Train staff in safety practices to decrease workers compensation claims - Ongoing

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Keeping employees safe and having a safe environment for them to work in is a top priority for our department.  Safety starts with a training program that addresses areas of concern.  Training is developed to create conversational topics so employees are aware of the dangers.  Our employee training at the beginning of the school year stressed the importance of using all of the safety gear that is provided by School Food Service such as goggles, face masks, protective gloves, and protective aprons.  Employees are especially reminded to always wear non-slip, non-skid shoes and to be aware of their surroundings to avoid slips, trips, and falls.

Work Orders are also a tool to ensure that equipment and facilities do not present a danger or a source of injury.  The new Tririga work order system is working very well and providing an efficient way for school teams to report non-functioning equipment.

Additionally, School Food Service collaborates with the District’s Risk and Benefits Management Department to be proactive in determining the areas that pose the greatest risk to employee safety and addressing ways to avoid them.  Injuries are tracked for each employee by school and followed up with reports to determine how similar injuries could be avoided in the future.

In a quest to keep employees safe, we have been working with the Risk & Benefits Management Department to ensure that all newly hired employees are fit for duty and able to perform the essential duties of the position safely.  Each new employee reports for a Physical Demand Test before the hiring process is complete.

To ensure all employees remain safe, the Equipment Team technicians participated in Arc Flash Certifications training to make sure they are working safely around electricity.  An eLearning program for Arc Flash was developed for managers and their staffs to view so they would be aware of the dangers, as well.