Safety & Health Policy - EAP

On March 9, 2018, c.44 of the Acts of 2018, An Act Relative to Standards of Employee Safety, was enacted. The law amends G.L. c. 149, § 6 ½, and updates and clarifies employee safety requirements in public sector workplaces. The law defines a public sector workplace to include counties, municipalities, all state agencies, quasi-public independent entities, courts, bureaus, commissions, divisions or authorities of the commonwealth, political subdivisions, and public colleges and universities.

The law requires all public-sector employers to implement methods of reducing work-related injury and illness that meet the minimum requirements provided under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The original law did not contain the phrasing for OSHA compliance because it was written before 1970 when OSHA was enacted.

Public sector employers are required to provide their employees with procedures, equipment, and training to reduce work-related injuries and illness. Employer methods must meet the minimum requirements provided under the federal OSH Act of 1970.

The following elements are recommended as part of a comprehensive management system to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses:

• Establish a department and town-wide Safety & Health Policy.
• Establish management and employee accountability.
• Authorize a joint labor-management Safety Committee.
• Set goals for safety.

Emergency Action Plan EAP - Attached. This document was created through a collaboration of Town of Holland municipal employees including members of the Board of Selectmen, Safety Committee, Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Management. It was authored by our EMD, Bryan C. Haughey.

The content contained corresponds with recommendations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS), specifically the manual on Workplace Safety and Health Program for Public Employees (WSHP), and the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, specifically the manual on How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations, OSHA 3088 2001 (Revised).