Safety Program for Work Crew Leaders

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Safety Program for Work Crew Leaders provides specially designed safety training as well as safety equipment tailored to the needs of part-time Work Crew Leaders working in the Adult Probation Department’s Community Restitution Program. The Work Crew Leaders oversee probationers completing weekend work projects to earn community restitution hours ordered by the Court. Typically, one or two Work Crew Leaders oversees a crew of approximately 25 probationers, most of whom are felons. The Work Crew Leaders are called upon to handle a variety of incidents such as participant injuries and sometimes rather difficult encounters with probationers that include intimidation, threats, aggression, theft, and property damage. A full day of safety training was developed and implemented to help Work Crew Leaders handle the types of situations they have encountered or would be likely to encounter. In addition, Work Crew Leaders have been equipped with Oleoresin Capsicum (O.C.) spray and radios that connect them with a 24/7 Communications Center. Components of the safety training include basic awareness, verbal de-escalation, defensive tactics techniques, emergency and hazard communication, and radio and OC spray training. Participants learn specific techniques and skills and then demonstrate these in order to pass the class. Work Crew Leaders participate in an initial training day and then complete annual full-day refresher classes. From May 2015 through January 2017, the “Work Crew Leader Safety and Defensive Tactics Training” has been provided seven times with a total of 58 participants. The safety of Work Crew Leaders and the Community Restitution Program work projects has been enhanced by providing this safety training and the selected safety equipment to these employees.