The Rowan County Fiscal Court has launched a safety initiative across all its departments. It comes in the form of comprehensive safety training for employees. Officials said its a key step in enhancing workplace safety and ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations.
Officials said the program was developed in response to a growing recognition for more standardized safety practices and procedures. Rowan County Judge Executive Harry Clark pointed to road crews who often work with dangerous equipment.
“So, if they were on a roadway off the beaten path and something happened and heaven forbid, let’s just say it was a chainsaw or something, we never really, other than just knowing what you watched on TV, you really didn’t know anything about how to do it,” said Clark.
Clark said now, all crews have had that training and are equipped with tourniquets and first aid kits.
The program, which began this quarter, is being put into action across the detention center, road department, EMS, animal shelter, and courthouse. Instruction covers critical safety topics such as first aid training, CPR certification, and bloodborne pathogen training. Clark said the initiative will be a permanent addition to county operations.
“We will set it up on a basis where we will stay current every two years. CPR, you know it all has got a two-year shelf life on it, so we’ll be set up for it, and we’ll rotate, and we’re going to stay current,” said Clark.
The program will be mandatory for all employees, who will receive the training for free and will be paid their hourly wage during safety instruction. Officials said information taught in the program will allow employees to respond to a wide range of medical emergencies.