Research Policy Handbook
Health and Safety at Stanford University: Principles, Responsibilites and Practices (RPH 6.2)
Current version: April 1991
Summary:
Presents key statements of University policy with regard to environmental health and safety, including requirements for training, reporting hazards and accidents, inspecting the workplace, correcting hazards, and keeping records. Addresses California requirement for an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).
In July 1991, a California law took effect mandating that Stanford, and all other California employers, develop, implement, and maintain a workplace Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). The IIPP sets forth specific requirements for training, reporting hazards and accidents, inspecting the workplace, correcting hazards, and keeping records. In the spring of 1991, health and safety policies were adopted at Stanford which reflected the requirements of the IIPP and responsible institutional conduct regarding environmental and health and safety hazards. This section is divided into three parts:
PRINCIPLES - a brief statement on basic environmental and health and safety policies
RESPONSIBILITIES - a basic statement of who is responsible for health and safety
PRACTICES - more specific statements setting forth the key elements of the IIPP.
PRINCIPLES
Stanford University makes all reasonable efforts to:
protect the health and safety of Stanford University faculty, staff and students;
provide safe workplaces - academic, research, and administrative - for faculty, staff and students;
provide information to faculty, staff, and students about health and safety hazards;
identify and correct health and safety hazards and encourage faculty, staff and students to report hazards;
provide information and safeguards for those on campus and in the surrounding community regarding environmental hazards arising from operations at Stanford University.
Stanford University is committed to strong programs of accident and injury prevention and to complying with all environmental and health and safety laws and regulations. Good health and safety practices are a responsibility of each faculty member, staff member, and student.
Line responsibility for good health and safety practice begins with the supervisor in the workplace, laboratory or classroom and proceeds upward through the levels of management. In academic areas, supervisors include the lab directors, class instructors, principal investigators and faculty, or others having direct supervisory authority. Academic levels of management are the department chairperson or Independent Lab director, dean, the Dean of Research, and the Provost. Administrative levels of management include mid-management, directors, and vice presidents. Final responsibility for health and safety policy and programs rests with the President of the University.
The Director of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for recommending University-wide health and safety policies; ensuring overall institutional compliance with policies, statutes, and regulations; monitoring the effectiveness of the safety programs; and providing central health and safety services to all areas of the University.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
All University supervisors, including faculty supervisors, are responsible for protecting the health and safety of employees and students under their supervision. This responsibility entails:
- implementing Stanford University health and safety policies, practices and programs;
- ensuring that workplaces and equipment are safe and well maintained;
- ensuring that workplaces or laboratories are in compliance with Stanford policies, programs and practices.
- MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
All University managers, academic and administrative, are responsible for ensuring that:
- individuals under their management have the authority to implement appropriate health and safety policies, practices and programs;
- areas under their management have adequate funding for health and safety programs, practices, and equipment;
- areas under their management are in compliance with Stanford University health and safety policies, practices and programs.
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (EH&S) RESPONSIBILITIES
EH&S is responsible for:
- reviewing legislation, recommending policies, and monitoring compliance with environmental and health and safety statutes and regulations and University health and safety policies and programs;
- providing guidance and technical assistance to supervisors and managers in the schools, departments, and other work units in identifying, evaluating, and correcting health and safety hazards;
- developing programs for the safe use of hazardous radiological, biological, and chemical substances and lasers;
- providing training materials, assistance, and programs in safe and healthy work practices;
- providing emergency services for incidents involving hazardous materials;
- providing fire prevention and investigation services;
- operating hazardous waste disposal services.
While EH&S is responsible for developing and recommending policies, policy approval rests with other University bodies, e.g. Faculty Senate, Dean's Cabinet, Operations Council, University Health and Safety Committee, Committee on Research, Administrative Panels, depending on the content of the proposed policies.
- EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Employees and students are responsible for:
- keeping themselves informed of conditions affecting their health and safety;
- participating in training programs provided by their supervisors and instructors;
- adhering to healthy and safe practices in their workplace, classroom, laboratory and student campus residences;
- advising their supervisors or instructors of serious hazards in the workplace, classroom or laboratory.
PRACTICES
- PROVIDING A SAFE WORKPLACE
- FACILITY DESIGN
Facilities will be designed in a manner consistent with health and safety regulations and standards of good design. Those Facilities departments charged with primary responsibility for the design, construction, and/or renovation of facilities, together with EH&S, shall ensure that there is appropriate health and safety review of facility concepts, designs, and plans.
In case of disagreement between EH&S and the cognizant facilities department, the conflict shall be resolved by the Vice President for Faculty and Staff Services in consultation with the cognizant vice president or dean and the Provost (or designate). The determination of the Vice President for Faculty and Staff Services may be stayed by the Director of EH&S pending a prompt appeal to the President.
- FINDING AND CORRECTING WORKPLACE HAZARDS
Supervisors, both faculty and staff, shall conduct regular, periodic inspections of workplaces to identify and evaluate workplace hazards and unsafe work practices.
- The frequency of inspections should be proportional to the magnitude of risk posed in the particular workplace.
- Inspections are also required whenever new substances, processes, procedures, or equipment presenting new health and safety hazards are introduced into the workplace.
