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Administrative Policy Memo 9

Issued June, 1995
Updated March, 2012

Safety and Health Plan

1. Scope: This plan covers the employees, students, and visitors to Hutchinson Hall and other School of Drama facilities.

2. Safety and Health Policy: The purpose of the Comprehensive Safety and Health Plan is to create and maintain a safe and healthful work place free of recognized hazards that may cause harm to employees. This policy is consistent with the University-wide safety and health policy (Administrative Policy Statements 10.3 http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/APS/10.03TOC.html) and applicable Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) regulations (WAC 296-24 http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/generalsafety/default.htm and 296-62 http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/generaloccupationalhealth/default.htm).

3. Responsibilities: Everyone with supervisory responsibility (faculty, staff, or student) is to help in assuring that safe working conditions exist. Supervisors are responsible for maintaining safe work practices in their respective units, including required health and safety training. We understand that it is University policy that this responsibility can neither be transferred nor delegated (University Handbook, Vol. IV, Part VI, Chapter 4, Section 1.A).

Our department requires all employees to comply with health and safety regulations, with departmental policies and procedures that apply to their own conduct on the job, and to report accidents, injuries, and unsafe conditions to their supervisor.

The School's Safety Committee is appointed by the Executive Director of the School of Drama and will include supervisors of all major work units. The committee will meet regularly and will review incident and accident reports, and recommend procedures to resolve any other safety issues. All personnel will be encouraged to bring up any safety issues with their supervisor, or by directly contacting a member of the Safety Committee.

The Committee's responsibilities include:

  • Auditing the safety program to assure compliance.
  • Keeping the accident prevention program up-to-date.
  • Scheduling health and safety training as required.
  • Acting as a liaison with the University of Washington office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH & S).
  • Working with supervisors and employees to resolve safety complaints.
  • Keeping safety bulletin boards up-to-date.
  • Maintaining safety records such as copies of accident reports, training records, safety inspection reports, etc.
  • Keeping all personnel aware of current safety concerns.

4. Safety Coordinator:
We have chosen one individual to serve as a Safety Coordinator for our department (see “Back Page”). This person has been given adequate authority to carry out the following responsibilities:

  • Promoting this Health & Safety Plan in our organization
  • Updating this Plan, at least annually, with management approval
  • Scheduling employee safety training as requested by supervisors
  • Coordinating with Environmental Health & Safety
  • Provide assistance to supervisors and employees as needed to resolve safety complaints
  • Keeping safety bulletin boards current
  • Maintaining our organization’s safety records
  • Keeping the department head aware of current safety concerns.

5. Safety and Health Orientation for New Employees:
All new employees and students must receive instruction on the following:

  1. Procedures for reporting fire, police, or medical emergencies.
  2. Procedures for evacuation during an emergency.
  3. The location of fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers.
  4. Procedures for reporting all accidents and incidents to supervisors and submitting a UW Accident/Incident Report http://www.ehs.washington.edu/ohsoars/index.shtm
  5. Procedures for reporting unsafe conditions or acts to supervisors. They are to, when possible, take action to correct unsafe conditions (e.g., wiping up small, non-toxic spills, or remove a tripping hazard).
  6. Location of first-aid kits and list of first-aid certified employees.
  7. Identification and explanation of all warning signs and labels used in the work area.
  8. The use and care of any required personal protective equipment.
  9. Description of safety training employees are required to attend.

Supervisors use the checklist as shown in Attachment B to cover all these points with new employees. Attachments B and C include information on procedures for most of the above emergencies.

6. Self Inspection of Work Sites:
Supervisors conduct periodic inspections of work areas under their supervision using a self-audit safety form. In addition, supervisors continually check work areas for unsafe conditions and practices so immediate corrective action can be taken.

An annual self-audit inspection will be done of all work areas by the Safety Committee. The attached self-audit safety forms will be used and corrective action for problems will be noted on the forms. Files of completed self-audits will be maintained by the Safety Committee in the administrative office's permanent file.

7. Safety Meetings:
The School's units are encouraged to meet periodically to discuss safety and health issues, and to receive new information that becomes available. Employees should also use this time to express concerns or ask questions about health and safety, although they are encouraged to raise safety concerns at any other time. We are unable to mandate regular meetings due to the varied schedules worked in the areas. Safety meeting minutes are posted on the LAN at dramadata/fac_school/school/Safety Comm minutes

8. Accident Reporting and Investigation:
All accidents and near accidents (incidents) are required to be reported on the UW Accident/Incident Report can be done online: http://www.ehs.washington.edu/ohsoars/index.shtm
Provide a copy to the Safety Committee for the permanent records.

