Environmental Health & Safety combines experts from disciplines such as Chemistry, Biosafety, Radiation Safety, Ergonomics, Asbestos, Industrial Hygiene, Fire, Environmental Science, Lasers, and Nanotechnology. To promote our goal of a safe and healthy environment for employees, faculty, students, visitors, and patients, we measure, evaluate, and respond to hazards in the University community. Environmental Health & Safety’s programs and services are aimed at reducing risks to University personnel with emphasis on personal responsibility and environmentally sound management.
As part of every employee’s annual job evaluation in the Employee Work Profile, the University has established a requirement that employees must use safe work practices while carrying out the responsibilities of their jobs. While employees must take responsibility for their safety and use good judgment while performing their jobs, management has primary responsibility for ensuring a safe working environment. Final responsibility for health and safety policies and programs rests with the President of the University, who has delegated some of these tasks to appointed safety committees and to EHS.
We do this by:
- Providing advice on health and safety regulations, procedures, codes and standards and helping ensure continued compliance.
- Recommending improvements by performing work site inspections.
- Investigating employee work place accidents.
- Participating on Departmental Safety Committees in an advisory capacity.
- Furnishing information and resources to expedite safety improvements.
- Protecting the health and safety of University faculty, staff, and students by identifying and correcting safety hazards.
- Writing reports concerning Workers Compensation claims as requested by State Government and University managers.
- Reviewing injury and illness trends.
- Working with senior management to develop safety and health guidelines and policies.
- Maintaining current information on local, state and federal safety and health regulations.
- Serving as liaison with governmental agencies.
- Planning, organizing and coordinating safety training.
- Acknowledging employees who make a significant contribution to maintenance of a safe workplace.