St Moritz Security Services, Inc. Safety Meeting Minutes, August 24, 2007

The meeting started at 0905, present were Jasmine M, Don B., Tara R., Tim D., Joe M., Doris B., Paul M., Vickie M., and Jim B.

The accidents that occurred since our July meeting were reviewed:

PA

• 7/27/07-A patient being restrained spit on an employee. A W/C claim has been filed; there has been no treatment to date and the employee continues to work
• 7/31/07-Employee cut thumb on a broken window. He was changing his clothes and lost his balance; grabbed the wall for balance and his hand struck a broken window. The employee declined to file a claim.
• 8/3/07-Vehicle accident, no injury
• 8/5/07-Employee was assaulted assisting a nurse restrain a patient; employee declined to file a W/C claim.
• 8/13/07-Employee banged arm on the doorframe attempting to prevent a person from leaving the premises by blocking the doorway. The employee has declined to file a W/C claim.

OH

• 8/13/07-Employee was assaulted by an intruder and struck back breaking a bone in left hand. A W/C claim was filed and the employee received medical treatment. The employee continues to work.

There were six accidents since the last meeting; two of the accidents resulted in workers compensation claims being filed. We did discuss one of the accidents that happened after the agenda was completed. An employee sought medical treatment due to inhaling fumes at the work site. Workers were applying a finish to an area near the guard post and were wearing protective masks. The guard did not inform anyone of the odor and discomfort and continued to work. The employee declined to file a claim. We discussed that employees must notify their supervisor when conditions of this type come up and action to protect our employees will be taken. All of the employees involved in the accidents continue to work.

Vehicle Accidents:

• There was one vehicle accident on August 13, 2007. An employee driving a company vehicle swerved to avoid a deer and hit the guardrail. The vehicle is being repaired and the guard was not injured.

Previous Business:

1. The minutes from the July 2007 meeting were accepted unanimously. Paul M. provided a first and Don B. seconded the motion.
2. At the previous meeting, the safety hazard brought up was the still existing problem with drivers speeding in the driveway between 4540 and 4600 Clairton Blvd. The subject has been addressed verbally with the employee who is thought to be the worst offender. Additional steps will be taken if the problem continues. The company has not made a decision on the request for a handrail on the side of the building for pedestrians descending the driveway when it is slippery.

New Business:

1. Our state required annual certification will be coming up within the next few months. We decided to provide the following dates to Fred S., Henderson Brothers, as prospective training dates - October 19th, October 26th and November 16th. Fred is a certified instructor and provides the training.
2. A draft of the newsletter was given to the committee; this will be distributed next week.
3. Jefferson Hospital is sponsoring a Drug and Alcohol Awareness Class; Tim D., Doris B., and Hope P. will be attending.
4. Paul M provided the Safety hazard for this meeting. One of the sites, 125 7th St, Pittsburgh, required our employees to use the staircase on patrols. This staircase is cement with safety treads but the treads are very worn and the stairs are slippery. The staircase is also used by the students in the building and several of them have fallen. A letter will be sent to the client from the Safety committee requesting that they address the problem for everyone’s sake. Joe M. will provide the client’s contact information.
5. Chuck K. will provide the Safety hazard at the next meeting.

Topic:

The topic for this meeting was Workplace Violence. Jim B. was asked to attend this meeting as he is trained in non-violence crisis intervention. He stressed the importance of attempting to defuse a volatile situation in place of aggressive behavior. Certain sites are more likely to have this type of situation and it is important to have a plan in place before an incident occurs. Knowing what to do will protect the employee. Jim did say that you can put all the recommended procedures in place but it still can escalate and you must be prepared to act.

Joe M. provided reference material on the subject that gave pointers on what to do in the event of violence to attempt to deescalate the situation. The committee decided that a handout sheet would be sent to the offices for distribution to sites that will provide employees with a quick reference guide.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, September 28, 2007.