Brigham Young University Homepage

RISK MANAGEMENT

Campus Safety

Emergency Procedures

Table of contents

Foreward
President's Message
Introduction
Supervisor Responsibilities
Accident Prevention
Emergency Preparedness
Hazard Communication
Housekeeping
Incident Reporting
Student/Guest Accidents
Inspections
Safety Apparel
Safety Discipline
Safety Education
Personnel Responsibilities
Safety Training
Safety Meetings

University Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911

Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911

Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911

Call the Risk Management and Safety Department, ext. 2-4468, for assistance with matters affecting the safety of personnel or property. To ANONYMOUSLY report safety hazards, concerns or suggestions, call the Safety /Loss Control Hotline, ext. 2-SAFE (2-7233).

Summary of Supervisor's Responsibilities in the Campus Safety Program

Accident Prevention Investigation - Investigate the cause of every accident, whether or not it results in an injury, and determine how it could have been avoided.

Emergency Preparedness- Become familiar with the Emergency Preparedness program, assist in training personnel, and execute the procedures of the program in the event of an emergency.

Hazard Communication - Require that personnel who handle chemicals or hazardous materials comply with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard.

Housekeeping - Provide and maintain a safe and secure working environment.

Incident Reporting - Immediately report to the Risk Management and Safety Department any hazardous conditions, and all incidents which result in property damage, safety equipment alteration/damage and/or injury to students or guests.

Inspections - Organize and conduct periodic safety inspections of all work areas, including equipment and materials, in compliance with legal and safety standards.

Safety Apparel/Equipment - Require that personnel wear/use the appropriate safety apparel/equipment.

Safety Discipline - Require that personnel comply with established safety procedures and rules, and administer discipline when appropriate.

Safety Education - Know the hazards of the work area, and teach personnel their responsibilities in the Campus Safety Program, and the safe working practices and safety rules for their jobs.

Safety Meetings - Hold periodic safety meetings with personnel in high or potential accident work areas.

Manual instruction designed by: J. Cathy Little

Cover logos designed by: Jason Harrison

Foreword

This manual provides all supervisors with information pertaining to the Campus Safety Program at Brigham Young University.

A copy of this manual should be kept in each work area for reference, as needed.

Although this manual will be updated periodically, supervisors should also consult the University Electronic Handbook for the most current safety policy information.

NOTE: For the purposes of this manual, "supervisor" designates any individual who manages University personnel.

President's Message

As University President, I support our Campus Safety Program. The objective of this program is to ensure the personal safety and health of our faculty, staff, administrators, students and guests. Therefore, the responsibility for safety is shared by the entire campus community.

The Workers' Compensation/Campus Safety Program manual outlines the role and responsibilities of supervisors who are accountable for safe facilities. I encourage all supervisors to become familiar with this manual to help provide a safe and secure working environment.

Sincerely,

President

Brigham Young University

Introduction

Any safety program is an overall strategy to reduce the number and severity of accidents, and to provide safe premises and working conditions.

Statistics show that organizations with effective safety programs will very likely have several other desirable qualities, including efficiency, high productivity, good morale, low absenteeism, and low personnel turnover.

At Brigham Young University, the Safety Director and Campus Safety Committee develop, maintain and provide direction for the Campus Safety Program.

The role of the Risk Management and Safety Department is to:

  1. Recommend University-wide health and safety policies.
  2. Assist personnel with overall institutional compliance with policies, statutes, and regulations.
  3. Monitor the effectiveness of safety programs.

Supervisors are the key persons in the Campus Safety Program and, as such, have direct responsibility for the safety of individuals under their immediate supervision. >

Supervisor's Responsiblities

Accident Prevention Information

"On-the-job accidents" include near-misses, unsafe practices or conditions, and accidents that did or could (under slightly different circumstances) result in serious injury or damage.

An accident prevention investigation is NOT designed to find fault or blame. The primary purpose of an investigation is to compile information that will lead to changes and prevent similar accidents from occurring.

