4040 Workforce Safety | ADMINISTRATION-5600-MANUAL

Office space is leased via the State Properties Commission as facilitated by its real estate management contractor. The properties commission has statewide space standards, including minimum requirements for safety.

Where DAS offices are co-located with other DHS divisions, DAS requires a separate entrance.

DAS assigns one staff member per office to act as contact and/or liaison with the DHS Office of Facilities and Support Services (OFSS) and the landlord. This is usually the supervisor or District Manager.

Division staff will follow Department guidelines regarding the closure of offices. Offices may be closed due to inclement weather, or its aftermath, failure of infrastructure, such as prolonged power outages or water main breaks, and other safety considerations.

Where DAS staff are co-located with other DHS divisions, DAS will coordinate with those divisions.

All DAS staff shall have an employee identification badge which may also serve as card key access to the office in some locations.

Visitors must check in at the front desk/reception area.

Staff shall not admit unknown or unauthorized persons into the office.

Staff is authorized to dial 911 in case of emergency. Refer to Reporting/Emergency Action Response (EAR) scenarios later in this section.

Staff whose evacuation routes include stairs should keep comfortable shoes in the office.

Each DAS office shall have a first aid kit and other emergency supplies on hand

All other means of transportation must be eliminated before DAS staff may transport clients. This includes Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation, ambulance (if appropriate), service provider staff, family, etc.

If transporting clients is necessary, DAS staff shall first assess the risk of transportation. If factors are present that may present a risk to staff safety such as the client is agitated, under the influence of substances or alcohol, has a weapon, etc., follow section/program policy and procedures for re-scheduling the appointment, visit, etc.

State employees must utilize a hands-free method with their phone while driving or pull over to a safe place before utilizing their phone.

While transporting the client, DAS staff shall:

Staff must immediately report exposure to communicable disease, such as Tuberculosis, to their supervisor.

The supervisor will file a workman’s compensation report and follow guidance from OHR on testing, etc.

The DHS has a protocol for reporting emergencies or unexpected office closures. The first action in any emergency is to dial 911. In the case of facility issues, notify the building landlord. The next action is to notify Division leadership via email/phone call following the chain of command. Include EAR on the email. The

EAR email routes to the Office of Inspector General, Office of Communications and OFSS.

Incident/Emergency examples and actions are listed below:

Refer to MAN 1300, POL 110, Section E. Attachment 1 must be completed for any acts or threatened acts of violence that are received (by victim or potential victim), observed or of which employees are informed must be reported immediately. This includes anonymous reports. The form must be sent to OHR immediately. Copy Division chain of command.

Refer to MAN 1300, POL 1701. Once proper medical treatment has been arranged, the supervisor or designee is to report all injuries, etc. that require medical treatment or result in lost time from work through the telephonic reporting system. The DHS Incident Report (Attachment 3 to POL 1701) must also be completed.

Staff are to dial 911 as appropriate.

After the incident, and after immediate safety risks have been resolved (medical or other assistance has been rendered), the supervisor shall document the incident in the worker record in the DDS. The worker incident documentation will include the following components:

The worker may be referred to the Employee Assistance Program. Referral is made through the Office of Human Resources (OHR).