The Occupational Safety division within EHS provides on-site safety consultation, compliance assistance, safety training and subject matter expertise to University Researchers, Faculty, Staff and Students. We also develop and manage institutional Occupational Safety Programs. These programs are designed to ensure regulatory compliance and provide safe work practices and procedures.
Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is the last line of defense to protect workers from workplace hazards. Use of PPE should only be considered when other, more effective, engineering and/or administrative controls are in place. The University has established a basic minimum PPE rule that applies to all university operations.
The Lockout/Tagout program establishes procedures and minimum performance requirements for the control of hazardous energy. This includes the use of lockout/tagout devices to isolate or disable machines or equipment to prevent injury to University staff involved in servicing or maintenance of equipment.
The respiratory protection program outlines the rules and procedures necessary to implement a Respiratory Protection Program. It describes the use of air-purifying respirators and procedures for identifying airborne hazards, selecting and using proper respirators, medical evaluations of employees, fit testing of respirator users, and training and record keeping requirements.
The purpose of the Hearing Conservation Program is to reduce, or eliminate hearing loss due to workplace noise exposures. The program requirements dictate that whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA, a continuing effective hearing conservation program shall be instituted.
The Confined Space Program applies to staff who may need to work in a confined space. The program outlines evaluation methods, required training, delegation of duties, and emergency procedures for confined spaces in university buildings.
The purpose of the Fall Protection program is to prevent falls to lower levels or through holes and openings in walking/working surfaces. The program is designed to enable employees to recognize fall hazards on the job and establish procedures in order to prevent falls.
The purpose of this program is to establish policies and procedures for maintenance, usage, training and documentation of activities involving mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs). This includes procedures for proper equipment selection, equipment inspection, and completion of a risk assessment before use.
In accordance with OSHA’s Communication Standard, the University has established a written hazard communication program to ensure that employees with exposure or potential exposure to hazardous chemicals are provided with appropriate health and safety information.
Field work in remote locations requires a robust field safety plan, developed and in place prior to beginning field work. The field safety plan brings together information such as site details, hazards which may be present and how to mitigate those hazards, risk assessment results, emergency procedures, communications plan, etc.
The basics of shop safety such as machine guarding, operating procedures, and training.
The arts can pose significant risks to the health and safety of artists. This section provides an overview of some of the most common risks associated with painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, lithography, and sculpture as well as the performing arts.
Information on the basics of ergonomic risk factors including: repetition, force, extreme postures, static postures, contact pressure, and vibration.
Despite safety measures, exposure to potential workplace hazards such as chemical splash can occur. Receiving immediate and proper treatment following exposure can be key to minimizing serious injury. Emergency shower and eyewash stations help protect workers when an incident occurs.
A fume hood is an enclosure designed to capture and contain harmful chemical vapors. These vapors are taken away from the user via exhaust ventilation typically by a roof mounted manifold ductwork system.
Information on the use of AED’s, where they are located on campus and how to report non-conforming equipment.
Electricity is everywhere, so reliable and useful these days that it is often taken for granted. Electricity is something that you can’t see, hear, or smell–so it is critical to have a basic understanding of what it is and how it works in order to use it safely on campus.
Explore a wealth of information, guidelines and tools designed to foster a safe campus environment.