Department Safety Coordinators (DSCs) are a critical link between Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and Campus Departments. As the safety representative for their department or work unit, they play a critical role in building, organizing, and maintaining safety programs for our campus. To meet this challenge, it is important that DSCs have access to all the information and training they need. The following topics are selected from those recommended by experienced Department Safety Coordinators. A brief summary is provided for each topic.

SAFETY COORDINATOR TRAINING

New Safety Coordinator Welcome Packets: EH&S has prepared an information packet for newly assigned DSCs containing important information on classes, contact information and programs they will need to get their program started or improve the one already in place. Contact EH&S at 530-752-1493 to obtain an information package.

Safety Coordinator Training Classes: EH&S highly recommends that new DSCs take the Environmental Health & Safety Certificate Series. This program will help new DSCs understand UC Davis health and safety policies and procedures; learn tools and techniques to evaluate and reduce health and safety risk; and learn how to effectively implement their injury and illness prevention plan (IIPP). Participants who complete the five core courses in the series will receive a certificate of completion.

Other Training Provided by EH&S: EH&S also offers a wide range of classes on Animal Safety, Biological Safety, Chemical/Laboratory Safety, Ergonomics, Hazardous Waste Management, Physical Hazards, Radiological Safety and much more. DSCs can sign up for these classes on the EH&S web site. All EH&S classes are free to UC Davis staff, students and faculty.

SAFETY PROGRAM COMPONENTS

UC Davis Policy and Procedure 290-15 outlines the UC Davis Safety Management Program and defines the responsibilities for this program. Some of the basic responsibilities of the Department Safety Coordinator are also defined in this P&P, although departments may further define expectations and/or specific responsibilities.

Department Safety Committee: P&P 290-15 recommends that departments have a Safety Committee to develop and implement the safety program within the department. This committee supports the role of the Department Safety Coordinator. Communication on safety issues within the department is enhanced by committee participation of both faculty and staff. Prioritization of safety issues is facilitated, benefiting the department by directing resources where they are most needed.

Emergency Evacuation Plan/Emergency Response Plan: Each employer is required by law to train workers on emergency evacuation procedures on an annual basis and post maps of evacuation routes and emergency equipment locations within their building. This training must be documented as part of the department’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program. DSCs often play a key role in the development of this plan and/or the annual training.

Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP): This plan defines all of the key elements of a department’s safety program that are required by law. The IIPP is the first document that a Cal-OSHA inspector will review when visiting a department. EH&S provides a basic IIPP template on our web site that each department must individualize depending on the work activities and hazards present in their department. The IIPP is a “living document” that must be updated as the work activities and hazards in the department change. Annual training on the provisions of the IIPP must be provided and documented for all department employees.

Safety Training for Department Employees: One of the key elements of a department’s IIPP is to define training that is required for each employee or category of employee in the department. Each supervisor has responsibility for defining, implementing, and documenting training for their employees. DSCs may be asked to provide assistance to supervisors in meeting this requirement

Office Safety: Employees who work in offices need to be trained on how to avoid hazards within their work environment. In addition to the emergency evacuation training defined above, they should receive ergonomic and back safety training as well as training on other physical hazards in their work area. DSCs may assist departments with hazard assessment and/or training for office workers.

Laboratory and Chemical Safety: Laboratories have chemical and physical hazards that vary significantly across campus departments. Each laboratory worker must have a hazard assessment included in the department IIPP.

• Chemical Hygiene Plan: This plan defines the safety issues concerning the chemicals used and stored in laboratories. A Chemical Hygiene Plan is required by state law. Detailed requirements of this plan are found in the Chemical Safety Manual published by EH&S.
  
  
• Chemical Inventory System (CIS) and CUPA Self-Inspection: Hazardous chemicals located in laboratories and chemical storage areas on campus must be included in the Chemical Inventory System. See the CIS web page for more information on these requirements. The Yolo County CUPA program monitors this inventory and may also visit laboratories to verify compliance with hazardous waste storage and handling requirements. The CUPA Self-Inspection program detailed on the EH&S website was established to help campus facilities comply with these requirements.
  
  
• Hazardous Waste Disposal: Hazardous waste on campus is picked up for disposal by EH&S. The EH&S website provides information on hazardous waste disposal and how to request a pick-up. The EH&S website also provides information on drain disposal including links to the waste water treatment plant local limits program which addresses allowable sewer disposal.
  
  
• Shipping Hazardous Materials: All shipment of hazardous materials must comply with state and federal laws. Please contact the Mail Division for assistance with mailing hazardous materials. Transfers and shipments of radioactive materials must be coordinated by EH&S. Call 530-752-1493 for assistance with these items.

Field Safety: Field research activities range from on-campus agricultural or animal research to off-campus research sites of nearly infinite variety. The field safety issues for a department may entail very unique hazards related to specialized research. The DSC is the key person to review these hazards to ensure that the department’s IIPP includes all known hazards and is updated whenever new hazards are introduced or recognized.

SAFETY PROGRAM SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

EH&S Web Site: The EH&S website is continually being updated to include the latest information in the most user-friendly format. In addition to serving as the source for all EH&S program documents, there are also useful links to other sites to help DSCs get answers to a wide variety of questions.

SafetyNets: Over one hundred SafetyNets are available at the EH&S website to provide detailed information on many typical safety questions. New SafetyNets are frequently developed based on safety needs of the campus community.

EH&S Safety Advisor: The EH&S Health and Safety Advisor Program is structured to assist departments in finding solutions to safety problems. An EH&S Specialist has been assigned as a Department Safety Advisor (DSA) to work with each department and administrative unit on campus. The DSA will work with their assigned departments to provide information, training, technical expertise, and interpretation of regulatory requirements. DSCs can look up their department’s Safety Advisor on our web site or contact EH&S at 530-752-1493.

Accident Investigation: In the event of an accident or injury, DSCs are often involved in the accident investigation process. EH&S DSAs can also help in this process. EH&S will also assist departments in notifying Cal-OSHA whenever there is an illness or injury that must be reported to Cal/OSHA. Please refer to SafetyNet # 121 for further details on these reporting requirements.

Networking for Assistance with Safety: To aid in networking amongst DSCs, the EH&S website has a list of all Department Safety Coordinators, listed alphabetically by campus departments.

Quarterly Safety Coordinator Seminars: EH&S sponsors quarterly seminars that provide information and training on current environmental, safety and health issues. Each seminar lasts about 1 ½ hours. Various speakers present information targeted toward assisting Department Safety Coordinators. Seminars are generally held the third week of February, May, August and November. EH&S encourages Department Safety Coordinators to participate in presenting topics and attending the planning sessions for these seminars.

For additional information, contact your EH&S Safety Advisor, EH&S at 530-752-1493 or ehsdesk@ucdavis.edu.

Created. 12/2006
CJ