ARTICLE HEALTH AND SAFETY The Employer shall prepare a comprehensive policy on resident handling and safe work practices within six (6) months of the date of settlementlaward. Such policies will be reviewed by the Joint Health and Safety Committee. A joint management and employee health and safety committee shall be constituted, which shall identify potential dangers, recommend means of improving the health and safety programs and obtaining information from the Employer or other persons respecting the identification of hazards and standards. The committee shall normally meet every three months or more frequently if the committee decides. Scheduled time spent in such meetings is to be considered time worked for which shall be paid by the Employer at his or her regular or overtime rate. Minutes shall be taken of all meetings and copies shall be sent to the Committee members. Minutes of the meetings shall be posted on the workplace health & safety bulletin board. The Employer shall provide the time from work with pay and all related tuition costs and expenses necessary to certify the worker representative. Where an inspector makes an inspection of a workplace under the powers conferred upon him or her under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the employer shall afford a certified committee member representing workers the opportunity to accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof. Where a worker certified member is not site and available, the Employer shall afford a worker health and safety representative if any, or a worker selected by a Union, because of knowledge, experience and training, to represent it, the opportunity to accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof. Two (2) representatives of the Joint Health and Safety Committee, one (1) from management and one from the employees, shall make monthly inspections of the work place and shall report to the health and safety committee the results of their inspection. The members of the Committee who represent the workers shall designate a certified member or person who is properly trained to inspect the workplace. The employer shall provide the member with such information and assistance as the member may require for the purpose of carrying out an inspection of the workplace. In the event of accident or injury, such representatives shall be notified immediately and shall investigate and report as soon as possible to the committee and the Employer on the nature and causes of the accident or injury. Furthermore, such representatives must be notified of the inspection of a government inspector and shall have the right to accompany him on his inspections. Scheduled time spent in all such activities shall be considered as time worked. The Joint Health and Safety Committee and the representatives thereof shall have access to Report Form required in and of the Act and the annual summary of data from the relating to the number of work accident fatalities, the number of lost workday cases, the number of lost workdays, the number of non-fatal cases that required medical aid without lost workdays, the incidence of occupational injuries, and such other data as the may decide to disclose. It is understood and agreed that no information will be provided to the Committee which is confidential. This information shall be a standing item recorded in the minutes of each meeting. The Union will use its best efforts to obtain the full co-operation of its membership in the compliance of all safety rules and practices. The Employer will use its best efforts to make all affected direct care employees aware of residents who have serious infectious diseases. The nature of the disease need not be disclosed. Employees will be made aware of special procedures required of them to deal with these circumstances. The parties agree that all employees are aware of the requirement to practice universal precautions in all circumstances. The Employer shall: inform employees of any situation relating to their work which may endanger their health and safety, as soon as it learns of the said situation; training inform employees regarding the risks relating to their work and provide and supervision so that employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to safely perform the work assigned to them; ensure that the applicable measures and procedures prescribed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act are carried out in the workplace. A worker shall,
Limitation of Vendor Indemnification and Similar Clauses This is a requirement of the TIPS Contract and is non-negotiable TIPS, a department of Region 8 Education Service Center, a political subdivision, and local government entity of the State of Texas, is prohibited from indemnifying third-parties (pursuant to the Article 3, Section 52 of the Texas Constitution) except as otherwise specifically provided for by law or as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. Article 3, Section 52 of the Texas Constitution states that "no debt shall be created by or on behalf of the State … " and the Texas Attorney General has opined that a contractually imposed obligation of indemnity creates a "debt" in the constitutional sense. Tex. Att'y Gen. Op. No. MW-475 (1982). Thus, contract clauses which require TIPS to indemnify Vendor, pay liquidated damages, pay attorney's fees, waive Vendor's liability, or waive any applicable statute of limitations must be deleted or qualified with ''to the extent permitted by the Constitution and Laws of the State of Texas." Does Vendor agree? Yes, I Agree Alternative Dispute Resolution Limitations This is a requirement of the TIPS Contract and is non-negotiable. TIPS, a department of Region 8 Education Service Center, a political subdivision, and local government entity of the State of Texas, does not agree to binding arbitration as a remedy to dispute and no such provision shall be permitted in this Agreement with TIPS. Vendor agrees that any claim arising out of or related to this Agreement, except those specifically and expressly waived or negotiated within this Agreement, may be subject to non-binding mediation at the request of either party to be conducted by a mutually agreed upon mediator as prerequisite to the filing of any lawsuit arising out of or related to this Agreement. Mediation shall be held in either Camp or Titus County, Texas. Agreements reached in mediation will be subject to the approval by the Region 8 ESC's Board of Directors, authorized signature of the Parties if approved by the Board of Directors, and, once approved by the Board of Directors and properly signed, shall thereafter be enforceable as provided by the laws of the State of Texas. Does Vendor agree? Yes, Vendor agrees Does Vendor agree? Yes, Vendor agrees No Waiver of TIPS Immunity This is a requirement of the TIPS Contract and is non-negotiable. Vendor agrees that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of sovereign or government immunity; nor constitute or be construed as a waiver of any of the privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities available to Region 8 Education Service Center or its TIPS Department. The failure to enforce, or any delay in the enforcement, of any privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities available to Region 8 Education Service Center or its TIPS Department under this Agreement or under applicable law shall not constitute a waiver of such privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities or be considered as a basis for estoppel. 5 Does Vendor agree? Yes, Vendor agrees Payment Terms and Funding Out Clause This is a requirement of the TIPS Contract and is non-negotiable. Vendor agrees that TIPS and TIPS Members shall not be liable for interest or late-payment fees on past-due balances at a rate higher than permitted by the laws or regulations of the jurisdiction of the TIPS Member. Funding-Out Clause: Vendor agrees to abide by the applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to Texas Local Government Code § 271.903, or any other statutory or regulatory limitation of the jurisdiction of any TIPS Member, which requires that contracts approved by TIPS or a TIPS Member are subject to the budgeting and appropriation of currently available funds by the entity or its governing body. 2
