Safety Bureau, Employment Relations Division, Department of Labor and Industry : performance audit follow-up

14 Pages·2001·0.25 MB·English

by  Montana. Legislature. Legislative Audit Division

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from
IVIontana State Library
http://www.archive.org/details/safetybureauempl2001mont
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT DIVISION
DeputyLegislativeAuditors:
JimPellegrini.PerformanceAudit
JScoohtntWA.. SNeoarctahte,y,LeLgeisglaaltiCvoeunAsuedlitor JaTmoersiGHiullnetthta,uFsienna,ncIiSaAlu-dCiotmp&liOapnecreaAtuiodnist
MONTANASTATELIBRARY
3 0864 0015 3207 9
MEMORANDUM
TO: Legislative AuditCommittee Members
FROM: JimPellegrini,DeputyLegislative Auditor,PerformanceAudits
DATE: February 28, 2001 STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION
RE: Follow-uptoPerformanceAudit: --n -j 4 2002
SafetyBureau
EmploymentRelationsDivision Montana stme ubrary
DepartmentofLaborandIndustry(97P-04) helena, Montana 59620
Cr^ofmc?Xmebe?Tih9e98audwiewpraessecnotnedducatpeedraftorthmeanrceequaeusdtitofofthteheDeSpaaferttymeBnutreoafuLatobotrheaLnedgiIsnldautsitvreyAaundditwas
aDeuptaZritmeedntbyoftLheabLoere'taslnadtiIvneduAsutrdyi.tCWoemmrietqtueees.tedThaendrerpeocretivceodntianifnoerdmasteivoennfrreocmomtmheenddeaptairotnmsenttootnhetheir
progressin implementingtherecommendations inJanuary2000.
TInofocrommaptlieotneTtehcehfnoollloogwy-usptaoffftahnedaDudeipta,rwtemeinntteorfvEinevwiedrodnimveinstioanlmQauanlaigteymestnatff..SWafeetaylsBourreea.vsi^e^waefdf.
legislativechanges,draftlegislationandotherpertinentbureaudocuments.
In additiontosummarizingtheresultsofourfollow-upwork,thismemorandumpresentsbackgroundon
theSafety Bureauoperationsandchangesthathavetakenplacesincetheaudit.
SUMMARY OF FOLLOW-UPRESULTS
Thefollowingtable showsthe statusofrecommendationsmade inour 1998 report.
Recommendation Status
Implemented
BeingImplemented
Total
A^esctlhmeeanbdoavteiotnabsl.e iTlhluestdraetpeas,rttmheenbturiseawuorhkaisnginittoiwaaterddspotshietiivmepelfefmoerntstattoiaodndroefstswmoorstecaoumdimtendaf
Room 160,StaleCapitol.POBox201705 HelenaMX59620-1705
Phone[phone] FAX[phone] E-Ma.llad(»staie.ml.us

