Procedure Number: 42 Effective Date: January 4, 2010
Title: Health and Safety Revised:
Approval Date: August 6, 2009 President’s Signature: on file
STATEMENT:
West Liberty University shall strive to:
- provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from work activities;
- consult with employees and students on matters affecting their health and safety;
- provide and maintain machinery and equipment which are safe, regularly inspected, tested, and maintained and which offer protection from danger by being suitably guarded (as required);
- ensure safe handling, use, storage, and transport of articles and substances;
- provide adequate information, instruction, and training to enable staff and students to carry out their work and daily activities in a healthy and safe manner and to enable them to contribute positively to their own health and safety and that of others;
- ensure that all employees are competent upon hiring, i.e. by reviewing job specifications and determining whether the candidate can perform duties safely;
- prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health;
- make arrangements within the University for documentation and investigation of all accidents/incidents;
- make positive arrangements for fire evacuation, first-aid, and other emergency situations;
- provide and maintain safe buildings, i.e. evidenced by adequate points of access and egress, by technical integrity of the structure itself and its electrical installation, draining, glazing, and maintenance of floors/corridors/steps/doorways/fire escape routes, and by adequate security presence (Campus Police);
- provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment with effective management of illumination, temperature, ventilation, dust, smoke, fumes, noise, and cleanliness;
- include aspects of personal safety within the curriculum, e.g. initiatives and/or counseling on safety-at-home and on-the-road, on the dangers of fire, smoking, and drug abuse, and on the benefits of healthy eating;
- ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of campus visitors;
- review and revise this procedure as necessary.
PROVISIONS:
- I. AUTHORITY
Derived from the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974.
President: The President oversees day-to-day management of the University by delegating responsibilities to senior administrators who, in turn, delegate duties to directors and staff. The entire management team is responsible for working to provide a safe campus environment by ensuring that adequate resources are committed to maintaining that environment and ensuring that this administrative procedure is implemented fully.
Chief of Operations: The C.O.O. is responsible for establishing a campus- wide Health and Safety Committee (“Safety Committee” or “Committee”) and ensuring that the Committee holds regular meetings to (a) monitor safe practices and (b) identify needed changes to those practices. This committee will have representation from various departments throughout the campus. The C.O.O. also is responsible for developing and directing a Health and Safety Specialist position, for supporting the work of the Committee, and for making available reasonable resources to implement Committee initiatives.
Campus Police: Campus Police is the law enforcement arm of the administration. Its leadership and officers are obligated to serve and protect the campus community. They accomplish this by patrolling grounds, parking lots, residence halls, academic buildings, and the Campus Housing neighbourhood 24 hours a day.
Campus Police Department employs full-time police officers commissioned by the state of West Virginia, with full law enforcement authority and responsibilities identical to those of local police and sheriff’s deputies. Campus Police officers work closely with the West Virginia State Police, area sheriffs, and other law enforcement agencies. Their training meets or exceeds standards set by the West Virginia Criminal Justice and Highway Safety Law Enforcement Training Committee. They receive on-going in-service and specialized training in non-violent crisis intervention, current legal issues, domestic violence, firearms, etc. Campus Police officers enforce laws and Student Code of Conduct provisions regarding underage drinking, the use of controlled substances, weapons, etc. They also are responsible for public safety services, such as preparing crime reports and attending to medical emergencies, fire emergencies, and traffic accidents. Monthly reports are forwarded to the West Virginia State Police, consistent with Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) systems. The annual Campus Safety Report is required by the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. The Act requires that the report be sent to all employees and students of the University. It contains the following:
- A summary of the University’s security procedures.
- The annual summary of reported incidents.
- A list of definitions explaining the various categories of incidents reported in the annual summary.
Health and Safety Specialist: The Health and Safety Specialist has diverse responsibilities. The individual in this position is responsible for identifying and documenting safe working and teaching practices, for proscribing the use of unapproved chemicals and substances, for making available to users all appropriate information regarding safety and risk assessment, and for prescribing protective clothing and monitoring its use .
The Health and Safety Specialist must ensure that accidents are documented properly.
In the event of a major injury or death, the President shall be informed immediately. Statements to the media concerning accidents and/or injuries/death may only be made by the President or his designee.
Fire evacuation procedures are the province of the Health and Safety Specialist. They shall be rehearsed at least once per semester. The Specialist shall ensure that fire equipment, fixtures, and exits are checked periodically to ensure that they are in working order.
