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Board tables county-wide slip‑resistant footwear policy after safety committee briefing
Summary
A work‑comp safety representative described an IMWCA implementation grant that would fully fund slip‑resistant footwear if the county adopts a policy requiring employees given footwear to wear it during inclement conditions; the board asked staff to present samples and discuss at the safety committee and tabled further action until May.
County safety staff presented a proposed policy and grant opportunity that would outfit participating county employees with transitional slip‑resistant footwear and require those employees to wear the footwear during inclement weather.
Stacy, a work‑comp/safety representative, said an IMWCA study in northwest Iowa found a significant reduction in slip, trip and fall claims where similar footwear was used; the IMWCA implementation grant would pay 100% of an initial order if the county adopts a policy requiring employees who receive the footwear to use it in inclement conditions and to complete related training. "You fill out our grant application ... we pay for those at a 100%. What we do is that we require you to train your people on that slip resistant footwear," Stacy said.
Board members raised practical questions: which departments to include, whether steel‑toe requirements would be compatible with the footwear, how the policy would be enforced and whether the policy should be mandatory or department‑specific. The board asked the safety committee to obtain physical samples and product recommendations, requested the safety committee meeting include department heads and set a goal to consider formal adoption before July 1 if feasible.
Members moved to table formal action until the safety committee meets on May 14 to allow hands‑on review and further discussion; the motion passed by voice vote.