proposedtoassist inthe planning,prioritization,andassessingofthebureau'soperations. Nofinal
implementationdate has beenestablishedfortheserecommendations.
Wierecommendanotherbrieffollow-upbecompletedinapproximatelyoneyeartoevaluate
implementationoftherecommendationsthatareintheprocessofbeing implemented.
BACKGROUNDONSAFETY BUREAU
Asapartofthe Employment Relations DivisionoftheDepartmentofLaborand Industry,the Safety
Bureau is responsibleforadministeringthestate'soccupational safetyandhealth laws. Administration
ofthe laws includesensuringMontana'spublic sectoremployersandminescomplywithoccupational
safetyand healthcodes. Responsibilitiesofthebureau includemandatorysafety inspectionsofpublic
sectoremployers(cities,counties,stategovernmentagencies,andschools),consultationswithprivate
sectoremployers,andinspectionsofcoal minesandsandandgravel operations. Thebureau'sprimary
goal istominimizeemployeeinjuriesandillnessesandreduceworkers' compensationpremiums.
FOLLOW-UPFINDINGS
The followingsectionsprovidetheimplementationstatusofeachrecommendationbasedonfollow-up
workperformedbytheLegislativeAuditDivision.
TrainingPlan forMine Inspection StalT
Auditworkfoundsignificantdifferencesintheamountoftrainingreceivedbysafetyinspectorsand
industrial hygienistsandthemine inspectors. Thebureau'ssafetyinspectorsandindustrial hygienists
receiveanaverageofapproximately70hoursoftrainingeachyear. Conversely,the mineinspectors
receivedanaverageofjustover 12hoursoftrainingperyear. Thebureau hadatrainingplan forsafety
inspectors, butnotforthemineinspectors.
Prior Recommendationffl
WerecommendtheSafetyBureaudevelopatrainingplanforthemine
inspectionstaff.
Thisrecommendation isimplemented.
Safety Bureau increasedtheamountoftrainingforthemineinspectionsupervi.sorandstaffinfiscal
years 1998-99and 1999-00. Accordingtomanagement,thetrainingreceivedwasbaseduponeach
individual'sresponsibilitiesandthelateststandardsissuedbyMineSafetyandHealthAdministration
(MSHA). Thesafetybureaudevelopedatrainingplanandtrainingbudgetforthemine inspectorsatthe
timeofthisfollow-up.
Modification ofWorkers' Compensation Databaseand UseofDatatoHelpPrioritization
The mosteffective methodto inspectemployersforcompliance with safetyand healthcodesistofocus
onthose with high ratesofinjuriesorillnessesandtargetingemployerswith alevel ofhighrisk. The
bureaudidnothaveaneffectivesysteminplacetoidentifythehighestriskemployers.
PriorRecommendationff2
WerecommendtheEmploymentRelationsDivision:
A. Modifyinformationontheworkers'compensationdatabasesothe
highestriskpublicemployers, sandandgraveloperations, andmining
activitiescanbeidentified.
r
B. ProvidedatatotheSafetyBureausoitcanassessoccupationalinjury
andillnessratesforpublicemployersandminestohelpprioritize which
entitiesandactivitiesshouldbeinspected.
Thisrecommendation isbeing implemented.
The DepartmentofLaborandIndustrymaintainsaworkers' compensationdatabasethatcouldbeusedas
aresourcetohelpset inspectionpriorities. TheEmploymentRelations DivisionAdministratorand
Safety Bureau Chiefplantomeetwith self-insuredworkers' compensationgroupsbyJuly31, 2001,to
coordinatethedevelopmentoflocationcodesforreportedinjuries. The locationcodeswill allowforthe
compilationofinjuries, by location, andultimatelyprovidethebureau withthenecessary informationto
prioritize inspections. Atthetimeofthis follow-up,the InformationTechnology Unithasthisprojecton
theirlistofpriorities; however,anestimatedtimeforcompletionoftherecommendationcouldnotbe
determined.
Communication withWorkers' Compensation InsurersandOtherAgencies
Auditworkidentified minimalcommunicationandcoordinationbetweentheSafetyBureau, workers'
compensation insurers.DepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(DEQ),andMontanaDepartmentof
Transportation (MDT). Communication withthesegroupscouldhelpthebureauensureinspectionsof
high-riskemployersarecompleted.
PriorRecommendation^3
WerecommendtheSafetyBureau:
A. Establishaformalprocesstocommunicatewithworkers'compensation
insurersonanon-goingbasis.
B. CoordinatewiththeDEQandMDTtohelpidentifythelocationofmobile
sandandgravelunitsoperatinginthestate.
This recommendation is implemented
TheSafety BureauChiefparticipates inquarterly meetingswiththeState Fund. In addition,theSafety
Bureaumeetswiththeprivateandself-insurersonanannualbasis. AccordingtotheBureauChief,the
meetingsare well attendedandresultedinimprovedcommunications withtheinsurers. Astaffmember
withDEQsendsthebureaualistingofsandandgraveloperatorsandtheirlocations. Inspectorsusethe
listwhenplanninginspectionsoftheoperations. CommunicationwiththeMDTisinformal asDEQ
passesthesameinformationprovidedtotheSafetyBureauontoMDT.
Management Information System
Strategic planningisan importantaspectofprogramoperationsandhelpsdefineaprogram'spurpose,
direction,and impact. Auditworkfoundthe SafetyBureaudidnot incorporateaplanningprocess into
its safetyconsultationand mine inspection programs. Furthermore,thebureaudidnot maintain
management information that would helpassess itsimpactandeffectiveness.
Prior Recommendation #4
Werecommendthe bureaudevelopa comprehensivemanagementinformation
system which willprovideameansforimproving itsstrategicplanningprocess
andmeasuring theeffectivenessofitsoperations.

