Belton safety committee credits training, near-miss reporting for steep claims reduction

Carla, co-chair of Belton’s safety committee, briefed the council on the committee’s efforts and reported marked reductions in claims and insurance costs. She said the city reduced general liability claims from 135 (costing about $1,140,000 at one point) to 55 claims costing roughly $102,000 in the more recent reporting period, and credited safety training, near-miss reporting, and regular facility safety reviews for the improvement.

Carla described a new employee safety orientation and a quarterly employee recognition program called the 'safety stop,' which nominates workers who identify safety ideas. She told the council the city secured safety-related grants from its insurer that helped pay for equipment and training and that tracking training and loss ratios helped identify high-risk tasks.

Council members asked clarifying questions about statistics and program frequency; staff said the committee meets bimonthly and includes at least one representative from each department. The council thanked staff for the work; no policy or budgetary action was taken at the meeting.