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San Juan County adopts updated workplace-safety policies; new safety manager introduced
Summary
The San Juan County Commission voted to adopt updated safety policies aligning county programs with federal, state and industry standards and introduced Steve Kennedy as the new safety and compliance manager; outgoing presenter Adam Ortega said the changes are largely administrative and aimed at risk reduction.
San Juan County commissioners on May 19 approved a set of updated county safety policies intended to align county operations with current federal and New Mexico standards, including OSHA and NFPA/CDC guidance. The changes update programs ranging from electrical safety and fire prevention to hazardous communications, lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment and bloodborne-pathogen response.
Adam Ortega, who presented the revisions, told the commission the updates remove outdated regulatory references, clarify responsibilities, strengthen training expectations and include a standalone tuberculosis-control plan. Ortega described the updates as largely administrative with minor costs for training and equipment but significant benefit in reducing employee and county risk.
During questions, a commissioner asked whether the package specifically addresses hantavirus; Ortega said the draft includes general language to trigger further evaluation but does not yet contain a dedicated hantavirus protocol and would require additional research to craft such language.
Ortega also told commissioners that this would be his final week at the county and introduced Steve Kennedy as the county's new safety and compliance manager. Kennedy said he has worked with the county since October and thanked the board for the opportunity.
The commission moved and approved the policies by voice vote; the chair declared the motion carried. Ortega said the policies will be distributed to departments, incorporated into training and enforced at the supervisory level.
What happens next: staff will finalize distribution and training plans so departments can implement the updated guidance. The commission did not specify an effective date in the meeting minutes.
