Safety, Health and Risk Management Programs

The individual programs developed or utilized by EH&S are intended to comply with standard industry practices and Florida Administrative Codes and Statutes. Additional information sources included the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), the National Safety Council, and the Florida Department of Health. Program titles and brief descriptions are as follows: 

Hazard Communication

University employees who work directly with hazardous chemicals are provided training in the safe storage, use, disposal and health effects of those materials. Material safety data sheets (MSDS), training rosters and chemical inventories are collected and retained in departmental files. Training is provided upon initial hire and whenever work materials or practices change. EH&S conducts a review of departmental records collecting inventories through the purchase requisition system. 

Laboratory Safety and Chemical Hygiene 

University employees who work in research and teaching labs are provided copies of the UNF Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) and training regarding safe lab practices. Contents include information regarding the proper procurement, storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemical compounds. Lab safety surveys are conducted to ensure compliance with the CHP. These surveys cover proper procurement, storage, use and disposal of chemical compounds, personal protective equipment, engineering controls and emergency procedures. Employees who may be overexposed to chemical substances are offered exposure assessment services and medical examination. 

Biological Safety 

Employees who work in research and teaching labs where biological materials are manipulated are provided copies of UNF's Biological Safety Manual and instruction regarding the proper procurement, storage, use, protective measures, decontamination and disposal of infectious materials. Certain classes of biohazardous materials require registration prior to use and all biohazardous materials must be inactivated prior to disposal. Disposal containers are labeled, dated and handled through a state licensed disposal contractor. 

Bloodborne Pathogens 

Employees who may come into contact with human blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious materials are provided copies of UNF's Blood-Borne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan. Information and training includes personal protective measures, hepatitis B vaccinations, decontamination procedures and post-exposure assessments. 

Respiratory Protection 

University employees who are required to wear respiratory protection as part of their normal job duties are provided training in the proper use, care, cleaning and storage of respiratory protection. Copies of the UNF Respiratory Protection Program are provided to impacted departments. In addition, fit testing is conducted to ensure adequate face piece seal and medical monitoring is provided to ensure that employee health is conducive to respirator use. 

Confined Space Entry 

University employees who are required to enter areas with limited access, poor ventilation and restricted openings are provided copies of UNF's Confined Space Entry Manual. Training and procedures are provided to identify and properly access those confined spaces in need of an entry permit. Emergency and communication equipment, air monitoring and ventilation are provided where hazardous atmospheres are anticipated. 

Shop Safety 

The employees of the Physical Facilities Department are employed in a variety of occupations where powered equipment and portable hand tools are utilized. A Shop Safety Manual has been developed and provided to these employees. Training and safety procedures are discussed to reduce electrical hazards, physical injury, welding hazards, lock out-tag out, exposure to hazardous materials and proper material disposal methods. 

Hazardous Materials Management

Several areas on campus have the potential to generate waste materials that are considered hazardous under the rules of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). A policy and procedures manual has been developed and distributed to ensure employees properly accumulate, handle and dispose of these materials. In addition, equipment that may be contaminated with regulated materials must receive approval prior to survey, recycle or disposal. 

Indoor Air Quality 

The air in office buildings can be compromised by various sources including occupant activities, maintenance, renovations and outdoor pollutants. Upon report of such, EH&S will conduct a thorough investigation into the symptomatology, sources and corrective measures necessary to alleviate the report. A questionnaire has been developed along with reporting mechanisms to ensure that proper documentation is maintained for future reference and follow up. 

Asbestos Containing Materials Management 

State law requires that all state owned facilities be surveyed for the presence of asbestos containing materials (ACM). State law further requires that facilities which contain such must develop an Operations and Maintenance Plan which describes the proper labeling, training and management of  ACM. State and federal laws require construction and renovation activities which impact ACM to address the potential for exposure to building occupants, maintenance and construction personnel. Specifications and work procedures must be developed to properly abate ACM and document such. Licensed consultants and contractors are utilized for this purpose. UNF has contracted to survey the campus and once completed will develop an approved Operations and Maintenance Plan. Renovation of existing buildings does not occur until the impacted area is surveyed and abatement procedures are approved. 

Lead-Based Paint Management

State and federal laws require that activities impacting lead based paint (LBP) be managed to minimize exposure to building occupants, maintenance and construction personnel. In addition, the disposal of LBP waste must be evaluated to determine whether or not the waste is considered hazardous. UNF has contracted to survey campus facilities for the presence of LBP materials and when impacted will implement procedures to prevent exposure and ensure proper disposal. 

Ergonomics

The policy to maintain a safe and healthful place of employment involves the design and arrangement of the work environment. Improper utilization or placement of office furniture, tools and equipment can lead to physical injury. Therefore, EH&S has the forms and procedures to evaluate workstation layout and provide recommendations for improvement. 

Crisis Management and Emergency Planning

The safe and efficient evacuation of the campus community during emergency situations is an important concern to UNF. Therefore, procedures and planning documents have been developed to deal with specific crisis situations including weather, bomb threats, power outages, riots, chemical spills and explosions, etc. Periodic drills are conducted to fine tune and educate the community on proper response procedures. A building supervisor program has been established to communicate emergency procedure and verify building evacuations. 

Facility Safety and Construction

UNF has developed procedures to ensure the efficient planning and review of construction and renovation projects on campus. These involve building occupants, designers, architects, engineers, EH&S and others as appropriate. The goal is to design and construct facilities that meet the needs of planned occupants and comply with building and life safety codes. 

In general these programs have similar components including written policies and procedures, training and information, medical or environmental monitoring, data collection and interpretation, reporting, record keeping, review and update. Specific policy language and information is available in each of the written policy documents available from the office of EH&S.