County safety committee looks ahead to other projects

     The Jones County employee Safety Committee plans to remain busy.

     Safety Committee Chair John Klein provided the board of supervisors with an update during their Sept. 22 meeting.

     One big item the committee can check off its list is the established blood borne pathogen policy. County employees can receive the Hepatitis B vaccine, per the county policy. Fliers will go out to all county employees with information on obtaining the vaccine.

     The board of supervisors allocated $10,000 toward the policy project.

     Klein said with new hires, county department heads would need to budget for the vaccine for new employees.

     “It’ll be a county policy,” he said.

     The committee is also working on a new county employee workman’s comp policy. Klein explained this involves updating the policy based on current laws that are in place, as well as safe return-to-work rules for employees who are coming back after an injury.

     “Each department is treating it differently,” he said of return-to-work rules. “We need to make it universal across the board. Employees work for different departments, but ultimately they work for the county.”

     In terms of future projects, Klein said it’s up to the board of supervisors to provide specific direction.

     “What direction do you want the committee to go?” he asked.

     Klein said it might serve the county to consider hiring a part-time HR position, especially when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of workman’s comp laws.

     “Those laws changed in 2017 and we’re just finding out about it,” he said.

     “It’s good to be compliant with current laws,” stressed Supervisor Wayne Manternach.

     Klein would also like to see the safety committee look at deficient county facilities as well.

     “That’s something that fell by the wayside with COVID,” he reported.