Other responsibilities of this position include periodic safety inspections, regular consultation with the staff Safety Representative on matters of health, safety, and welfare, and making arrangements so that, in the Specialist’s absence, health and safety responsibilities are delegated to another employee, ensuring that reviews of the University’s health and safety performance are conducted annually, ensuring that risk assessments are undertaken and reviewed as needed, and; ensuring that this administrative procedure is kept current.
Faculty and Staff: Faculty and staff are expected to educate themselves concerning this administrative procedure. In particular, they are expected to report health and safety risks as provided in the procedure. In the event of a fire or a fire drill, faculty and staff shall make sure all students evacuate buildings safely. Injuries must be reported so that first aid treatment and/or other medical treatment can be administered or arranged. The Health Service nurse, the Health and Safety Specialist, and Campus Police must be notified in case of injury to a student, a member of faculty or staff, or a campus visitor. Each faculty member is responsible for conducting class activities safely and for reporting the presence in a classroom or class setting of potentially dangerous articles or substances.
Students: Every student is obligated to cooperate with University staff on health and safety matters. Students may not interfere with safeguard established for their health and safety. They are expected to report health and safety concerns to a member of staff, faculty, Campus Police, or health and safety personnel.
- II. RESPONSIBILITY
1.0 Health and Safety Risks Arising from Work Activity
1.1 Risk Assessments
- Risk assessments will be undertaken (after appropriate training) by:
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to:
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Action required to remove / control risk will be approved by:
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Checking to see that the implemented actions have removed / reduced the risks.
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
2.0 Consultation with Employees
- Employee and student representatives are:
Department heads
Human Resource Office
Health and Safety Specialist
3.0 Safe Campus and Equipment
- Responsibility for identifying all equipment / areas needing maintenance
University maintenance departments, i.e. facilities management and housing maintenance
Health and Safety Specialist
- Responsible for ensuring that effective maintenance procedures are established and followed
Department heads
University maintenance departments
Health and Safety Specialist
- Any problems found with campus / equipment should be reported by either phone, email or direct contact to
Department heads
University maintenance department
Health and Safety Specialist
3.1 Protective Equipment and Clothing
- Ensure that the correct protective equipment is made available
Department heads
University maintenance departments
Health and Safety Specialist
- Ensure that the equipment is worn when and in safe working order
Department heads
University maintenance departments
Health and Safety Specialist
4.0 Safe Handling and Use of Substances
- Responsible for identifying all substances that require Hazardous and Health assessments
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Responsible for obtaining MSDS and undertaking MSDS assessments
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Responsible for ensuring that all relevant employees and students are informed of the MSDS
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
5.0 Information, Instruction, and Supervision
- The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed at
the bulletin board outside the Human Resources office
- Health and Safety advice is available from
Health and Safety office
Campus Police Department
Campus Health Service Nurse in the Campus Health Department
- Ensuring that employees and students are given relevant health and safety information
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
Health and Safety Committee
6.0 Competency for Tasks and Training
- Induction training will be provided for all employees by
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Job-specific training will be provided by
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Specific jobs requiring special training are
Technicians
Maintenance personnel
Cleaners
Students
Faculty and staff
Those with fire and emergency evacuation responsibility
- Training records are kept by
Department heads
Health and Safety office
- Training will be identified, arranged, and monitored by
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
7.0 Accident, First Aid, and Work-related Ill Health
- The first aiders and/or appointed persons are
Contracted physician
Health Service nurse
Campus Police office
- All accidents and cases of work – related ill health are to be recorded immediately at
Human Resources office
Health and Safety office
- All serious accidents/ incidents will be investigated in accordance with guidance set out within the college Health and Safety procedure in order to prevent a recurrence of the accident/incident.
8.0 Monitoring
- Check working conditions and ensure safe working practices and policies monthly
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Conduct a full workplace inspection once a month
- Responsible for investigating accidents
Department heads
Campus Police office
Health and Safety Specialist
- Responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absences
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
Human Resources staff
9.0 Emergency Procedures – Fire Evacuation
- Responsible for ensuring that fire risk assessment is undertaken and implemented
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
Residence Hall directors
Campus Police office
- Escape routes and exits are checked by
Department heads
Health and Safety Specialist
- Fire extinguishers are maintained and checked by
Health and Safety Specialist (monthly inspections)
Contracted vendor (yearly inspections)
- Alarms are tested by
Health and Safety Specialist
Contracted vendor (yearly inspections)
- Emergency evacuation / fire drills will be carried out at a frequency of
Once per semester
- Records will be kept at
Health and Safety Specialist
10.0 Violence, Behavior, and Harassment
- Make efforts to train all staff in handling violent and aggressive situations
Supervisors
Campus Police office
Health and Safety Specialist