[Adopted 12-20-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-23]
A. 
There shall be an Office of Safety and Risk Management in the Borough of Wood-Ridge. The Office shall consist of one Safety and Risk Management Coordinator, hereafter referred to as the "Safety Coordinator," and it may also include one Deputy Safety Coordinator, if so determined by the Mayor and Council, to assist in fulfilling the duties and act in the absence of the Safety Coordinator.
B. 
The Safety Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, for a term of one year from January 1 to December 31, and shall receive a salary as determined by the annual salary ordinance and resolution. The filling of any vacancies shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.
C. 
The Safety Coordinator shall be the Director of the Office and shall report to the Borough Administrator and provide regular reports of the activity of the Office to the Borough Administrator.
The Safety Coordinator and the Deputy Safety Coordinator shall have the following powers and duties:
A. 
Hold meetings of the Borough's Safety Committee at least quarterly.
B. 
Conduct safety inspections of all Borough facilities and properties and maintain records thereof.
C. 
Conduct training of Borough employees and volunteers as outlined by the Borough's Joint Insurance Fund and Municipal Excess Liability Fund and maintain records thereof.
D. 
Accurately and timely prepare and submit all safety and training reports as required by the Borough's Joint Insurance Fund and Municipal Excess Liability Fund.
E. 
Investigate, prepare reports, and maintain records of any injury or accident of an official, employee or volunteer of the Borough occurring during the course of performing their official duties.
F. 
Investigate, prepare reports, and maintain records of any injury or accident occurring on Borough property and/or related to the action and/or inaction of an official, employee or volunteer of the Borough and/or which may likely result in the Borough being made a party to litigation.
G. 
Report to the appropriate department head and/or the Borough Administrator any and all hazards or risks discovered during the course of safety inspections so as to cause said hazard or risk to be abated.
H. 
Report to the appropriate department head and/or the Borough Administrator any and all noncompliance or violation by any Borough official, employee, or volunteer of the Borough's workplace safety and/or personnel policies as may be promulgated by rules, regulations, or standard operating procedures of the Borough and its departments, and/or guidelines established by the Borough's Joint Insurance Fund and Municipal Excess Liability Fund.
I. 
Any such other powers and duties which may be directed or delegated by the Mayor and Borough Council via resolution or ordinance.
J. 
Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Mayor and Borough Council and/or the Borough Administrator.
A. 
There shall be a Borough Safety Committee, pursuant to the best practices established by the New Jersey Municipal Excess Liability Fund, whose members shall advise and assist in planning, supervising, and coordinating the safety education programs of the Borough.
B. 
The Committee shall consist of a number of employee members as specified herein and may include up to three nonemployee public members, who shall be residents of the Borough.
C. 
The employee members of the Safety Committee shall be as follows:
(1) 
Safety Coordinator: Chair.
(2) 
Borough Clerk: Secretary.
(3) 
Police Chief or designee.
(4) 
Fire Chief or designee.
(5) 
Public Works Superintendent or designee.
(6) 
Recreation Director or designee.
(7) 
Library Director or designee.
(8) 
Deputy Safety Coordinator, if the position is filled and the person is not otherwise listed herein as an employee member.
(9) 
Up to six additional employees appointed by the Borough Administrator
(10) 
The Mayor, the members of the Borough Council, and the Borough Administrator shall be considered ex officio members and may attend Committee meetings.
D. 
Any public members of the Safety Committee shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, for terms of one year from January 1 to December 31. The filling of any vacancies shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.
E. 
In the absence of any designated employee member of the Safety Committee who serves as a Borough department head, an acting or deputy department head or other designated member of the department shall serve as an acting member of the Committee.
F. 
The Borough's contracted Risk Manager, any employees of the Risk Manager's company, and any employees or consultants of the Joint Insurance Fund or Excess Liability Fund to which the Borough belongs are authorized to attend and participate in any and all Safety Committee meetings.
G. 
Any Borough official or employee, upon the request of the Safety Coordinator, Mayor or Borough Administrator, shall be authorized to attend meetings of the Safety Committee and assist in performing the duties of the Committee.