In This Section

Occupational Safety (Workplace Safety)

Programs that are administered campus-wide include OSHA inquiries and inspections and access to exposure records, Illness and Injury Prevention, Respiratory Protection, Personal Protective Equipment, Asbestos, Indoor Environmental Quality, Hearing Conservation, Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy, Confined Space Entry Programs, and Student Use of Hazardous Equipment and Machines. 

  • Bloodborne Pathogens. Each department must determine if anyone in its employment is at risk for exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. For departments with ‘at risk’ personnel, specific requirements include annual training, offer of hepatitis B virus vaccination within 10 working days of initial assignment, and having a written exposure control plan.
  • Confined Space Permit Program.  The University is required to have a Permit Confined Space Program that meets OSHA requirements. This program consists of procedures to prevent injuries to workers who must work near or enter confined spaces with serious or life threatening hazards.  Spaces that are ‘physically confining’ or ‘enclosed’ must be identified and evaluated by departments to determine if the space is regulated under OSHA’s standard for permit confined spaces. For OSHA Permit Confined Spaces, requirements include supervisory and employee responsibilities, training procedures, management of change, periodic reviews, and coordination of information with other parties needing access to the space.
  • Hearing Conservation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates noise levels in the work place to protect employees from noise induced hearing loss. Regulations apply to noise levels equal to or greater than 85 dbA averaged over an eight hour period. If an employee or department is concerned about sound levels in their environment, contact EHS. Departments are responsible for implementing and maintaining hearing conservation procedures in their affected work areas.
  • Hazard Communication. The purpose of the Hazard Communication Program is to comply with the Federal OSHA Hazard Communication standard. This standard is commonly called HazCom or Right to Know.  Requirements consist of maintaining a list of hazardous chemicals, making Material Safety Data Sheets accessible, ensuring that containers are labeled, and providing the information, training, work practices, and equipment capable of protecting employees.
  • Personal Protective Equipment. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to create a protective barrier between a worker and hazards in the workplace. PPE includes such equipment as chemical resistant gloves, safety shoes, hard hats, safety glasses, respirators, and clothing such as gowns and aprons.  Requirements include conducting a hazard assessment to determine what hazards employees could be exposed to, the PPE that should be used to prevent such exposures, and training for use of the PPE.
  • Machine and Equipment Guarding. OSHA regulates machinery, equipment, and mechanical power transmission apparatus that are commonly used in machine shops, maintenance operations and repair shops. Requirements for electrical safety, physical safety, and guards pertain to items such as abrasive wheel machines, belt guards on vacuum pumps, woodworking and metalworking machinery, lawnmowers, flywheels, shafts, belts, pulleys, and gears.
  • Respirators/Dust Masks. The purpose of the respiratory program is to ensure there is departmental oversight in providing the appropriate respirator to staff, based on the hazards to which they are exposed. 

Most of these programs are based on OSHA requirements, as found in the following OSHA standards: