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Human Resources Department
Risk Management
The Risk Management division provides services across 25 city departments and is comprised of workers’ compensation, safety and drug testing. The combined efforts of these teams help identify, analyze, administer, manage and control the city’s adverse exposure to financial, operational, and occupational safety risks and losses.
The division’s main objective is to predict and reduce uncertain exposure to such risks and ensure they do not deflect endeavors from identified business goals. By recognizing, evaluating and controlling risks and hazards, risk management can help prevent harm to people, property, and the environment.
Mission StatementTo be classified as the #1 city in the nation for employee safety, employee retention after an on-the-job injury, and development of effective safety leaders at every level of the organization.
VisionTo be recognized by our customers for helping to create a safe work environment by eliminating workplace hazards, creating a drug free work environment, reducing the financial impact associated with workplace injuries and advocating for our injured workers.
Safety message:"The City of Houston is committed to providing a safe work environment free from recognized and potential hazards. Each department readily acknowledges that employees are the city’s most important asset. Our goal is to grow a culture of safety awareness and accountability and to collaborate interdepartmentally to reduce injuries, costs and loss of work productivity. The City of Houston believes that safety doesn’t happen by accident. Implementing safety measures and accident prevention practices can enhance efficiency rather than supersede or interfere with work productivity."
Executive Team
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| Charles “Chas” Smith Assistant Director |
Betsy Ramos Division Manager |
Steven Guillory Senior Staff Analyst |
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| Scott Ward Staff Analyst |
Bobby Hawkins Safety Administrator |
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| Twilight Thomas Administrative Specialist |
Martha Whitley Administrative Assistant |
Claims Assessment and Compliance, Salary Continuation
The Claims Assessment and Compliance, Salary Continuation team is responsible for the coordination of salary continuation benefits for injured workers. (View chart)
Designated Department Representatives
The Designated Department Representatives are responsible for the day-today coordination of workers' compensation documents and communication for their assigned departments. This team also interacts with the workers' compensation coordinator and adjuster. (View chart)
Safety Supervisors/Officers
Safety recognizes, evaluates and controls hazards and manages the associated information and programs in order to prevent harm to people, property and the environment.
Safety supervisors perform multidisciplinary interdepartmental work in order to supervise, plan and coordinate a comprehensive safety program for the City of Houston and city departments. Safety officers perform multidisciplinary interdepartmental work in order to implement and plan a comprehensive safety program for the City of Houston and city departments. (View chart)
Workers' Compensation Coordinators
The Workers’ compensation coordinators advocate for the injured worker as they are recovering from an on-the-job injury. They also act as liaisons between the City of Houston and the Workers’ Compensation Third Party Administrator. (View chart)