Policy and Procedures Manual
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 11000 University Parkway Pensacola, FL 32514 Purpose: To comply with the University President's Policy ES-02.01 — 06/01 regarding Environmental Health and Safety Adopted Standards. The University of West Florida recognizes that workers' compensation costs are a function of the number of employee injury incidents and the severity of those incidents. Reducing the number and severity of injuries requires that preventive measures be initiated, evaluated, and appropriately revised to maximize their effectiveness. This Department of Environmental Health and Safety Policy and Procedures manual establishes preventive measures that are based on recognized health and safety • standards. Compliance with these standards has been shown to prevent occupational-related injuries. 1 The University of West Florida Environmental Health and Safety Department Policy and Procedures Manual Contents Purpose 1 Program Elements Management Leadership and Employee Participation 3 Workplace Analysis 4 Hazard Prevention and Control 9 Emergency Response 11 Safety and Health Training ..11 Associated Environmental Health and Safety Program Modules: Blood-borne Pathogens, Biomedical/biohazardous Waste Management, Chemical Hazard Communication (Hazcom), Chemical Hazardous Waste Management, Chemical Hygiene, Confined Space Entry, Electrical Safety, Ergonomics, Fire Safety, Hearing Conservation, Personal Protective Equipment, Radiological Control, Respiratory Protection, Shipment of Dangerous Goods Associated Environmental Health and Safety Policies and Practices Asbestos Management, Dive Safety Guide, Demolition, Renovation and New Construction, Emergency Procedures Guide, Grounds Maintenance Safety, Theatre Safety Guide„ Laboratory Safety, Lockoutltagout, Maintenance Shop Safety, Motorized Utility Cart, Storm-water • Compliance, Work Zone Traffic Control, Vehicle Use Policy 2 The University of West Florida Environmental Health and Safety Program Policy and Procedures Manual Purpose: The University of West Florida is committed to a learning and employment environment where faculty, staff and students are protected from the risk of injuries as a result of being exposed to health and safety hazards. The purpose of this Environmental Health and Safety Program is to help prevent accidents and injuries, increase safety awareness, meet requirements of environmental and occupational health and safety laws and regulations, reduce institutional liability, and establish safety responsibilities for members of the university community and visitors to university-owned property. Program Elements Management Leadership and Employee Participation 1 The University President has ultimate responsibility for establishing and maintaining environmental health and safety programs for the university. 2. All vice-presidents, deans and department heads are responsible for: (a) Providing facilities and equipment required for a safe work environment. (b) Ensuring individuals under their management have the authority and support to implement health and safety policies, practices and programs. (c) Ensuring areas under their management are in compliance with university health and safety policies, practices and programs. (d) Establishing priorities and committing resources for correction of safety deficiencies. 3. Individual Department Health and safety committees are responsible for: (a) Reviewing and recommending adoption of environmental health and safety policies. (b) Monitoring the effectiveness of health and safety programs (c) Advising the administration on the status of health and safety programs and establishing program emphasis. 4. The Department of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for: (a) Developing relevant and effective safety programs and plans. (b) Providing safety and health related technical services. (c) Providing staff support to safety committees. (d) Assisting in developing environmental health and safety policies. (e) Operating hazardous waste disposal services. (f) Providing assistance to departments in acquiring training materials and resources. (g) Consulting with staff and employees about health and safety problems and concerns. (h) Reviewing policies, regulations and monitoring compliance with applicable statutes and State University System requirements. 5. Supervisors, Faculty and all other persons in authority are responsible for: • (a) Providing safe and healthy environments in their area of control by incorporating health 3 and safety considerations in all activities at the university. (b) Being aware of the health and safety need of all students, co-workers and employees under their control or influence. (c) Observing, initiating and enforcing necessary measures to control hazards. (d) Providing oversight to ensure proper use of personal protective equipment, local exhaust ventilation, medical monitoring, etc. (e) Ensuring employees are properly trained prior to beginning new tasks. (f) Reporting injuries and illnesses to the Human Resources Office. (g) Reviewing accident and injury reports for their areas. (h) Serving as immediate contact for reporting health and safety concerns and problems. 6.. All University of West Florida faculty, staff, and students are responsible for: (a) Participating in mandated training programs provided by supervisors and other instructors. (b) Performing activities as trained and considering the personal safety of others while performing assigned tasks. (c) Promptly reporting safety, fire, and health hazards, environmental deficiencies, as well as injuries and illnesses to the appropriate supervisor or department head. (d) Working in a safe manner by following established safety policies and procedures. Written Programs This written Environmental Health and Safety Program addresses the campus-wide application of overall responsibility of faculty, staff, and students. This Program contains Department specific as well as standards specific Environmental Health and Safety Program modules as well as Department policies and practices. As the program modules and departmental policies are developed and evaluated, this document will have additions, deletions and revisions. It is the intent of this program to be a "living" document that is, at a minimum, evaluated annually. All revisions must be written, submitted for approval, and contain revision dates. Workplace Analysis An effective, proactive safety and health program will seek to identify and analyze all hazards through Workplace Analysis. Environmental Health and Safety hazards and "at risk" behavior by students, faculty and staff contribute greatly to the incident of injury and illness. Identifying potential hazards and changing behavior by training are two methods of controlling hazards and reducing injury. Identifying and eliminating existing hazards is the quickest way of reducing risk. Workplace analysis consists of a literature review, identification of hazard categories, workplace surveys, and an analysis of trends. The purpose of a workplace analysis is to recognize existing and potential hazards, to identify employees at risk, and to establish and subsequently to evaluate the control measures. Initially, the workplace analysis will establish a baseline. Then it must become a continuous and ongoing process to recognize, identify, and control occupational hazards. The frequency of workplace analyses depends on the specific characteristics of the hazards and the work environment. The workplace analysis may be performed on a specific area or problem or it may be done on a regularly scheduled basis in an area where a hazard has been identified. Workplace analyses • also should be conducted when there are changes in procedures, equipment, or processes. 4 Literature Review To facilitate the workplace analysis, a literature review may be helpful. This review should include current publications that describe potential university campus hazards and effective control strategies. The review enables personnel involved in the analysis to develop an understanding of • potential hazards. Identification of Hazard Categories Based upon information gleaned from the literature, potential hazards can be anticipated. Potential health and safety hazards in the university campus environment can be categorized as follows: biological, ergonomic, chemical, environmental, mechanical, psychosocial, and physical. An inventory of these hazards should be maintained and used to develop and manage appropriate programs and to anticipate potential emergency situations. Worksite Surveys With a working knowledge of the potential health and safety hazards in the university campus environment, the next step is to perform a worksite survey, comprised of a walkthrough survey, job hazard analysis and exposure monitoring. The purpose of the worksite survey is to identify and evaluate actual and potential hazards in a specific workplace. OSHA recommends comprehensive worksite surveys to establish safety and health hazard inventories. The surveys should be updated periodically as expert understanding of hazards and the methods of control in the university campus change. Walkthrough • Regular site safety and health inspections, or walkthroughs, are recommended so that new or previously unrecognized hazards and failures in hazard controls are identified. A walkthrough of the worksite should begin with discussions with the managerial staff, and employees. During this discussion,