Supervisors should investigate ALL accidents since both serious and minor accidents result from the very same causes.

Responsibility to Conduct an Investigation

Supervisors are responsible for investigating and determining the cause of every accident since they are familiar with the work area, equipment, and hazards involved. But, most importantly, they know the people working under them--their job duties, behavior patterns, work habits, and attitudes.

NOTE: Risk Management and Safety Department personnel are available to assist supervisors in these investigations, and will conduct their own investigation of accidents which result in serious injuries or fatalities.

Conducting an Investigation

Accident prevention investigations should be made AS SOON AFTER THE ACCIDENT AS POSSIBLE. Delays--even those of only a few hours--may permit information or items essential to the investigation to be removed, destroyed or forgotten.

Every accident, regardless of severity, should be thoroughly investigated. A superficial investigation may be easier, but it can also lead to incorrect conclusions and inadequate corrective action.

The following steps are recommended for investigating on-the-job accidents:

  1. Immediately Go to the Scene of the Accident
  2. Secure the accident scene, if necessary, and take photographs and/or make notes rapidly of conditions found upon arrival.
    1. Do not remove or destroy any items (tools, equipment or materials) or conditions that might have contributed to the accident.
  3. Examine the Condition of the Environment
    1. Was a machine, process, tool, etc., involved? If so, did something happen to cause the accident, such as:
      1. Did a part break or malfunction,
      2. Was equipment unguarded or improperly protected, or
      3. Did the material or object being worked on act in an unusual manner?
    2. Was some environmental condition involved, such as flooring, stairs, lighting, chemicals, misplaced objects, openings, temperature, electricity, etc.? If so, describe how this factor contributed to the accident.
  4. Note the Actions of the injured/ill individual and/or other involved
    1. What were the specific actions of the individual or others?
    2. How was the individual doing the job and what was being used to do it?
    3. Did someone do something unusual, unsafe, against or without instructions. If so, why?
    4. Were the individuals involved wearing or using safety apparel/equipment? If not, why not?
  5. Talk with the injured/ill individual, if possible.
    1. How people are approached often determines the amount of information they give. Comprehensive, accurate information cannot be obtained from people if they feel threatened--like they are "on the spot."
    2. The investigator should be careful to:
      1. Allow the injured/ill person to tell the story without interruption or prodding.
      2. Proceed in a friendly and sympathetic manner.
      3. Be impartial and impersonal.
      4. Never adversely criticize the individual about the apparent actions.
  6. Talk with witnesses
    1. The investigator should stress getting the facts, NOT placing responsibility or blame.
  7. Listen for clues in others' conversations
    1. The investigator should listen to unsolicited comments as they often have merit.

NOTE: No investigation is ever satisfactorily completed unless definite recommendations are made for corrective action.

Identifying Accident Causes

Accidents are generally caused by one of two factors or a combination of both:

  1. Unsafe Acts - A violation of an accepted work practice or method.
    1. Improper attitude - Disregard of or failure to understand instructions, nervousness, excitability, etc.
    2. Lack of knowledge or skill - Lack of awareness of safe practices, skills, training, etc.
    3. Physical impairment - Defective eyesight, hearing, etc.
  2. Unsafe Conditions- Improper control of the physical, mechanical and environmental exposures of the work area.

It is not sufficient to report that "there was a particle in an individual's eye" or that "the individual was not wearing goggles." The underlying causes of the accident should be determined--why the individual was not wearing goggles, what happened, where the particle came from and why--so a reoccurrence of that type of accident can be prevented.

Recording Investigation Results

Once the investigation has been conducted, the supervisor should:

  1. Compile all the facts gathered during the investigation to obtain the correct version of how the accident occurred.
    1. If there is no clear-cut evidence as to what really happened, the supervisor should make an educated guess.
  2. Record the primary and secondary accident causes and the recommended corrective action.
    1. If it is difficult to separate the secondary from the primary accident cause, choose one, and list the others as secondary causes. The important thing is to identify and correct all possible causes.
  3. Contact the next level of supervision and discuss the necessary action to be taken to prevent the accident from reoccurring.

