VRSA’s fully vaccinated staff have been back out and about providing socially distanced training and attending conferences with members throughout the Commonwealth this summer and into the fall.
Reasonable Suspicion Training – Rappahannock Area Community Services Board
VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock conducted a Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion Training for the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board.
“With the legalization of marijuana, it is important to train administrators and supervisors on the risks of drug and alcohol use by employees, the skills to recognize use of drugs and alcohol, the skills to confront an employee who may be using drugs or alcohol, and the procedures for documenting reasonable suspicion cases,” said Bullock.
Western Virginia Water Authority
What better way is there to learn more about the important work our members do than through a first-hand tour?
VRSA Senior Underwriter Ann Chandler, Claims Supervisor Tracey Dunlap, Claims Representative Na’Tasha Foxx, Director of Underwriting Cathie Moreland-Hasty, Senior Account Executive Lisa Schenk, and Senior Safety Consultant Eddie Shelton toured various worksites at the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) to see and understand their operations. The tour included jetting a line, sewer maintenance, wastewater operations, water operations, and learning about the mapping software used to complete and document work. The team was guided by WVWA Risk Manager Ioana Kwei-Tagoe.
Thank you to Ioana and her team for their time and guidance.
Internal Affairs and Administrative Investigations and Citizen Complaints
VRSA Public Safety Consultant Gary Dillon visited Radford, Virginia where VRSA hosted a training led by Lou Reiter from the Legal & Liability Risk Management Institute. Implementing an honest and fair fact-finding process that uncovers the truth is an important role of the internal affairs function, and it is essential to maintain a process that protects the rights of all involved, including the accused officer.
OSHA 10-Hour Training in Vienna
VRSA Senior Safety Consultants Fonda Craig and Vinny Gallo provided OSHA 10-Hour Outreach training to the Town of Vienna. This nationally recognized training highlights various safety and health hazards that commonly affect our members. Some of the topics covered were confined spaces, occupational health hazards, electrical hazards, fire protection/prevention, trenching and excavations, fall protection and walking/working surfaces, and introduction to OSHA.
Southwest Virginia Solid Waste Management Association Conference
VRSA Senior Safety Consultant Fonda Craig presented at the Southwest Virginia Solid Waste Management Association Conference (SVSWMA) and Equipment Show.
Refuse and recyclable materials collectors are ranked in the top 10 for the most dangerous occupations. Bringing awareness to actual and potential dangers through lessons learned from incidents can help enhance skills in recognizing hazards. Thank you to Teresa Sweeney, Vice President SVSWMA for allowing VRSA to share lessons learned from this risky business.
DRIVE SMART Virginia Distracted Driving Summit
VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock moderated the Curbing Distraction with Technology panel at the DRIVE SMART Virginia Distracted Driving Summit in Virginia Beach.
Panelists included David Dunn with the City of Orlando, Mark Etzbach with Acusensus, and David Zuby with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / Highway Loss Data Institute. The panel discussed how technology such as mobile device blocker apps, automated enforcement, crash avoidance features, and driver attention monitors may help curb distracted driving.
The panel also discussed the future of automated vehicles, as well as common misconceptions about automation, the role of government regulations, and the challenges that face the future of autonomous vehicles.
Virginia Government Finance Officers Association
VRSA Member Services Specialist Harry McMillen and Senior Account Executive Lisa Schenk attended the Virginia Government Finance Officers’ Association (VGFOA) fall conference in Richmond this September.
Crater Criminal Justice Academy
VRSA Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon presented a basic law enforcement class at the Crater Criminal Justice Academy. VRSA was invited by Executive Director Jon Cliborne to instruct on this and other topics. VRSA is appreciative of our strong partnerships with Virginia’s regional criminal justice academies.
Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
VRSA Senior Safety Consultants Fonda Craig and Vinny Gallo presented an OSHA At A Glance overview of various hazard recognition topics to staff at the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Topics including health hazards, bloodborne pathogens, walking/working surfaces, fall protection, hazard communication, electrical – lockout/tagout, fire prevention, struck by/caught in hazards, personal protective equipment, and introduction to OSHA were covered.
City of Franklin Department of Social Services
Employers should ensure that their employees are periodically trained on the policies and the employer’s expectation of a respectful workplace in order to limit the risks of liability. VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock conducted The Respectful Workplace training for the City of Franklin’s Department of Social Services at their request. The training focused on respect, acceptable workplace conduct, and the types of behaviors that contribute to a respectful and inclusive, and therefore ultimately more productive, workplace.
Virginia Municipal League Annual Conference
The VRSA Member Services team attended the Virginia Municipal League 2021 Annual Conference in Leesburg.
