A yearlong effort across Alabama to provide safer workplaces and reduce injuries has produced dividends for 46 county commissions, which have received cash awards from the Association of County Commissions of Alabama’s insurance funds.
ACCA’s Safety Incentive Discount Program, administered by its two self-funded insurance programs, rewards counties for on-going efforts to enhance training for employees in safety-sensitive positions, improve driver safety and produce a work environment focused on accident prevention.
The awards totaled $454,000 statewide this year. Amounts for individual counties are based on that county’s annual premium and the level of participation in safety activities.
Requirements ranged from establishing local safety policies and committees to actively participating in hands-on safety training for law enforcement, engineering departments, personnel management and public officials.
ACCA Executive Director Sonny Brasfield explained that it is impossible to eliminate all incidents but these counties’ willingness to emphasize loss-prevention can only lead to an avoidance of those events that are preventable. He pointed to the use of seat belts, eliminating texting while driving, active review of work areas for safety risks and proactive training opportunities as some of the key factors in reducing losses.
“The most significant issue is to raise awareness of those activities or behaviors that increase the risk of injury,” Brasfield said. “Once people begin to think about safety, then you turn your attention to specific tasks and to providing spot-on training.”
The following county commissions received awards through the Safety Incentive Discount Program: Etowah, Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Escambia, Franklin, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Macon, Marengo, Marshall, Monroe, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, St. Clair, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox.
Etowah County Commission Chief Executive Officer Patrick Simms said of the Safety Incentive award, “We have been recognized as having an excellent safety program. We’ve been very proactive in emphasizing this program, and it’s paying off. We’re starting to see the dividends.
“These are recognitions for the county’s hard work and for saving tax payers money.”