§ 2-226.03. Safety committee.

(a) Purpose. A safety committee, herein known as "the committee," is established in accordance with F.S. § 442.012 to promote a safe and healthy workplace by recommending policies and procedures to improve workplace safety and health, prevent workplace accidents, and enhance employee safety training.

(b) Membership. The committee shall consist of city employees who have an interest in the general promotion of workplace safety and health.

(1) Employee representative. Employees who do not normally perform in a supervisory capacity shall be elected in accordance with procedures specified in paragraph (f) herein. There shall be seven (7) employee representatives, each of whom represents a specific risk group as defined in Exhibit A attached to the ordinance from which this division is derived. Each employee representative shall be permitted to vote on matters presented to the committee.

(2) Employer representative. Employees who normally perform in a supervisory capacity shall be appointed by the city manager to serve on the committee. There shall be two (2) employer representatives, and each shall be permitted to vote on matters presented to the committee.

(3) The human resources director or the human resources director's designee will coordinate matters involving the committee and ensure that proper procedures are followed. The HR director shall serve on the committee as a non-voting member. The HR director shall ensure that employer representatives do not exceed the number of employee representatives and that employee representatives are elected by their peers.

(c) Terms. Each representative shall serve a regular term of two (2) years which commences with the first meeting in January following election or appointment. If a vacancy occurs on the committee, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the office was previously filled.

(d) Meetings. The committee shall elect annually by majority vote from among its members a chairman and vice-chairman. Meetings shall be held monthly and shall be called to order by the chairman. The presence of five (5) voting members shall constitute a quorum. Minutes will be recorded and filed with the city clerk for retention in the official records of the city.

(e) Duties. It shall be the duty of the committee to:

(1) Promote workplace safety;

(2) Establish and communicate procedures for conducting internal safety inspections;

(3) Establish and communicate procedures by which accident investigation will be conducted;

(4) Evaluate the effectiveness of the workplace safety program and make recommendations to the city manager for corrective action as necessary;

(5) Establish and communicate guidelines for safety training;

(6) Ensure that workplace safety rules, policies and procedures are implemented in all city departments; and

(7) Make recommendations to the city manager for corrective action when violation of workplace safety rules, polices or procedures results in a preventable accident.

(f) Election. An election shall be held not more than thirty (30) and not less than ten (10) days prior to the commencement of the term for which an employee representative is to be elected. The city clerk shall administer the nominating and election procedure for each election in accordance with the procedures and policies provided herein.

(1) No less than thirty (30) days before the expiration of a regular term or immediately upon notice of a vacancy on the committee, the city clerk will notify all members of the risk group that an employee representative must be elected to the committee and request nominations. Such notification will be in writing and will include a nomination form and a list of all employees eligible for nomination. Employees eligible for nomination will include all members of the risk group who have completed their six (6) month probationary period of employment. Nominations will be forwarded to the city clerk before the time and date specified on the nomination form.

(2) If one (1) nominee receives a minimum of fifty-one (51) percent of the nominations, that nominee shall be declared elected and shall take office immediately upon commencement of the term of office for which elected.

(3) If no nominee receives fifty-one (51) percent of all nominations, the city clerk will prepare an election ballot listing the nominees receiving the three (3) largest number of nominations and forward a ballot to all actively employed members. Election ballots shall be returned to the city clerk before the time and date specified on the ballot. The nominee receiving the highest number of votes for office shall be declared elected and shall take office immediately upon commencement of the term of office for which elected.

(4) If two (2) or more nominees tie for the highest number of votes, a runoff ballot shall be prepared and a runoff election shall be conducted as in paragraph (f)(3) herein.

(g) Transition committee. Members serving on the safety committee existing when this division is adopted [June 19, 2001] shall continue to serve until completion of the first regularly scheduled election required by this division.

(1) Employee representatives. For the first committee constituted under this division. members from risk group one, risk group two, and risk group three shall be elected to an initial term of two (2) years and members from remaining risk groups shall be elected to an initial term of one (1) year.

(2) Employer representatives. When appointing members to the first committee constituted under this division, the city manager shall appoint one (1) member to serve an initial term of two (2) years and one (1) member to serve an initial term of one (1) year.

(Ord. No. 2001-08, § 1, 6-19-01; Ord. No. 2012-21, § 1, 11-6-12)