Bruce Harbour will soon begin safety seminars and a safety awareness campaign for Lawrence County government employees.

Monday, August 14, 2000

Bruce Harbour will soon begin safety seminars and a safety awareness campaign for Lawrence County government employees.

Harbour, the county’s new safety coordinator, will work for four weeks to reduce workplace injuries and to save dollars on workers compensation insurance, commissioners decided last week.

The county buys workers comp insurance in a group plan, but that cost has increased because claims have put Lawrence County on a penalty rate, said Les York, a consultant to commissioners.

If the situation gets worse, the county could lose the privilege to participate altogether, York said.

The County Commissioners Association of Ohio and other state officials encourage counties to start a multi-step safety program, with the first step of hiring a coordinator and writing a safety plan, he said.

The idea is to address preventable injuries, control loss and preserve resources of the county, York said.

"Comp management indicates to us that a safety program will reduce the premium per year that we’re paying now," he said.

It’s also being pro-active by giving workers added safety procedures and reduce the risk on job sites, he added.

Commissioners agreed, voting to employ Harbour on a consultant basis. Harbour will work for four weeks, 32 hours per week at $20 an hour plus expenses. Afterward, he will continue as a consultant on an as-needed basis.

The county wants to reduce work-related injuries and lost time on the job as well as reduce claims, commission president Bruce Trent said.

It’s spending good money to try to bolster not only the county’s budget but also safety down the road, Trent said.

Harbour will start as soon as possible, calling the safety program an initiative that can only see a positive return.

Harbour will write a safety plan, meet with employees and conduct seminars.

Commissioners will write a letter to management. They also will suggest other offices share in the cost of the safety program.