All accidents and/or near accidents are investigated by the supervisor and the investigation results documented on the Accident/Incident Report. Supervisors may request the assistance of EH&S to investigate any accident and especially to recommend any corrective action to prevent a recurrence of the accident. Assistance with accident investigations is available from EH&S.

Employees are encouraged to report safety concerns to their supervisor. If employees do not feel they can do this, or have done so and do not feel the problem has been resolved, they may discuss the situation directly with their safety coordinator or safety committee representative. Assistance from EH&S is available, if needed, to resolve a problem. Safety problems may be reported online using OARS as you do for accidents/incidents.

9. First Aid:
First-aid supplies and first-aid certified individuals are stationed in all work and performing areas. In addition, the University of Washington Police are Advanced First Aid certified and are within a two to three minute response time by calling 911 (from non-University telephones) or 911 (from University telephones). First Aid kits are located in Hutchinson Hall Room 116 ( the Drama Lounge), Hutchinson Room 135 ( the Costume Shop ), Drama Scene Shop front hallway, Penthouse Theater in the Lighting Booth, Room 118.

10. Safety Bulletin Boards:
There is a safety bulletin board located near the Hutchinson mail room and near the Scene Shop offices for all personnel.

11. Personal Protective/Safety Equipment:
Employees and students must wear personal protective/safety equipment when required by regulation or when it is determined that personal protective equipment is required for an extra level of employee protection or comfort. Employees are informed of the specific personal protective/safety equipment requirements for their position on the following occasions:

  • During New Employee Safety Orientation conducted by their supervisor
  • When a job procedure changes, requiring a change in personal protective/safety equipment
  • During safety meetings
  • As a regular part of any written safety procedure or standard operating procedure

12. Safety Procedures:
In addition to this plan, an Emergency Procedures Flip Chart (Attachment C) is attached for specific information on handling some emergencies and is posted at several locations in School of Drama facilities. Additional information is available through Environmental Health and Safety at http://www.ehs.washington.edu/fsoemerprep/emergproc.shtm

13. Hazard Communication (Employee Right-To-Know):
Hazard Communication is a Washington State Occupational Safety and Health Standard that requires employees to be informed and receive training about hazardous chemicals in the work place (WAC 296-800-170 http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/corerules/HTML/296-800-170.htm). The UW Hazard Communication Program is described in the UW Administrative Policy Statement 12.5 (http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/APS/12.05.html). All employees are informed of the location of the written UW Hazard Communication Program and are encouraged to read it.

Labels
Information about hazardous chemicals is found on manufacturers' labels on chemical (or chemical product) containers. If chemicals are transferred from a labeled to an unlabeled container, the secondary container must be labeled with the identity of the chemical and the appropriate hazard warnings.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
Another required method for informing employees about hazardous chemicals is through the availability of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). Each shop has a manual that contains the MSDSs for the products used in that work area. Call EH&S at 543-0467 if you need an MSDS for an office product.

Hazard Communication Training
Employees receive information about the UW Hazard Communication Program during the UW New Employee Orientation Program and during departmental safety orientation programs. In addition, employees who work with hazardous chemical receive training on:

  • Labeling requirements, how to read labels, and how to label secondary containers;
  • Reading an MSDS and where MSDSs are found;
  • The physical and health hazards of the chemicals they work with and how to work safely with those chemicals.

Office workers not working in laboratories or shops receive the brochure "Hazard Communications Information and Training for Office Staff."

14. ACCIDENT/ILLNESS PREVENTION:
A Job Hazard Analysis may be performed by the first line supervisor in the following way:

  • Review job injury and illness reports (including “close calls”) to determine which jobs to analyze first.
  • Involve employees in all phases of the analysis. Explain to workers that you are studying the job, itself, not checking up on them.
  • Review work plans for an overview of job activities.
  • First note deficiencies in general conditions, such as inadequate lighting, noise, or tripping hazards that may not be directly related to the job.
  • Break the job down into steps in the order of occurrence.
  • Examine each step to determine hazards that exist or might occur.
  • Determine whether the job could be performed in another way or whether safety equipment or precautions are needed.
  • If safer job steps can be used, write new procedures to describe specifically what the worker needs to know to perform them.
  • Determine if any physical changes will eliminate or reduce the danger (e.g. redesigned equipment, different tools, machine guards, personal protective equipment or ventilation).
  • If hazards are still present, try to reduce the necessity or frequency for performing the job.
  • Document the assessment: job covered, task, date, and person performing the analysis.
  • Review recommendations with all employees performing the job.
  • Review and update the job hazard analysis periodically, especially if an accident occurs in that job.

