Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Safety (Committee) - 02/21/1989 f, CITY OF KENT SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES February 21, 1989 Present: Bryan Shira, Don Fronsdahl, Brad Dupleich, Casey Ellis, Joe Sams and Lori Brown. The Following items were discussed. FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Employee cut fingers while cleaning a galvanized tube after a fire. According to the supervisor, the employee was not wearing gloves at the time. Gloves would have prevented this injury. COMMENTS: The Committee felt that this accident was preventable and recommended that the employee use more care when cleaning a galvanized tube. FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: While inspecting a new apartment building, employee was carrying a ladder up and down flights of stairs. Apparently, the employee stepped wrong and injured a knee. COMMENTS: This was determined to be a non preventable accident. FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Employee stepped on a nail while fighting a fire. COMMENTS: Apparently, Firefighters had been pulling boards off of the building as they were fighting a fire. The employee stepped on one of these boards. Due to this fact, the Committee determined that this was a preventable accident and recommended that when removing boards from a burning building, Firefighters should be careful to throw them away from the area. PARKS DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Employee used a knife instead of scissors to open a package of coffee. Knife slipped -and employee cut a hand. Stitches were necessary. According to the supervisor, scissors will now be available at all times. g PAGE 2 COMMENTS: This was considered to be a preventable accident and the Committee recommended that the employee use scissors when opening coffee. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: While assisting with traffic problems, officer slipped and fell on the ice, bruising his back and wrists. COMMENTS: This was determined to be a non preventable accident due to the adverse weather conditions. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Officer was walking at night in the landscaped area of an apartment complex. Went to jump down onto a portion of lawn and missed, sanding in mud instead. Officer lost footing, lucked knee and fell to the ground. COMMENTS: After some discussion by the Committee this accident was considered to be a non preventable accident under the circumstances. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Officer jumped from a retaining wall in the dark. Misjudged distance and fell, sustaining minor injuries. COMMENTS: Once again, the Committee determined that this type of an accident is non preventable and results from the nature of work that is required of Police Officers. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Officer was retrieving a piece of evidence, a syringe. The cap was apparently in place but the needle was sticking out through this cap and not visible. Officer pricked a thumb with the exposed needle. COMMENTS: Based upon the information that was available to the Committee, it was decided that a determination was not possible without further clarification concerning the situation and the procedures that were used to retrieve the syringe. The Committee did discuss this issue and there was concern that this type of safety hazard will become an H PAGE 3 COMMENTS: increasing problem for city employees. It was recommended that if standard procedures do not exist, they should be developed for handling syringes when retrieving evidence from criminal suspects, and when they are encountered as a result of other City related operations. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Officer was driving on ice and snow and lost control of the vehicle. Slid across the roadway and struck the north side of the curb, bending the right front tire rim. COMMENTS: This accident was considered non preventable due to the ice and snow on the road. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: While investigating an incident, patrol car attempted to make a sharp turn in the parking lot of an apartment building. Passenger side of the vehicle hit some large rocks, causing 'minor damage to the vehicle. COMMENTS: The Committee felt that this was a preventable accident and could have been avoided had the Officer use more care when turning in the parking lot. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: While backing a police vehicle out of the City Shops, the officer slid on the ice And snow. Vehicle struck the curb, bending a Wheel. COMMENTS: Due to the ice and snow, the Committee determined that this was a non preventable accident. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Vehicle was parked very close to another vehicle in the secured parking area at City Hall. Officer failed to observe the other vehicle, and struck the front bumper with his own car while pulling out of the stall. COMMENTS: The Committee felt that had the Officer been more careful when pulling out of the stall, he would have been able to avoid this accident, Thus, this was determined to be a preventable ,accident. PAGE 4 POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: After pursuing a suspect vehicle, officer exited his own vehicle, turned to shut off they sirens and twisted a knee. COMMENTS: Based on the facts that were provided, the Committee felt that this was a preventable accident and could have been avoided, had the officer turned more carefully when exiting his vehicle. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: Officer was pulling over a suspect who chose to stop in a parking stall of a convenience store. The officer pulled in diagonally behind the vehicle. The suspect then put the car in reverse and struck the patrol vehicle. COMMENTS: This was considered to be a non preventable accident. There was not much that the Officer could have done to avoid this accident,. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT: While backing from a restaurant parking stall, vehicle struck rear bumper of another backing vehicle. Weather conditions were poor at the time. COMMENTS: Despite the poor weather conditions, the Committee felt that the Officer could have avoided this accident. It was recommended that the Officer should look more carefully before backing. PUBLIC WORKS INCIDENT: Employee was struck in the middle of on intersection 'by a car unable to stop for the red light. Ice and snow conditions. COMMENTS: Again, due to ice and snow, the co=ittee felt that this was a non preventable Accident. PUBLIC WORKS INCIDENT: Employee slipped on ice and snow. Tailbone was injured. PAGE 5 COMMENTS: The Safety Committee felt that this was a non preventable accident due to the sdverse weather conditions.