SAFETY & RISK ADVISORY COMMITTEE

FY06 SECOND QUARTER UNOFFICIAL MINUTES

May 18, 2006 – 2:30 p.m. Meeting

UHV Center Building – Room 312

UHSSL 109 (via ITV)     UHSCR 142 (via ITV)

The meeting was called to order at 2:40 p.m. by Genaro Cortez, Safety and Risk Manager.

1.   The minutes of the February 21, 2006 meeting were reviewed and approved as written.

2. Unfinished Business

a.       AED Application Status

o        UHV was awarded one unit by the State Department of State Health Services. The Safety & Risk Manager applied for 2 units for UHV, 1 unit for Sugar Land and 1 unit for Cinco Ranch. Greg Fanelli, Director of Business Services, is considering the purchase of an additional unit.

o        The Safety Office will need to determine the unit location based on the State criteria for placement. There are responsibilities associated with locating an AED unit. Prior to placement:

o        The state agency placing the unit must have a Medical Director involved in the AED program.

o        The state agency is required to notify the local EMS provider of the number and location of the AEDs in each building

o        The AEDs must be mounted so that they are available for public access.

o        4-6 personnel in the buildings where the units are place will need to be trained in the use of the portable unit.

o        The Safety & Risk Manager has contacted the City of Victoria EMS to inquire about providing training for UHV. The Citizens Medical Center Medical Director will need to be informed.

o        The Safety & Risk Manager will submit an application during the next fiscal year requesting additional AEDs.

o        Susan Reynolds, UHSSL Interim Director, inquired about the purchase price for a unit. The state contract price is $1800 per unit.

b.       Open Enrollment Regional Training Concept

o        UHV has been contacted by SORM to utilize our facility for the offering of a number of courses for state agency employees to attend. The first 2 training days are open to regional state agency employees within a ~50 mile radius. The 3^rd day is an optional training day open to the host state agency’s employee only.

o        Open Enrollment was offered in Austin in February with a 13-14 courses curriculum. A second session was held at San Angelo State University in April. A summer session is scheduled at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls in early August. The Safety & Risk Manager is working with SORM on a Fall schedule for Open Enrollment Regional Training at UHV. We will have input on the courses offered.

o        The available courses including Health and Safety Training – 15 courses, Workers’ Compensation/Claim Coordinator Training – 10 courses, and other training courses for Notary Public.

o        The Safety & Risk Advisory Committee will be sent a list of available courses to the committee members. Committee members are asked to review the course list with their respective departments and provide feedback to the Safety & Risk Manager.

3. New Business

a.       Business Contingency Plan Review

o        There are a number of updates and revisions primarily due to feedback received during and after the storm activity last year and the recent re-organization. Greg Fanelli and Genaro Cortez will present the revised plan to the President’s Cabinet on May 24^th for review and approval. The Safety & Risk Manager is working on a Hurricane Plan which will be an appendix in the BCP. This year the tabletop drill was on the Avian Flu preparedness scenario – especially how the university would be able to maintain operations remotely. The scenario drew attention from main campus and a committee is working on a plan.

b.       UHSSL Major Construction Projects

o        Susan Reynolds sent a message about construction activity on Highway 59 leading into campus.

o        On June 2^nd, the University Boulevard overpass will be demolished. The UHSSL Campus will close on Friday, June 2^nd at 8:00 p.m. and will be isolated from traffic until Monday, June 5th. The bridge will be down and traffic will have to detour to enter the UHSSL Campus for 2 weeks.

o        In July, the Sweetwater overpass will be demolished. The campus intersection will be ready in late June to cross University all the way.  No further updates from Texas Department of Transportation at this time.

o        Susan updated the committee on the stair replacement for the campus building which began May 15^th and should be ready next week. The railing will be installed at a later date.

o        Also art work is scheduled to be installed starting June 12^th during a week long process.

c.       Mid-Coast Hurricane Conference

o        Greg Fanelli and Genaro Cortez attended the conference at the Victoria Community Center on April 20^th.

o        Evacuation procedures were addressed in detail. City officials stated that there was a lack of communication between counties. One lack of communication example is that no one called Dewitt County to alert them that a mandatory evacuation had been ordered for Victoria County. They understand the issues created by the failure to communicate and are working on improving the evacuation process.