Reduction of hazards:
Our department head and supervisors have complied with the requirement for a written plan in their areas of responsibility by identifying each of the above hazards, evaluating its potential risk, and controlling or eliminating it according to the measures described below. Some plans (e.g., Laboratory Safety Manuals, Emergency Evacuation and Operation Plans, Radiation Safety records) are located elsewhere and are referenced accordingly.

When possible, we modified or designed our facilities and equipment to eliminate employee exposure to hazards. Where engineering controls are not possible, we have instituted work practice controls that effectively prevent employee exposure to the hazard. When these methods of control are not possible or not fully effective, we require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety glasses, hearing protection, etc.

Evaluation
Evaluation of potential risk (probability and magnitude of harm) has been done for certain hazards. When hazards are either (1) present in an unknown or a variable amount (such as airborne contaminants like asbestos or carbon monoxide), or (2) subject to complicating factors (such as extreme risk or individual medical sensitivity), monitoring has been done to determine the safest procedures. EH&S has been consulted as needed.

15. DOCUMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Record-Keeping
To meet State requirements, our department maintains records of safety activities for varying lengths of time depending upon the type of record, and is able to produce them when requested by EH&S or L&I. Note: the EH&S Training office maintains records for EH&S classes. Call 206.543.7201 for more information.
Department records include:

  • Results of self-evaluation inspections.
  • Records of requests for assistance in correcting noted deficiencies.
  • Minutes of safety education-accident prevention meetings.
  • Records of employees requiring medical evaluations including dates of examinations and immunizations.
  • Records of employee safety training, including dates when certificates expire, where applicable.

16. The Safe Campus Program
While there are specific regulatory requirements for hospitals and late night retail operations regarding workplace violence that don't apply to general University operations, we do recognize that individual attacks on faculty, staff and students can and have occurred due to domestic violence or workplace violence. As part of maintaining a healthy, safe working environment, the University has developed and administers one UW Violence in the Workplace Policy and Procedure through the Human Resource's Violence Prevention and Response Program. Information on the program/policies is published on the UW website at http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/polproc/work-violence/index.html.

University services include nighttime safety escort services, counseling sessions, a dedicated assessment team, and informational materials and training, but services are not limited to these items.

All managers, supervisors, and employees must be aware of the appropriate processes to follow regarding workplace and domestic violence prevention. They can receive assistance in answering any employee questions from the HR Violence Prevention and Response Program Manager. We expect our entire faculty and staff to take Workplace Violence training at least once every biennium, as well as receive information during new employee orientation. We arrange for the biennial training [fill in the method used by your work group]. Records of the training are maintained in the [give location] Office.

For more comprehensive information, access the SafeCampus website at
http://www.washington.edu/safecampus.

If any staff has concerns regarding a threat of violence, call:

  • Seattle: 206-685 SAFE (206-685-7233)
  • Bothell: 425-352-SAFE (425-352-7233)
  • Tacoma: 253-692-SAFE (253-692-7233)

 

In a life threatening situation or imminent danger call 911, immediately!

“Back Page”

1. Department: School of Drama

2. Today’s date / signature: _March 20, 2012

3. Last update (date/person): March 2012, Josie Gardner

3. Health and Safety Coordinator for our department:
Name: Josie Gardner
Phone : 206-543-2102
E-mail: jogard@u.washington.edu _
Bldg./Room/Box # __Hutchinson Room 135

4. Health and Safety Team members in our department :
Anne Stewart astewart@u.washington.edu
Alex Danilchik alexd@u.washington.edu
Cathy Madden camadden@uw.edu
(Administrator)
Josie Gardner jogard@u.washington.edu

5. First-Aid/CPR Certified employees in our department:
Name/Phone/Expiration Date : Josie Gardner, Sept 2013
Name/Phone/Expiration Date _______________________________
Name/Phone/Expiration Date _______________________________

Person responsible for stocking First-Aid Kits (UW APS 10.5):
__

See EH&S web-site at www.ehs.washington.edu
Click on “Service Phone Numbers”

PM8109/6-95

Administrative Policy Memo Number 9, first established 9/95.
Subsequent revisions: 2/10
Executive Committee approval: 11/1/95, 3/31/2011
Faculty Approval: 11/6/95
Updated: February 2010, 4/6/2011, 3/30/12 (name changes only)

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