This recommendation isbeingimplemented.
Thebureau has requested thedivision's InformationTechnology Unit initiateprogrammingofthe
databasetocompile management informationthatcouldhelpimprove itsstrategic planningandmeasure
itseffectiveness. Accordingtomanagement, programmingoftheirsystemwill beconcurrent withthe
injury/illness andriskinformation mentioned in recommendation#2above. Noimplementationdatehas
beenset.
Organizational StructuresandStaffResponsibilities
Overtheyears,severalchangeshaveoccurred withinthebureau andwith safetystatutes. Forexample,
the 1997 Legislaturereducedthebureau'sauthorityovermetal andnonmetal mineinspections. In
addition,certainprogramshavebeeneliminatedfromthebureau suchasthe loggingandboiler
inspectionprograms. Atthesametime,thebureau hasbecomemoreactive inareassuchassafety
trainingandon-siteconsultations. Auditworkidentifiedwidevariancesinstaffworkloadfordifferent
typesofinspectionstaff.
PriorRecommendation^5
'WerecommendtheDepartmentofLaborandIndustryreviewtheorganizational
structureandstaffresponsibilitiesoftheSafetyBureautodeterminehow
resourcescan beusedmoreefficiently.
Thisrecommendation isimplemented.
Thebureau formally reviewedthe mandatory inspectionprocesstodeterminemoreeffectiveand
efficientmethodstoperformtheprocess. Thebureaualsokeptamineinspectorposition vacantwhile
staffingneedswereevaluated. Thebureaudeterminedthatcurrentincreasedfederal fundingforhighway
improvementsandconstruction willdrivetheneedtoensurethesandandgraveloperationsare inspected
inamoretimelymanner. Thebureau wasabletohireadditional staffbecauseofanincreaseinthe
OSHAon-siteconsultationgrantandthereassignmentofresponsibilitiesfortheMontanaOccupational
HealthAct.
Legislative Authority to AdministerOccupational Health Act
ThepurposeoftheOccupational HealthAct(OHA)istoensureemployersprovideaworkplacethat
protectsthehealthofitsemployeesandrequiresasystemtobe inplacethatensuresemployerscomply
withtheact. Statute requiresacoordinatedstatewideprogramofabatementandcontrol toensure
Montana'spolicy forasafeand healthy workenvironmentisenforced. However,twodifferentagencies
withtwodifferentmissionswereresponsibleforenforcingoccupational safetyandoccupational health
laws. State lawdelegatedadministrationoftheOHAtotheDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(DEQ)
andrequiredtheSafety Bureautoreferanyoccupationalhealthhazardsthey identifytoDEQ.
Thedelegationoftheselawscreatedafragmentedsystemforenforcinglawsrelatedtooccupational
safetyandoccupational health. Thefragmentation ledtoinefficientandinconsistentenforcementof
lawsandcreatedconfusionoverwhohasauthority forenforcement.
Prior Recommendation 06
WerecommendtheDepartmentofLaborandIndustryseeklegislation toobtain
authoritytoadministertheOccupationalHealthAct.