By: centraljersey.com
Officials from 19 Burlington County municipalities received awards at the 20th annual Burlington County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund (BURLCOJIF) Safety Kickoff Breakfast held on Feb. 17 at the Ramblewood Country Club in Mount Laurel.
The awards recognize safety measures implemented by the municipalities, which in turn save thousands of dollars each year through reduced accidents and lowered claims payments.
The Safety Kickoff breakfast celebrated the 2010 JIF safety accomplishments and launched the 2011 Safety Incentive Program. The BURLCOJIF Safety Incentive Program focuses on lowering the risks associated with municipal operations – mainly on preventing accidents that can lead to injury to municipal employees or members of the public.
The Safety Incentive Program rewards each municipality based upon its support and dedication to promoting employee awareness of the JIF safety policies, establishing safety criteria such as holding regular safety committee meetings, completing monthly safety inspection check lists, attending safety training seminars, completing thorough accident investigations, and viewing safety videos with employees.
The JIF created the qualifier, bronze, silver, and gold award categories within the four size categories (small, medium, large, extra large) of the member municipalities. Members receive awards for their overall safety efforts as well as individual exemplary municipal employees. The awards are to be used for the purchase of safety equipment, safety training, or for the recognition of employee safety efforts.
The municipalities receiving awards this year were:
Basic Qualifiers: Hainesport: $1,000.
Bronze Award Winners: Chesterfield: $1,100.
Silver Award Winners: Delran: $1,800, Edgewater Park: $1,500, Lumberton: $1,950, Mount Laurel: $2,100, Southampton: $ 1,500, Wrightstown: $1,200.
Gold Award Winners: Bass River: $ 1,300, Bordentown City: $1,625, Delanco: $ 1,625, Florence: $1,950, Mansfield: $ 1,625, Medford: $2,275,Riverside: $ 1,950,Shamong: $1,300, Springfield: $1,300, Tabernacle: $1,300,Westampton: $1,625.
Each qualifying member receives a plaque to commemorate its achievement and to recognize the efforts of their employees in attaining these results. In following years, an inscribed plate is added to the plaque designating their level of achievement of Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
Special Recognition Awards: The Delran Township Police Department was recognized with a Special Recognition Award for its efforts in installing "Ready Buckles" so a single officer can secure a suspect in the rear of a patrol car. Larry Jack, Kathy Walter and the Delran Safety Committee were also recognized for their efforts in acting as Personal Mentors in the Township Wellness Program’s "Biggest Loser" contest. Finally, the Medford Public Works and Recreation Departments were recognized for their efforts in the construction of the first universally accessible playground in Burlington County.
The honorees for the Special Recognition Awards received a plaque and will be treated to a luncheon. Honorable mention for the Special Recognition Awards went to the Shamong Road Department for their commitment and dedication to ensuring the safety of the roads during the extreme snowfalls of the 2009-2010 winter and to Hainesport Township for their work in developing a Training Room. From Mt. Laurel, Stephanie Gee, Bruce Basim, Daniel Howard, and Francis Pagurek were recognized for completing the requirements of the Advanced Safety Leadership Program. Chuck Oatman of Southampton, Anthony Romano from Lumberton, Doug Cramer from Tabernacle, Greg Lebak from Chesterfield, and Timothy Rowe from Shamong also completed the program.
Members also received certificates of recognition for their efforts in numerous other safety categories including:
– Beat the three-year average JIF loss ratio of 86.7%: Medford (84.9%), Hainesport (69.7%), Southampton (62.0%), Delran (56.7%), Lumberton (54.8%), Mansfield (40.0%), Delanco (36.5%), Westampton (34.8%), Springfield (25.2%), Shamong (7.5%).
– Zero "Lost Time" Workers Compensation accidents: Bass River, Beverly, Florence, Lumberton, North Hanover, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle, Wrightstown.
– Significant Reduction in Lost Time Accident Rates (a measurement of employees in the township who experience an accident resulting in time out of work greater than 7 days): Beverly -5.80 in 2009 to "0" in 2010; Florence -3.02 in 2009 to "0" in 2010; North Hanover -4.04 in 2009 to "0" in 2010; Mount Laurel -5.00 in 2009 to 2.43 in 2010; Medford -4.14 in 2009 to 1.77 in 2010; Delran -5.99 in 2009 to 2.62 in 2010; Riverside-8.70 in 2009 to 2.90 in 2010.
– Best Claims Reporting (less than 3 days to report a claim): Bordentown Township, Chesterfield, Delran, Hainesport, Mansfield, Medford, North Hanover, Riverside, Tabernacle, Westampton, Wrightstown.
– Modified Duty – 100% of Available Days Used: Beverly City, Delran, Mansfield, Riverside
During 20 years of operation, municipalities participating in the BURLCOJIF have saved millions of dollars in premiums and have received surplus distributions of over $4,400,000, including $425,000 this past year.
"These surplus distributions would have been insurance company profits, instead they are local taxpayers’ savings" explained Michael Mansdoerfer, mayor of the Lumberton Township, and chairman of the BURLCOJIF Finance Committee.
Currently, the BURLCOJIF has 23 members. Over 370 municipalities in New Jersey are members of a local JIF. Joint Insurance Funds allow New Jersey municipalities to collectively pool money for insurance coverage. The JIF manages its expenses while using extensive loss prevention and claims management programs to reduce amounts paid out for accidents and injuries.