool
to Improve Workplace Safety
3
Occupational Injuries Resulting
from Violence Underscores Need
for Violence Prevention Programs
4
National Safety Month
4
Safety Spotlight
5
Active Shooter Training
5
State Loss Prevention Awards
6
Learn How to Use AEDs
7
Upcoming Training
7
Although it has been six years since a major hurricane hit Florida, we are a hurricane
state, Godsey said. In fact, Godsey added that 40 percent of storms that are formed
in the Atlantic have an impact on Florida, and every county in the State of Florida has
been touched by a hurricane passing through at one time or another.
During her presentation, Godsey encouraged participants to be prepared for the
2012 hurricane season by getting a family plan and having a family survival kit that
includes water, flashlights with batteries, a first aid kit, medicines and other essential
supplies that will assist families until help arrives.
Preparing for the 2012 Hurricane Season is as easy as going to the website
Floridadisaster.org. The website takes individuals step by step in creating a hurricane
plan, and the process only takes 5 to 10 minutes. It is important to have a plan in
place because hurricanes can cause major destruction to
property and endanger lives. The hazards from hurricanes
include high winds, flooding, and storm surge. High winds
during hurricanes may reach hundreds of miles inland, so
the danger from hurricanes is not to just those who live
along the coast. Godsey said the focus for every hurricane
season should always be on being prepared because it only
takes one hurricane like a Katrina or Andrew to cause
widespread catastrophic damage.
The second half of the DMS quarterly training session focused on the agency’s
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Joe Wright, coordinator for DMS COOP
planning, shared with employees that DMS’s safety program is made up of the
following areas: emergency response, workplace safety and business continuity.
Wright said that if a sinkhole destroyed Southwood and everything was shut down,
then DMS would still have to perform the critical job functions of the agency. The
COOP ensures if an emergency takes place, DMS would be able to relocate and
setup headquarters at another location while continuing to provide mission critical job
functions.
Page 2
May/June 2012
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES
IMPLEMENTS TORNADO PLAN & FIRST PRACTICE DRILL
Dozens of tornadoes during the last few months in
Texas, Alabama and other states have caused widespread damage resulting in scores of businesses and
homes being destroyed and hundreds of people being
injured and/or killed. Although there is no clear-cut
tornado season in the United States, 2012 is starting off to
be a tragic year as people in the Midwest try to rebuild
and move forward with their lives after suffering
catastrophic loss of property and people.
Tornadoes are not usually associated with the Sunshine
State. However, according to the Florida Division of
Emergency Management (DEM), Florida has had more
reported tornadoes and more reported tornado-related
deaths in the last 20 years than Oklahoma, Nebraska or
Iowa. To keep employees safe and to ensure their
agency is prepared for a tornado, the Florida Department
of Management Services (DMS) has implemented a
written tornado drill policy, as well as conducted their first
practice tornado drill. The DMS tornado policy informs
employees in writing what to do when a tornado warning
is issued. The policy is posted on the DMS website for
employees to review and new employees are informed of
the policy by their supervisor when they report to their
division for the first day of work.
In addition to the written tornado policy, DMS also
implemented their first practice tornado drill in March .
The drill was a success, but there were challenges.
“Our first tornado drill had some challenges, but overall
we were very pleased with the success of the drill ,”
said Thelma Dixie, Safety Manager for the Division
of Retirement, a division within DMS. Dixie said some of
the challenges of the drill were identifying the designated
safe areas, deciding on a method to notify employees
and writing procedures for the drill. The Division
eventually decided on an e-mail notification system. If emails are down during a real life event, floor wardens
would be alerted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) radios. The Division’s Safety
Committee also decided that all employees would go to a
predetermined area to ensure everyone could fit into the
area.
Although the tornado drill was a challenge, DMS learned
several best practices as a result of conducting the drill.
Their best practices include:
Ensuring that the written tornado procedures are
clear and concise,
Ensuring all employees read, understand, and
comply with the procedures,
Confirming all floor wardens know what to do,
and
Ensuring all designated safe areas are clearly
identified and have a plan for mobility - impaired
employees.
DMS plans to schedule an announced tornado drill at
least once a year. The announced drills allow DMS
employees to review the written plan before the drill.
Each tornado drill if done correctly takes only 15 minutes
of time and does not significantly inconvenience
employee work days. It was a good that DMS conducted
their first tornado drill because a few days after the drill,
an actual tornado warning was issued for Leon County.
DMS employees were working that morning and they
knew exactly what do it.
The Safety Outlook
Page 3
DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE CREATES
NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE SAFETY
Accidents and injuries happen in the workplace every day.
Many of these accidents can be reduced and even
prevented through creative communication solutions to
improve safety awareness and to highlight the active
involvement of employees who practice safe work
procedures. Communication is critical to any safety
program, so have you thought lately about how you can
improve your safety program’s communication to
increase safety awareness at your agency or university,
and highlight best safety practices demonstrated by
employees, supervisors, and managers?
One simple, yet powerful communication tool is an
effective safety program newsletter. In fact, Tommy
Blankenship, Safety Coordinator for the Department of
Juvenile Justice (DJJ), recently designed and developed
a new DJJ newsletter and is learning firsthand the
benefits of creating a simple communication tool to keep
safety engraved on the minds of DJJ employees. “We had
been thinking about creating a newsletter for a while to
highlight safety practices at our juvenile detention centers
and residential facilities, and we felt that the timing was
right for us to start the newsletter, so we did,” said Mr.
Blankenship.
The DJJ newsletter, which is titled Safety Source,
focuses on safety practices at the agency and on getting
employees actively involved with the DJJ safety
program. Mr. Blankenship also mentioned that DJJ plans
to use employees at its agency who are nutritionists and
medical professionals as experts in the field to assist with
writing articles for the newsletter. The newsletter, which
was launched in late March, is being sent to employees,
supervisors and managers bi-weekly in March, April and
May. In June, the newsletter will be sent out quarterly
and will focus primarily on safety, with health as a
secondary issue. The newsletter will be posted on the
DJJ website, in break rooms, and on bulletin boards to
ensure that all work shifts at DJJ receive the newsletter.
Mr. Blankenship said that a safety program newsletter is
an excellent tool to convey safety practices at an agency
or university. He added that if your agency or university is
thinking of creating a newsletter, it is important to make
sure that the newsletter is tailored to your agency’s safety
needs and that it encourages everyone to get involved in
taking part in the newsletter. Remember that simple
communication tools — such as newsletters and safety
bulletins — when used strategically and effectively, can
really make a big impact on any safety program.
To view the most recent issue of the DJJ Safety Source newsletter, click the following link.
http://www.djj.state.fl.us/Services/Support/OPA/risk-management
Page 4
The Safety Outlook
INCREASES IN OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES RESULTING FROM VIOLENCE
UNDERSCORES NEED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
The number of occupational injuries, both fatal and nonfatal, resulting from workplace violence has become a
major concern for many public and private organizations
across the United States. In Florida, one high-profile
workplace violence incident happened in Orlando in 2009
when an engineer was dismissed for poor performance.
The engineer returned to his former workplace, shot and
killed one person, and wounded five others. Another highprofile workplace violence incident, which followed the
Orlando shooting, happened at Fort Hood in Killen, Texas
where a sole gunman shot and killed 13 people and
wounded 31 others. In March of 2012, two people were
shot and injured in the parking lot of a Tallahassee Lowe’s
Home Improvement store minutes away from state office
buildings. As noted in these incidents, violence can
happen at any place and at any time. According to the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace shootings
account for 10 percent of all work-related deaths per year
in the United States.
you know how to respond to ensure the safety of
employees, staff, and customers? An effective workplace
violence prevention program should be tailored to the
needs of your agency. For example, employees who
work in hospitals and healthcare settings should have a
violence prevention program tailored to their needs as
health care professionals.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) recommends that employers establish and
maintain a violence prevention program as part of their
agency’s safety and health program. OSHA states that a
violence prevention program should:
Be made available to all employees, including
managers and supervisors; and all employees
should receive specific training concerning its
content and implementation (Written Policy &
Training).
Track their progress in reducing work-related
assaults (Record Keeping).
Reduce the severity of injuries sustained by
employees (Hazard Prevention).
Decrease the threat to worker safety (Hazard
Prevention).
