SPSA safety report shows higher-than-industry OSHA rate; board discusses response
July 23, 2026 | Southeastern Public Service Authority, Boards and Commissions, Executive, Virginia
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SPSA staff briefed the board on workplace safety and OSHA 300 reporting for 2025 and year-to-date 2026 at the July 22 meeting.
Safety manager Michael Ponds said SPSA recorded eight total OSHA recordable cases in 2025. "We had 3 lost time injuries cases resulting in 30 days away from work," Ponds said, and added the other five cases resulted in restricted duty totaling 65 restricted days. He reported a DART (days away/restricted/transfer) rate of 6.6 for 2025; the transcript records an industry average of about 4.2 for the solid-waste sector.
Year-to-date for 2026, Ponds said the organization had three recordable cases, including one lost-time injury that resulted in 67 days away from work. Board members and executives described a hands-on response to serious incidents, including daily contact with injured employees and on-site supervisor involvement during hospitalization. Dennis Bagley described an instance of a severe injury in which an employee suffered near-amputation of fingers and said supervisors and management provided continuous support and follow-up.
Board questions focused on whether the 2025 numbers were an anomaly and how they would affect workers' compensation premiums. Sandy Schreibert (treasurer/staff) said workers' compensation coverage is handled through the Virginia Risk Sharing Association and that claims history factors into future premiums; staff noted that not every OSHA reportable event generates a workers' compensation claim. Ponds said staff review incidents for policy or procedural changes and encourage near-miss reporting to prevent injuries.
Dennis Bagley told the board that while the waste industry remains one of the nation's most dangerous and any injury is of concern, the numbers were not alarming in the broader industry context but warranted continued attention and follow-up. The board and staff agreed to continue incident reviews, policy adjustments where warranted and monitoring of the effect on insurance premiums.
Safety manager Michael Ponds said SPSA recorded eight total OSHA recordable cases in 2025. "We had 3 lost time injuries cases resulting in 30 days away from work," Ponds said, and added the other five cases resulted in restricted duty totaling 65 restricted days. He reported a DART (days away/restricted/transfer) rate of 6.6 for 2025; the transcript records an industry average of about 4.2 for the solid-waste sector.
Year-to-date for 2026, Ponds said the organization had three recordable cases, including one lost-time injury that resulted in 67 days away from work. Board members and executives described a hands-on response to serious incidents, including daily contact with injured employees and on-site supervisor involvement during hospitalization. Dennis Bagley described an instance of a severe injury in which an employee suffered near-amputation of fingers and said supervisors and management provided continuous support and follow-up.
Board questions focused on whether the 2025 numbers were an anomaly and how they would affect workers' compensation premiums. Sandy Schreibert (treasurer/staff) said workers' compensation coverage is handled through the Virginia Risk Sharing Association and that claims history factors into future premiums; staff noted that not every OSHA reportable event generates a workers' compensation claim. Ponds said staff review incidents for policy or procedural changes and encourage near-miss reporting to prevent injuries.
Dennis Bagley told the board that while the waste industry remains one of the nation's most dangerous and any injury is of concern, the numbers were not alarming in the broader industry context but warranted continued attention and follow-up. The board and staff agreed to continue incident reviews, policy adjustments where warranted and monitoring of the effect on insurance premiums.
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