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Monthly Tips for Safety and Risk Management Staff

There are numerous actions for municipal risk management staff to take throughout the year as part of a consistent and proactive effort to reduce liability for the local government. 

Here are some key things for risk managers to address in the third quarter of the year: 

July


  • Review classification codes, estimated payroll and number of employees, including volunteers and inmate laborers.

     - Reviewing classification codes allows employers to properly classify and account for payroll expenses.

     - Classification codes are used by insurance companies to determine workers' compensation contribution amounts.   

     - Payroll audits should be conducted annually. 
  • Encourage employees to participate in safety training.

     - Training can be conducted online or in person.

     - Training topics should be relevant to the employee's job responsibilities so that they are able to complete their job efficiently and safely.

     - Safety training can help prevent workplace accidents and illnesses.  

August 


  • Review auto, property, contents and inland marine schedules, which are the lists of items for which the city has coverage.

     - Classifying assets correctly allows for insurance contributions to be calculated appropriately.

     - Property should be scheduled in order for insurance coverage to apply in the event of a loss. 
  • Review and update mutual aid agreements.

     - A review program should be established to evaluate mutual aid agreements to ensure adherence to applicable statutes.

     - The municipal council must vote on the agreement or the person entering the agreement must possess the proper authorization by a vote of council.

     - There must be a mutual aid agreement in place for an agency to have jurisdiction. 

 September

 

  • Establish a return-to-work, or RTW, program. 

     - RTW programs should be designed to be a short-term accommodation for the injured employee with flexible time frames and schedules. 

     - A RTW coordinator should be appointed to administer the RTW program. 
        - The coordinator should have a working knowledge of the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Act.

     - Written procedures should be established to outline the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in the RTW process.

     - The written procedures should include 
        - the injury/illness reporting process,
        - the medical treatment process, and
        - the RTW process.