ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN
for
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER
I. PURPOSE AND INTENT
The University of
Texas at Tyler is to be protected against accidents , which would significantly
impact faculty, staff, students, visitors, or the ability of the University
to continue to provide a safe workplace and quality educational experience
for the University community. This organization recognizes the importance
of environmental health and safety and will provide a campus environment
that is reasonably free from recognized or known hazards.
The University of
Texas at Tyler will apply the loss control process to eliminate or reduce
exposures to accidental loss. This process includes: a systematic and
continuous identification of personnel, environmental, and property
loss exposures; analysis of these exposures in terms of frequency and
severity; and the application of sound strategies for loss prevention
and control which are consistent with nationally recognized standards
and guidelines, as well as the goals and objectives of the institution.
The Environmental
Health and Safety (EH&S) Management Plan outlined below establishes
the framework under which the University EH&S Management Program
will operate. It applies to all faculty, staff, students and visitors
of The University of Texas at Tyler.
II. OBJECTIVES
As a result of the
implementation of this plan, the University of Texas at Tyler will meet
the following objectives:
A. Protect faculty,
staff, students and visitors;
B. Preserve University property;
C. Reduce workers' compensation insurance (WCI) expenditures;
D. Comply with applicable EH&S regulatory requirements; and
E. Increase awareness of promoting workplace safety at all levels of
the organization.
III. SCOPE:
The EH&S Management
Plan will be established and maintained in accordance with the following
activities and functions:
A. Authority
and Responsibility Assigned
1. University
of Texas at Tyler Administration
a. Establish
and communicate a clear goal for the University's EH&S Management
Program, so that all faculty, staff, students and visitors are appropriately
informed of the desired results and the measures planned for achieving
them.
b. Provide visible support and involvement in implementing the EH&S
Management Program so that all faculty, staff, students and visitors
understand that management's commitment is serious.
c. State clearly an organization-wide policy on the maintenance
of a safe and healthful campus environment so that everyone understands
the priority of safety and health protection in relation to other
organizational values.
d. Provide faculty and staff with the authority and resources to
develop and implement a successful EH&S Program.
e. Assign and communicate responsibility for all aspects of the
EH&S Program so that all deans, department chairs, directors,
faculty, managers, supervisors, and employees know what performance
is expected of them.
f. Establish safety and health protection as a measurable performance
standard for all faculty and staff. This will help hold deans, department
chairs, directors, faculty, managers, supervisors and employees
accountable for meeting their responsibilities, so that essential
EH&S tasks will be performed.
2. Director,
Environmental Health & Safety
a. Serve as
a member of the University Safety Committee.
b. Help administer and oversee compliance with this plan for the
Administration.
c. Facilitate the analyses of accidental losses to assess the effectiveness
of the institution's overall loss prevention and control efforts.
d. Provide the Administration with accurate and factual loss data
(based on subcommittee and departmental reports) to support cost
effective, budgetary loss prevention and control decisions to reduce
the frequency and severity of WCI and property loss.
e. Inform the Administration of any serious environmental health
and safety hazards observed and provide recommendations on how to
control or eliminate those hazards.
f. Offer consultative services to Deans, Department Chairs, Directors
and Faculty to assist with the development of departmental Accident
Prevention Plans.
g. Perform environmental health and safety audits to evaluate and
measure both organization-wide and departmental safety performance
and compliance with the institution's safety plans, policies, procedures,
standards and guidelines.
h. Coordinate the development, update and dissemination of EH&S
policies, procedures, standards and guidelines to optimize loss
prevention and control efforts.
i. Develop and offer a core curriculum of general safety-related
training courses to prevent duplication of effort at the department
level and to allow departments to place more emphasis on department-specific
safety training.
j. Coordinate activities and meetings of the Department Safety Liaison
subcommittee.
3. Deans, Department
Chairs and Directors
a. Ensure a
departmental Accident Prevention Plan is developed and implemented
for the safety and well being of their department's faculty, staff
and students, and for the preservation of University resources.
b. State clearly the department's goals and objectives for maintaining
a safe and healthful campus environment so that employees understand
the results desired and the measures planned for achieving them.
c. Provide for and encourage employee involvement in the structure
and operation of the departmental Accident Prevention Plan and in
decisions that affect their safety and health, so that employees
can commit their insight and energy to achieving their department's
safety and health goals and objectives.
d. Provide faculty and staff under their auspice with the authority
and resources to develop and implement the departmental Accident
Prevention Plan.
e. Ensure the development and delivery of specialized safety-related
training not offered by the Safety Officer.
f. Appoint a faculty or staff member to serve as the Department's
Safety Liaison.
4. The Department
Safety Liaisons
a. Assist Deans,
Department Chairs and Directors with the development of departmental
Accident Prevention Plans.
b. Implement University-wide EH&S policies, procedures, standards
and guidelines, etc. apply at the department level and work in cooperation
with the dean, department chair or director to develop specific
applications.
c. Recommend areas for improvement to enhance the effectiveness
of the department's Accident Prevention Plan.
d. Assist faculty, staff and students in resolving departmental
safety issues.
e. Represent the department as an active member of the University's
Department Safety Liaison subcommittee.
