The Florida Senate

284.50  Loss prevention program; safety coordinators; Interagency Advisory Council on Loss Prevention; employee recognition program.--

(1)  The head of each department of state government, except the Legislature, shall designate a safety coordinator. Such safety coordinator must be an employee of the department and must hold a position which has responsibilities comparable to those of an employee in the Senior Management System. The Department of Insurance shall provide appropriate training to the safety coordinators to permit them to effectively perform their duties within their respective departments. Each safety coordinator shall, at the direction of his or her department head:

(a)  Develop and implement the loss prevention program, a comprehensive departmental safety program which shall include a statement of safety policy and responsibility.

(b)  Provide for regular and periodic facility and equipment inspections.

(c)  Investigate job-related employee accidents of his or her department.

(d)  Establish a program to promote increased safety awareness among employees.

(2)  There shall be an Interagency Advisory Council on Loss Prevention composed of the safety coordinators from each department and representatives designated by the Division of State Fire Marshal and the Division of Risk Management. The chair of the council shall be the Director of the Division of Risk Management or his or her designee. The council shall meet at least quarterly to discuss safety problems within state government, to attempt to find solutions for these problems, and, when possible, to assist in the implementation of the solutions. If the safety coordinator of a department or office is unable to attend a council meeting, an alternate, selected by the department head or his or her designee, shall attend the meeting to represent and provide input for that department or office on the council. The council is further authorized to provide for the recognition of employees, agents, and volunteers who make exceptional contributions to the reduction and control of employment-related accidents. The necessary expenses for the administration of this program of recognition shall be considered an authorized administrative expense payable from the Florida Casualty Insurance Risk Management Trust Fund.

(3)  The council and each department head shall report annually to the Governor by January 15 preceding any regular legislative session any actions taken to prevent job-related employee accidents, together with suggestions of safeguards and improvements.

(4)  The Auditor General shall evaluate the compliance of each department with its loss prevention program as part of the Auditor General's review of other management programs within that department.

History.--s. 1, ch. 79-352; s. 177, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 82-46; s. 7, ch. 83-159; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 87-185; s. 5, ch. 88-303; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 205, ch. 95-148.