CTSI review finds vehicle and slip‑and‑fall risks top Rio Blanco County losses; recommends defensive driving, battery-fire precautions and silica testing

Dana Foley, senior loss control specialist for County Technical Services, Inc. (CTSI), briefed the Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners on May 20 about the county’s five‑year loss trends (2020–2024) and recommended targeted steps to reduce future claims and costs.

Foley told commissioners the county had 19 CAP (liability/property/auto) claims over the last five years totaling $187,254 (average about $9,855 per claim) and 56 workers’ compensation claims totaling $663,982 (average about $11,857). For 2024 specifically, Rio Blanco reported three auto-related claims totaling $14,827. The CTSI pool data show vehicle-related incidents are the highest-frequency and highest-severity loss driver across member counties.

Key recommendations Foley gave the board: - Hold a free three‑hour defensive driving course for county employees who drive county vehicles; the course issues a certificate some drivers have used to obtain personal insurance discounts and can count for deputies’ POST hours if the sheriff approves. Foley noted backing incidents declined from 17% to 7% of vehicle claims after targeted no‑backing policies in other counties. - Implement and train supervisors on accident‑investigation protocols to identify root causes and contributing factors, especially for slip, trip and fall incidents. Foley highlighted freeze–thaw and getting in/out of vehicles as recurring causes. - Review return‑to‑work and light‑duty options to reduce indemnity (lost‑time) exposure in workers’ compensation claims. - Consider upgrading fire protection for lithium‑ion battery fires where county buildings and shops store battery‑powered tools, citing recent fires tied to thermal runaway and recommending battery‑rated extinguishers (a gel-type extinguishing agent was noted as available). - Note the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) silica monitoring rule effective in July: pits and quarries that expose employees to silica may require air monitoring, retesting when operations move, pulmonary function testing if exposure limits are exceeded, and miner certifications for drivers present in pits multiple consecutive days. Foley advised counties that use pits to confirm contractors do initial monitoring and include county drivers in any required testing. - Monitor emerging liability exposures from public use of drones and liquor service at county events; Foley said drone operations (search and rescue, fire, crowd monitoring) raise potential privacy and operational-liability issues and that some counties are seeking specific coverage. Foley also noted liquor-liability considerations for events and venues on county property.

Foley emphasized the county compares favorably to the pool average on average cost per CAP claim (Rio Blanco roughly $9,855 vs. pool $13,254). She urged low-cost, high-impact measures (no‑backing policies, defensive driving, supervisor training) and noted CTSI can provide training and incident analysis at no extra charge.

Speakers quoted in this story come from the meeting transcript: Dana Foley, Commissioner Overton, Laura (county staff who asked a question), and other commissioners as recorded.

Why it matters: The recommendations target the county’s leading drivers of claims costs — vehicle incidents and slips/falls — with low‑cost prevention steps and compliance items (MSHA silica monitoring) that could create new costs if unaddressed.

The board and staff said they will follow up on recommended training and will review county policies for vehicle operation, battery safety and pit/quarry monitoring.