UNIT ORDER #31 - INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM (IIPP)

PURPOSE OF THIS ORDER:

Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) is committed to ensuring an effective health and safety program.  Managers and supervisors within IAB shall remain familiar with the safety and health hazards to which employees under their immediate direction and control may be exposed.  Below is a list of considerations that should be taken into account.

Responsibility for Implementing the Program:

Responsibility for the management of an IIPP rests with the Unit Commander.  The Unit Commander may direct operational duties of this program to his subordinates, through a chain of command.  Accordingly, operational responsibility for IAB shall rest with a designated Lieutenant.

This does not relieve other supervisory personnel from the responsibility to pro-actively identify hazardous situations and to take immediate corrective action.

Employee Compliance with Safe and Healthful Work Practices:

IAB is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment for all identified hazardous operations.  This includes communicating safe work practices, policies and procedures to employees, and ensuring they are understood.  IAB employees, in turn, are responsible for maintaining a safe work environment by following all established safe work practices in accordance with Departmental policies.

Communication with Employees:

Open communication between management and employees on health and safety issues is essential to an injury-free, productive workplace.  The Unit Commander or his/her designee shall communicate any general, non-emergent safety issues or concerns at IAB staff meetings.  Specific or emergent safety issues shall be communicated in person or by e-mail as soon as practical by the IAB Captain or designee.

INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM

IAB employees are to be encouraged to report, without fear of reprisal, hazards they identify at the work site to the IAB Captain or Lieutenant. The Lieutenant shall investigate the report and if warranted, develop a corrective plan.  Final approval of the corrective plan shall rest with the unit commander.

Hazard Assessment:

The IAB Lieutenant shall conduct an annual workplace inspection at the beginning of each calendar year to identify and evaluate unsafe conditions and work practices.  Such inspections shall be documented in a special folder maintained by the Unit Commander’s Secretary.  Additionally, whenever new substances, processes, procedures, or equipment are introduced to the workplace that represent a new occupational safety and health hazard; or when management is made aware of new or previously unrecognized hazards, an inspection shall be made and documented. 

Accident/Exposure Investigation:

Investigations of accidents, exposures or near misses shall be conducted and recorded in accordance with Department policies.  Focus should be made to obtain facts concerning the causes and factors related to such incidents.  The investigation should, if possible, determine how the accident/exposure or “near miss” could be prevented in the future.

Hazard Control:

Procedures shall be established for correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions, work practices and work procedures in a timely manner when first observed or discovered.  When corrective action involves multiple steps or cannot be completed promptly, an action plan should be developed.  When an imminent hazard exists which cannot be immediately abated without endangering employees and/or property, all exposed personnel must be removed from the area except those necessary to correct the problem.

Training:

Training and instruction on workplace hazards and safe work practices will be provided:

•  When the IIPP is first establisheD
•  To all new employees; or to employees given new job assignments for which training has not previously been receiveD
• Whenever new substances, processes, procedures or equipment are introduced to the workplace and represent a new hazard.
• Whenever management is made aware of a new or previously unrecognized hazard.

INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM

• To new managers and supervisors to familiarize them with the safety and health hazards to which employees under their immediate direction and control may be exposed.
• Whenever a work related injury or illness occurs in order to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Record keeping:

• Injuries - All injuries and illnesses shall be documented in accordance with Department policies.
• Safety Inspections - The periodic safety inspections should be documented.  Include the names of those conducting the inspection, any unsafe conditions and work practices identified, and the action taken to correct the hazard.  These records should be maintained for a minimum of one year.
• Safety Training - Any safety training given to employees should be documented, including the names of the attendees, date of training, type of training, names and titles of person(s) providing the training, and a short description of the curriculum.  These records should also be maintained for a minimum of one year.

Safety and Health Committee:

As part of this program every unit in the Department is required to have a Unit Safety Committee that meets at least quarterly and publishes minutes of their meetings.  The responsibility of this committee is to facilitate the effective implementation and maintenance of the Department and unit IIPP.

IAB shall form a Safety and Health Committee comprised of at least three (3) bureau employees who shall formally meet as a committee at least once each quarter.  The committee shall create written records of the issues discussed at the meetings and maintain these records for a period of one‑year.  The committee shall conduct a safety inspection once each quarter and document their findings.  The committee shall review reports of alleged hazardous conditions brought to the attention of the Committee.

The Safety Committee’s duties are as follows:

• Review and evaluate all records/reports pertinent to the program.       
• Ensure that all suspected, reported, or alleged safety and health hazards are evaluated, and that all identified hazards are handled.
• Develop the Bureau’s Code of Safe Practices.
• Coordinate and provide management support for health and safety activities, such as employee safety suggestions, reports of hazards, etc.
• Remain abreast of all pertinent safety and health regulations and keep management informed.
• Serve as the liaison between management, employee groups, and regulatory agencies for all Bureau health and safety issues/activities.

INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM

• Ensure that safety inspections of work sites and equipment are conducted on a periodic basis.
• Maintain occupational health and safety information on the employee (Wellness) bulletin board.
• Maintain the Cal/OSHA Form Number 200 Log and Summary of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses for the Bureau.  Copies will be kept at the Captain’s Secretary’s desk.
• Maintain and review all safety and health records.
• Provide consultation for developing and implementing safety and health rules, as necessary, to ensure safe work performance.
• Ensure timely notification of safety-related incidents to appropriate regulatory agencies.
• Review the annual audit of each unit and providing a summary report to the Bureau Captain.

RESPONSIBILITY:

Overseeing the Safety Committee is the responsibility of the designated lieutenant who shall manage and supervise the safety meeting and ensure that wellness information is shared with all employees.  The safety committee will include a sergeant and a professional staff member.  

The safety committee will meet on the first Wednesday of every quarter at 1000 hours in the Chairperson’s office.

Working with Contract Employees:

When utilizing contract employees for temporary or specialized projects, an IAB Lieutenant or his/her designee shall orient these employees on our IIPP and ensure that they comply with related policies and procedures.