o        The timeline for evacuation to assist with traffic flow will also be addressed.

o        The state is working on a re-entry system into counties after a mandatory evacuation. The Local Emergency Planning Committee Coordinator is responsible for a seven county area to allow re-entry after an evacuation

o        A key learning was that many agencies, especially nursing homes and hospitals had evacuation procedures but many used the same provider for evacuation assistance.

o        The National Weather Service will be at UHSSL Campus on June 8^th and UHV Campus on June 14^th for Hurricane Awareness presentations. They will share key learning’s from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The Safety & Risk Manager encouraged all employees to participate in the Hurricane Awareness programs especially all Emergency Response Team members and Recovery Team members. It is predicted that the 2006 hurricane season will be well above average year for the number of storms. Hurricane season starts June 1^st and end on November 30^th. We should prepare as if this is the year for a major hurricane to strike locally.

d.       Safety Training

·         Completed Safety Training

o        UHSSL - National Weather Service Skywarn Program (3/30/06) 20 Participants

Susan Reynolds commented the program was an overall review. SO Pete Jamison attended a session with more information on how to become a weather spotter volunteer with the National Weather Service and training on how to identify weather patterns.

o        UHV - Identifying/Preventing Workplace Violence (4/11/06) 21 Participants

o        UHV - Anger/Conflict in the Workplace (4/12/06) 26 Participants

·         Scheduled Safety Training

o        UHSSL - Hurricane Safety Awareness Presentation (6/08/06)

o        UHV - Hurricane Safety Awareness Presentation (6/14/06)

o        UHV - Defensive Driving (6/29/06)

Note: Defensive Driving will be offered for employees at Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch later in the fall. Remember if you drive a state owned vehicle you are required to complete the Defensive Driving course.

o        The Safety & Risk Manager is working with The Victoria College Police Department to schedule a 4-6 hour Self-Defense training program offered by Victoria College. The course should available to UHV employees.

e.   Security Officer’s Report

·         UHSSL Campus

o        Security Officer/ADSO Pete Jamison reported one incident on May 8^th. A thief of a keyboard, receiver, and mouse for a total of $50. A Police report was filed and SO Jamison will forward the report to UHV for documentation.

o        Susan Reynolds reported there were no serious applicants applying for the 8-hour relief security officer position advertised for Sugar Land.

·         UHSCR Campus

o        No report from UHSCR or Security Officer Linda Manzano.

·         UHV Campus

o        Security Officer David Hernandez reported all is well.

o        UHV hired an 8-hour Relief Security Officer, Don Shaffer, in February.

f.    Workers Compensation Report of Employee Injuries

·         Denise Prescott, Payroll/Benefits Manager, reported that for the fiscal year to date (9/1/05 - 4/30/06) we have filed 4 Worker's Compensation reports with SORM (State Office of Risk Management).

g.       Incident Report – Quarterly Summary  

·         The Victoria College reported a large number of incidents for the quarter. Since reorganizing, Victoria College has a police department with a Chief of Police, 2 Licensed Peace Officers and 2 Security Officers. In addition, the police training academy has 1 Licensed Peace Officer. The Safety Office is looking at revising the combined campus reporting format to accommodate the increasing number of incidents reported by The Victoria College.

·         UHV – reports one theft of both UHV property and personal property which was left in a rental vehicle. The property was stolen during a weekend burglary of the rental vehicle company.

4. Roundtable

a.       Mary Densman, Office of Admissions and Records, inquired on the posting of change of hour signs on the buildings for the summer flex schedule. The Safety & Risk Manager will check on this request since the semester ended recently and there are a number of changes caused by the flex schedule. Dina Thompson, Student Representative and Telephone Receptionist, will check with Joe Ferguson, Director of Information Technology for updating the switchboard night service message. 

b.       Judy Lucas, Office of Admissions and Records, commented with the restructuring of offices we need to update emergency procedures. The Safety & Risk Manager responded he is still waiting to receive all changes and we will update emergency procedures accordingly. There are questions that still need to be worked out. Judy also requested refresher training on Shelter-in-Place. The Safety & Risk Manager will put together a short training session and present to individual groups during their department safety meetings  

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m. 

The next Safety and Risk Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 15, 2006.  Please mark your calendars accordingly.