5. Faculty
Members, Managers and Supervisors
a. Promote,
monitor and assess safety activities with the same diligence and
enthusiasm as shown other responsibilities.
b. Assist with the development of the department's Accident Prevention
Plan.
c. Implement the department's plan within their areas of responsibility.
d. Follow established EH&S policies, procedures, standards and
guidelines.
e. Ensure staff under their auspices receives appropriate safety
training and follow established EH&S policies, procedures, standards
and guidelines.
6. Employees
a. Participate
in the development and implementation of the department's Accident
Prevention Plan.
b. Perform job tasks in a safe and timely manner.
c. Observe and follow EH&S policies, procedures, standards and
guidelines in accordance with departmental and University requirements.
d. Report unsafe acts, unsafe conditions and accidents and request
an evaluation, assessment or investigation of those tasks that could
cause accidents.
e. Attend and actively participate in both specialized and general
safety training.
7. The University
Safety Committee
The University Safety Committee is appointed by the President and
composed of representatives of administration, faculty, staff and
safety office. This multi-discipline committee will advise the President,
Vice Presidents and Director of EH&S and help in making the plan
an integral part of all on going functions within the university.
a. Reviewing
and advising on necessary changes to the EH&S Management Program.
b. Acting in an advisory capacity on all matters pertaining to safety
as required for the development of EH&S policies, procedures,
standards and guidelines.
c. Maintaining written minutes of the University Safety Committee
meeting.
d. Reporting committee findings and recommendations to appropriate
administrative and departmental representatives.
e. Monitoring compliance with applicable local, state and federal
EH&S laws and ordinances.
f. Advising and assisting with the development and implementation
of departmental EH&S policies and accident prevention plans.
B. Plan Elements
The EH&S Management
Program addresses those issues that affect the entire organization's
safety, health and environmental concerns. The following elements represent
a successful EH&S program:
1. Overall
Program
There is
overall EH&S Program Administration designed to establish policies,
procedures, standards and guidelines to help ensure that risks have
been minimized for all university activities.
2. Life Safety
and Emergency Response
There is a Life Safety and Emergency Response Program that is designed
to: provide for the safe use of building and grounds; assess the risks
and assure the operational reliability of utility systems; respond
to failures of utility systems that support the institution; and safeguard
personnel, visitors, and property from fire, natural and man made
disaster, the accidental release of hazardous material or wastes and
other emergency situations.
3. Occupational
Safety
There is an Occupational Safety Management Program that is designed
to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses; identify and correct
hazardous activities and/or conditions; as well as report, track,
analyze and investigate any and all accidents and incidents that involve
UT Tyler property, it's faculty, staff, students, or visitors.
4. Hazardous
Materials Management
There is a Hazardous Materials Management Program designed to establish,
implement, monitor and document the procedures for the management
and disposal of hazardous chemical, biological and radioactive materials
and wastes and to ensure that there is minimal risk to faculty, staff,
students, and visitors. . There are departmental Accident Prevention
Plans to minimize the frequency and severity of accidents in each
department.
C. EH&S
Performance Measures
1. Performance
measures are defined as the activities or results, which can be evaluated
to determine the level of safety maintained on campus.
2. Surveillance
activities conducted by the safety officer, deans, department chairs,
directors and other department representatives will make up the specific
indicators that describe how effectively the specific aspects of safety
are met.
D. Resolving
Identified EH&S Concerns/Issues
If EH&S concerns
or issues are identified, the recommended action may include referral
to deans, department chairs, directors or subcommittees for resolution.
Routine monitoring and evaluation will assess follow-up on identified
issues. The issues will be included on the agenda of the University
Safety Committee, subcommittee(s), or appropriate department for reconsideration
or notification of resolution.
IV. EVALUATION
OF THE EH&S PROGRAM
A. As part of the
campus-wide program, the objectives, scope, organization, implementation,
and effectiveness of the EH&S Management Program will be reviewed
and evaluated by the appropriate administrative units, committees and
subcommittees. Progress reports, as well as opportunities to improve
campus-wide safety will be reported to the appropriate departments and
subcommittees by the University Safety Committee. The actions taken
to improve safety and solve problems will be documented and reported.
B. The University
Safety Committee's evaluation will address the findings and evaluation
conducted at the department level.
C. The University
Safety Committee will meet to consider findings of the departments and
subcommittees. The University Safety Committee will submit progress
reports to the University Administration on a regular basis, but no
less than annually.
D. Departmental
activities and results relative to a performance measure will be evaluated
by the deans, department chairs, and directors to determine whether
an opportunity to improve exists. This review will focus on trends and
performance patterns and will also attempt to identify any new, innovative
and creative ways to improve safety in each department.
The University
of Texas at Tyler
Environmental
& Health Safety
3900 University Blvd
Tyler, TX 75799
Phone: 1-800-UT TYLER
E&HS: (903) 566-7011