Reflect the level and nature of threat faced by
employees (Worksite Analysis).
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
defines workplace violence as “violent acts, including
physical assault and threats of assaults, directed towards
persons at work or on duty.” Increases in workplace
violence, including the ones mentioned in Orlando, Texas
and Tallahassee, clearly underscore the importance of
having a workplace violence prevention program.
Does your agency or university include a workplace
violence prevention program as a component of your
overall safety and health program? If a shooting
happened at or near your agency or on campus, would
Although workplace violence has increased in recent
years, establishing and maintaining an effective violence
prevention program can reduce workers’ compensation
costs, and most importantly, save lives.
June is National Safety Month. This year the National Safety Council will focus
on the theme of promoting safety 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The themes
for each week of National Safety month are listed below.
Week 1: Employee wellness and PALA+ Challenge
Week 2: Ergonomics
Week 3: Preventing slips, trips and falls
Week 4: Driving safety
Page 5
The Safety Outlook
SAFETY SPOTLIGHT
Christopher “Chris” Premuroso, SFLPP Research Assistant
Division of Risk Management
In this issue of the Safety Outlook
newsletter, the Division of Risk
Management, State of Florida Loss
Prevention Program (SFLPP), is
proud to recognize and highlight our
very own Christopher “Chris”
Premuroso. Mr. Premuroso is a
research assistant with SFLPP and
a Spring 2012 graduate of Florida
State University in the area of risk management and
insurance.
Mr. Premuroso, who joined SFLPP in June 2011, is
responsible for conducting risk management research
and serving as assistant editor for the Safety Outlook
newsletter and as the lead researcher and writer for he
Safety Notes e-bulletin. He assists with the planning of
quarterly and executive Interagency Advisory Council
(IAC) meetings, and with planning and implementing
training activities. As a research assistant with SFLPP,
Mr. Premuroso says he has learned that loss prevention
is critical to an agency’s safety program. “In conducting
risk management research, I have seen how a loss
prevention program is what a company puts into it.
The more time and effort a company puts into its loss
prevention, the greater the cost savings and safety of
its employees,” said Premuroso.
As a recent graduate, Mr. Premuroso hopes to one day
become a risk management consultant, which will allow
him to conduct risk management analyses for companies.
As a consultant, Mr. Premuroso says he could review and
analyze a company’s risk exposure, and then offer
recommendations and policies that could help reduce
and prevent those risks. When a consulting position
comes his way, he will be prepared. “I have learned a lot
about loss control and risk management working in the
SFLPP, and about decreasing frequency and severity of
claims which will assist me whenever I do have an
opportunity to become a risk management consultant,”
said Premuroso.
ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING
According to Corporal
Scotty Winfrey with
FDLE, and presenter
for the Active Shooter
training, it is important
to keep three things in
mind during an active
shooter situation.
The three key things are:
The State of Florida Loss Prevention Program
(SFLPP), along with the Florida Department of Law
Stay calm,
Enforcement (FDLE), hosted an active shooter class at
the Betty Easley Center on April 25. An active shooter
Know how to respond to police during the
emergency by keeping hands up.
is an armed person who has used deadly physical
force on other persons and continues to do so while
having unrestricted access to additional victims.
Have an emergency plan, and
Active shooter incidents are violent situations which
many times can be prevented if recognized early
through warning signs and other aggressive behavior.
Page 6
May/June 2012
STATE LOSS PREVENTION AWARD WINNERS
The 2011 Loss Prevention Awards were held on May 22nd in Tallahassee. Below you will find photographic
highlights from the Awards Ceremony. This year’s Awards recipients received national and regional media
coverage. To obtain a copy of the 2011 Annual Loss Prevention Awards Recipient Profile Booklet, you may email us at [email protected].
Award photos courtesy of Wanda Brazell
Claims Cost Reduction 1st Place
Florida International University
Large Agency
Claims Frequency Reduction 1st Place
Justice Administrative Commission
Large Agency
Safety Coordinator
of the Year 1st Place
Laymon Gray, FSU
Claims Cost Reduction 1st Place
Department of Agriculture &
Consumer Services
Medium Agency
Claims Frequency Reduction 1st Place
Department of Business
& Professional Regulation
Medium Agency
Alternate Safety
Coordinator of the Year 1st Place
Paul Palmiotto, DOACS
Claims Cost Reduction 1st Place
Department of Military Affairs
Small Agency
Claims Frequency
Reduction 1st Place
Department of Citrus
Small Agency
SFLPP Staff Award
Eric Whitehead,
SFLPP Manager
Page 7
The Safety Outlook
Award of Excellence
Department of
Environmental Protection
Sustained Performance
Florida State University-Claims Cost
THE ABCs of AEDs
LEARN HOW TO USE THEM
June 3 to 6 is National CPR/
AED Week, which is a great time
to learn about automated
external defibrillators (AEDs).
AEDs are computerized devices
that can check a person’s heart
rhythm, recognize a rhythm that
requires a shock, and advise the
rescuer when a shock is needed.
AEDs use voice prompts, lights
and text messages.
Although an untrained person can operate an AED, it is
recommended that users complete a short training
program. AED training includes:
Recognition of sudden cardiac arrest symptoms
How to notify emergency response personnel
How to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
How to operate an AED effectively
How to care for victims until emergency
personnel arrive
Here are brief AED guidelines:
Before a shock is given, move the victim to a dry area
and remove any wet clothing.
The victim’s skin must be dry or the electrode pads
will not adhere properly to the skin.
At no time should anyone touch the victim while the
shock is being administered.
Sustained Performance
Fish & Wildlife Conservation
Commission-Claims Frequency
UPCOMING TRAINING SESSIONS
The Division of Risk Management, State of Florida
Loss Prevention Program (SFLPP), is offering the
following upcoming training sessions. Save the date
for these training sessions coming up
in June and July.
June 2012
IAC Executive Planning Retreat
The IAC Executive Planning Retreat is scheduled for
Tuesday, June 19th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Betty
Easley Center in Room 182. The purpose of the IAC
Planning Retreat is to discuss priorities and goals for
statewide risk management.
To register for the IAC Planning Retreat, please e-mail
Deidra Jones at [email protected] or
Juana Powell at [email protected].
July 2012
2012 Loss Prevention Academy July 25-26
The Academy features trainers from the OSHA
Training Institute of U.S.F. and various safety and
workers’ compensation experts. To register for the
2012 Loss Prevention Academy, SFLPP sent out a
registration e-mail on April 2nd. In the registration email, you may register using the InfoPath registration
form or the Microsoft Word registration form. Please
check your e-mail for registration information for the
2012 Loss Prevention Academy or you may contact
Juana Powell at [email protected] or at
850-413-4781 for more information.
Page 8
May/June 2012
Florida Department of
Financial Services
Division of Risk Management
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0337
850/413-4700
Fax: 850/413-8196
DIVISION OF RISK MANAGEMENT
R.J. Castellanos, A.R.M., J.D. - Division Director
Shannon Segers, A.R.M.-P., Deputy Director, Bureau of Loss Prevention
Eric Whitehead, M.P.A, Manager, State of Florida Loss Prevention Program
MANAGING EDITOR
Deidra Jones
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Terry Taylor
Dorian Burr
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Chris Premuroso
EDITORIAL BOARD
Eric Whitehead
Office of the Director
850/413-4700
State Loss Prevention Program
850/413-4756
Property and Liability Claims Section
850/413-4850
State Employees’ Workers’ Compensation Claims Section
850/413-3123
Workers’ Compensation Claim Change Form
850/413-4802
State Liability Claim Change Form
850/413-4852
Safety Coordinator Appointment Form
850/413-4756
Virtual Library
Be sure to visit our website for training resources on
safety and loss prevention. We post our newsletters and
e-bulletins at the website, and have helpful industry links
and videos. We also have several forms posted.
http://www.myfloridacfo.com/risk/Loss%20Prevention/Virtual%20Library
Workers’ Compensation Claim Change Form (available
electronically & in Adobe Acrobat)
State Liability Claim Change Form (available electronically &
in Adobe Acrobat)
Safety Coordinator Appointment Form (available in Adobe
Acrobat only)
Articles or Suggestions for Improvement of
this Newsletter are always welcome.
Please e-mail [email protected]