Phone: 602-506-8601
Fax: 602-506-6496

Out 2006 Safety Fair was a great success More information about it is coming soon!

To contact the Safety Consultant with the specific expertise to address your department's needs, please click on the following link - Our Safety Team

The Maricopa County Risk Management - Safety Division will provide leadership through quality management, technical guidance, and consultation. We will promote, implement and drive continuous improvement in safety through the development of procedures, training programs, processes and services ensuring a safe environment for employees and the community.

We will be the leader in safety management through the implementation and sustainment of exemplary safety programs and processes.

• Commitment -We are committed to the ideal that safety is doing things right.
• Dedication -We are dedicated to supporting and contributing to a safe working environment for all employees.
• Integrity -We conduct all business in an honest and professional manner.
• Respect - We treat all employees as we expect to be treated, with dignity and respect.
• Service - We serve all employees and the community by keeping promises, providing the highest quality service and being dependable and accurate with information.

We believe that:

• Accidents and Injuries are preventable
• Safety can be managed
• Safety is an individual responsibility
• Safety is a way of life
• Nothing is more important than employee safety

The Safety Division of Risk Management continued to focus on our countywide initiative to ensure safety standard compliance and loss prevention organizationally. The process uses a safety management system of supervisor and worker accountability along the theme of "Safety: It's the way we work!" The Division continues to consult with Agencies and Departments to establish the safety management system as a core business function. The establishment of a safety program continues to be crucial in reducing accidents and losses. As a clear example of its efforts to improve departmental safety performance, workers compensation data this fiscal year evidenced an overall increase in claims of 20% (868 claims in FY03-04, and 1039 claims in FY04-05, see page VI-3 of the statistics and coverage section), while Workers' Compensation payments and reserves (see page VI-1 of the statistics and coverage section) were decreased from $3,592,256 in FY03-04 to $2,756,159 in FY04-05, a $836,097 (23%) decrease.

Working to improve workplace safety and ensure compliance with safety standards, the Division:

• Negotiated with the United States Department of Labor and the Arizona Commerce Commission the development of a Heavy Equipment Apprenticeship program for off duty training.
• Conducted a countywide four-day Employee Safety Fair and Equipment ROADEO, with 700 employees participating in 36 Safety Classes along with events testing operator skills and knowledge of equipment operations.
• Conducted two OSHA 500 Construction Industry and one OSHA 501 General Industry 40 hour Safety training courses to enhance employee safety knowledge.
• Completed 485 field safety inspections, 169 facility safety inspections, 330 safety classes and 126 safety consultations to enhance safety compliance and employee safety within Maricopa County.
• Successfully subrogated recovery for MCDOT damaged property. FY04-05, the Division collected $13,142.30 from "at fault" parties that caused damage to MCDOT property.

Additionally, the Safety Division provides technical assistance and training to various departments in the areas of occupational safety, fleet safety, drug & alcohol testing, commercial drivers programs, heavy equipment training, hazardous materials management, OSHA compliance, and hazard communication - employees "right-to-know" training. These efforts continue to have a positive influence on the County's safety awareness and loss prevention efforts.

Safety is a total team effort! As Maricopa County continues to develop its strategies in developing its safety management system, it is necessary that each level of management must take a greater role in safety development. Including specific safety activities and initiative within the County's overall work process and evaluation creates a safe working environment. A combination of management commitment and front line supervision accountability is the key to sustaining the safety process and reducing unsafe work practices.

Last updated: 16 Dec, 2007 jld