Chickasaw County moves to countywide PPE policy and schedules mandatory training July 15

The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors approved revisions to the county’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) policy to make it countywide rather than limited to the secondary roads department and to require individual acknowledgements and training.

Safety coordinator Renee Kerry explained the change is intended to reduce workplace injuries and to bring county practices into alignment with state and federal safety expectations. She said the county will require acknowledgement signatures and increase enforcement of straightforward practices such as wearing safety glasses and hearing protection.

Board members discussed implementation details, including how to reach employees who are on vacation or who work early shifts in secondary roads. Supervisors approved a training schedule for July 15 with two 1-hour sessions (10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) to accommodate staff; Kerry and department heads will follow up to ensure staff who cannot attend have alternative arrangements.

One supervisor recorded opposition during the voice roll call on the PPE policy change; the motion nonetheless carried. The board requested that staff circulate final policy documents and the acknowledgement form, and asked department heads to collect signed acknowledgements.