Employee Safety Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 @ The Faculty House

Attending: George Aitken, Janet Bartlett, Cheryl Brewer, Kim Brown, Cosmo Catalano, Adriana Cozzolino, Judy Kocsis, Kris Maloney, Norm Parker, Dennis Richard

Absent: Bob Briggs, Michael Chapman, Gary Lohnes, Pete Mazzacco, Michelle Migdal, Joe Moran, Judi Willette

Old Business:

• CPR course offering: no update
• Sit Safe, etc. programs: All scheduling pending until autumn.
• Cars speeding on Chapin Drive: Cheryl reported that Joe said signs are up and he will talk with security regarding enforcement.
• Parking garage: Cosmo reported that new theatre construction workers will park elsewhere during summer matinees, at other times there is still plenty of room. Cheryl reported that Joe suggested that the parking garage space issues, strictly speaking, were not safety issues and should be directed toward Dave Boyer and the Parking Committee. The Safety Committee agreed.
• Potential tripping hazards on walk from parking garage to Greylock: no follow up as yet.

New Business:
Accident Reports: There were 22 accident reports from the last two months.

1. A student dining hall worker was burned by a hot water dish machine. Follow up: the machine was not properly shut down.
2. An employee suffered a groin pull. Follow up: a recurrent injury, course of action to be determined.
3. An employee suffered a bruised wrist while releasing lock on new tables. Follow up: true accident related with unfamiliarity of mechanism.
4. An employee suffered a minor cut moving assumed empty stacks of glass containers, single glass on top fell and broke. Follow up: check racks more carefully before moving.
5. An employee while cleaning floor bumped head while standing up, suffered a cut. Follow up: true accident.
6. An employee suffered a cut on calf of leg carrying a bag of recycled glass. Follow up: true accident.
7. An employee suffered an apparent puncture of the thumb, turned out to be a sliver. Follow up: true accident.
8. An employee while cleaning a countertop knocked a knife to the floor and suffered a cut foot. Follow up: true accident.
9. An employee suffered a muscle strain lifting a table. Follow-up: use a hand truck.
10. An employee at the steam plant hit head on a drum while reaching for a wrench suffering a small laceration. Follow up: steam plant workers must now wear hard hats.
11. An employee suffered a bruised bone after bumping into a support bracket at the library. Follow up: true accident.
12. An employee suffered a pulled muscle lifting a riser. Follow up: get help next time.
13. While filling a soap dispenser the bottle slipped and an employee tried to grab it suffering a strained pinky. Follow up: true accident.
14. An employee suffered a back strain while picking up a dime. Follow up: true accident.
15. An employee suffered a cut on left thumb while slicing chicken. Follow-up: employee not paying enough attention.
16. An employee suffered a twisted ankle. Follow up: true accident.
17. An employee suffered back strain from picking up a trash bag. Follow up: don't overload trash bags and follow proper lifting techniques.
18. An employee suffered back strain while carrying two cinder blocks from a dorm. Follow up: cinder blocks have been banned from dorms.
19. An employee suffered back strain while lifting a ladder. Follow up: true accident.
20. An employee suffered a cut while slicing a carrot – the carrot rolled during the slicing. Follow up: true accident.
21. An employee suffered a strained back while moving furniture in Baxter. Follow up: true accident.
22. An employee suffered a cut on middle finger when a chair rack slid during transport. Follow up: employee should have been wearing gloves.

Additional New Business:

• Cheryl noted that some of the Committee members' terms will expire this fall and said that those people should find out who in their departments would be interested in replacing them. This will be discussed at the next meeting.
• Cosmo reported that the Theatre Festival is working well with the new theatre's carpenters to establish and maintain adequate fire exits through the construction site.

Dining Services Safety Committee:

• No report.

Next meeting: Tuesday, July 20, noon at The Faculty House.

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