Means of correcting discovered hazards and/or protecting individuals from the hazards shall be determined and implemented promptly. Unsafe conditions which cannot be corrected by the supervisor or manager must be reported to the next higher level of management. Any supervisor or manager who becomes aware of a serious concealed danger to the health or safety of individuals shall report this danger promptly to the Department of EH&S and to the faculty, staff and students who may be affected.
Stanford University encourages employees and students to report health and safety hazards to their supervisors, managers, or EH&S. Employees and students shall not be discharged or discriminated against in any manner for bona fide reporting of health and safety hazards to Stanford or to appropriate governmental agencies. Supervisors shall inform students and employees of this policy and encourage reporting of workplace hazards.
- SHUTDOWN OF DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES
The Director of EH&S has the authority to curtail or shut down any University activity considered to constitute a clear and present danger to health or safety. In the event of such curtailment or shutdown, the cognizant dean, director or vice president and the Provost (or designate) shall be immediately notified.
In cases of dispute, an order to curtail or shutdown will remain in effect until the Provost or the Vice President for Faculty and Staff Services (or their respective designees) determine in writing that the danger has passed or been mitigated or that the order should be rescinded for other reasons.
Should the Director of EH&S disagree with a determination to restore a curtailed or shutdown activity, the Director may promptly appeal the matter to the President. In the event of an appeal, the order to curtail or shutdown shall be in effect until the President determines otherwise.
- PROVIDING MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
Stanford University shall evaluate and monitor, through a program of medical surveillance, the health of Stanford University faculty, staff and students who are exposed to certain hazardous materials and situations as defined by law or University policy. Each supervisor is responsible for ensuring that employees and students under their supervision participate in the medical surveillance program as required by University policy. EH&S will monitor medical surveillance program participation. Each University department/school shall administer the program for those faculty, staff and students covered by University policy.
- FACILITY DESIGN
- EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS
The Departments of Public Safety and EH&S shall provide guidelines for emergency response plans. Every building shall have individual emergency response plans. The plan shall include evacuation and assembly procedures, posted evacuation maps, reporting and communication practices, training, and drills. Exits shall remain free of obstructions and materials that could render the exit hazardous. In areas where hazardous materials are used, handled, or stored, the emergency response plan shall conform to the Emergency and Hazardous Material Release Response policy set forth in this chapter.
- COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING
- SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION
Supervisors, both faculty and staff, shall establish, implement and maintain a system for communicating with employees and students about health and safety matters. Information must be presented in a manner readily understood by the affected employees and students. Due attention must be paid to levels of literacy and language barriers. Verbal communications should be supplemented with written materials or postings. Whenever appropriate, statutes and policies affecting employees and students shall be available in the workplaces.
- COMMUNICATION ABOUT HAZARDS
Faculty, staff, and students who may come in contact with hazardous substances or practices either in the workplace or in laboratories shall be provided information concerning the particular hazards which may be posed, and the methods by which they may deal with such hazards in a safe and healthful manner. In areas where hazardous chemicals are used, handled, or stored, communications about these hazards shall conform to the Chemical Hazard Communication policy set forth in this chapter.
- TRAINING
Supervisors shall be trained or knowledgeable in the safety and health hazards to which employees and students under their immediate direction and control may be exposed.
Faculty, staff and students shall be trained to protect themselves from hazards in their working environment. Supervisors, both faculty and staff, shall train employees and students in:
- general health and safety practices;
- job-specific health and safety practices and hazards;
- how to minimize risks through sound safety practices and use of protective equipment;
- regulations and statutes applicable to their work; and,
- Stanford University's health and safety policies, including: Policy on the Use of Biohazardous Agents; Policy on Emergency and Hazardous Material Release Response; Policy on Emergency and Hazardous Material Release Response for the School of Medicine; Chemical Hazard Communication Policy; Policy on Radiological Hazards; and Policy on Laser Safety.
recognition and assessment of health and safety risks;
Training shall occur:
- when an employee is hired;
- when an employee or student is given a new assignment for which training has not previously been received;
- whenever new hazards are introduced by new substances, processes or equipment.
Training shall be communicated in a manner readily understandable to faculty, staff and students, in accordance with the communication policy outlined above.
- HEALTH AND SAFETY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Managers and supervisors shall establish and maintain a system of rewards and discipline to support good health and safety practices.
- SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION
- DOCUMENTATION, RECORD-KEEPING, AND COMPLIANCE
Required documentation and records shall be kept to demonstrate compliance with statutes, regulations and standards. Examples of records that need to be maintained include:
- records of training which must include who was trained, who provided the training, what did the training cover, and what date did the training take place.
- records of workplace inspection and hazard correction which must include who conducted the inspection, the inspection date, any unsafe conditions or practices found, and the corrective measures taken.
- records of disciplinary action for failure to comply with health and safety policies and practices.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Environmental Health and Safety has outlined its Injury and Illness Prevention Program based on a mnemonic, T R I C K, which should help supervisors implement their IIPP responsibilities:
TRAIN Employees when first hired or when a new hazard is introduced
REPORT accidents and hazardous conditions - instruct employees to do the same
INSPECT Your workplace for hazards
CORRECT Hazards found in the workplace
KEEP Records
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