To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Execute a Three-Year Subscription Renewal with Velocity EHS
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to execute a contract with Velocity EHS, including a limitation of liability, in an amount not to exceed $24,000 for the management software of the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) subscription for the period July 22, 2024 to July 21, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Budgeted. 100% CCCFPD General Operating Fund.
BACKGROUND:
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document that provides information on the potential hazards of working with a hazardous material and how to work safely with it. SDSs are prepared by the manufacturer or importer of the product and are required by law as part of OSHA's hazard communication standards. The Fire District needs the Safety Data Sheets software to communicate the risks when handling or interacting with hazardous chemicals and other materials. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to ensure that SDS are readily available to employees for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace. Velocity EHS provides the most up-to-date information on the chemicals and hazardous substances employees may encounter while working. Traditionally, this information was stored in large, cumbersome binders, which was inefficient. Without a centralized and digital platform like Velocity EHS, employees might not have access to the most current information about substances. This could potentially lead to employee injuries and penalties from OSHA for non-compliance with regulations.
Velocity EHS is a software platform that streamlines the delivery and accessibility of SDS information. It eliminates the need for physical binders and aggregates the critical safety data into a centralized digital platform accessible to all employees and prevents the fire district from having to create or disseminate the SDS in paper form for every fire district site. This would lead to higher costs due to increased work hours, materials and repeated reevaluation when considering product changes. This subscription enhances employees’ safety, operational efficiency, and compliance with OSHA regulations.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this agreement is not approved, the District will be out of compliance with OSHA regulations. This could lead to significant risks, including potential employee injuries and penalties for non-compliance with safety regulations.