NOTE: When an unsafe condition arises which cannot be remedied through regular procedures, the Risk Management and Safety Department should be contacted for advice and/or assistance.

Follow-up to Accident Report and Investigation

The supervisor, or the person to whom the assignment is given, is responsible to require that the items noted for improvement are corrected. A follow-up system should be used to assure that action has been taken on these items. When possible, action should be taken immediately and the supervisor should inform personnel of any action taken.

Failure to conduct follow-up inspections and corrections results in wasted time and effort. The supervisor also risks becoming morally responsible for the next accident which might have been prevented.

Emergency Preparedness

Supervisors should:

  1. Be thoroughly familiar with the emergency plan (emergency evacuation, first aid, location of main utility shutoff valves, and location and use of fire equipment) prepared by the college or department.
  2. Coordinate the training of personnel in the work area with the assistance of the emergency building coordinator and the University's Emergency Preparedness Office (ext. 2-8142).
  3. In an emergency, execute the procedures in the University's and the building Emergency Preparedness Plans.

Contact the building marshal (usually the area or building custodian) regarding the Emergency Preparedness Program.

Hazard Communication

- ("Right to Know")

Supervisors who work with chemicals and/or who supervise personnel who handle chemicals should:

  1. Complete both modules of the Hazard Communications Training Program.
  2. Create and maintain a written Hazard Communication Program which will be readily available to all personnel.
  3. Train all personnel using hazardous materials to know the dangers, detective measures, and proper emergency procedures in the event of an accident.
  4. Provide Material Safety Data Sheets for personnel.
  5. Require that personnel properly label all containers of hazardous material.

NOTE: Individuals who work in areas where radioactive materials are handled should refer to the Radiation Safety manual.

For additional information about the Hazard Communications Standard or University HAZCOM Program, contact the Risk Management and Safety Department.

Housekeeping

Supervisors should:

  1. Maintain good housekeeping in the work area.
  2. Maintain equipment and tools in safe working condition.
  3. Conduct periodic inspections of the work area.
  4. Eliminate conditions which might endanger personnel and property.
  5. Install or furnish safety equipment, where needed.

Incident Reporting

Hazardous Conditions/Property Damage/Defective Safety Equipment

Supervisors, in addition to reporting all accidents, are responsible to immediately report by TELEPHONE, then by MEMO to the Risk Management and

Safety Department, any hazardous conditions, property damage, or safety equipment alteration/damage noted on campus.

NOTE: Hazardous conditions include, but are not limited to, chemical spills/releases, and exposure to asbestos, excessive noise levels, water or air pollution, and radiation.

The memo should include the following information: Date, time and type of incident; location; names of individuals involved; description of injuries/illnesses (if any); equipment involved; estimated cost of damages; and recommendations for accident prevention.

Supervisors should review the details of this memo with the next level of supervision and discuss the necessary action to be taken to prevent re-occurrence.

Fire Equipment Servicing - Supervisors are responsible to make arrangements with the Risk Management and Safety Department for the servicing of safety equipment (fire alarms, extinguishers, etc.).

Student/Guest Accidents

Supervisors are responsible to instruct their personnel to do the following when assisting with incidents involving a student or guest:

Assess the injury regarding the need for medical care.

If only minor care (first aid) is needed, dispense first aid kit supplies.

If medical care and/or transportation is needed, contact University Police for assistance (particularly for accidents involving neck or back injuries).

Complete a "BYU Accident Report for Student or Guest" form.

Personnel Should Not Admit Liability for the University For Any Incident

Inspections

Department Inspections

The purpose of a department safety inspection is to detect, analyze, correct, and eliminate unsafe work practices and conditions.

Supervisors are responsible to conduct regular inspections of their work area(s). Supervisors are also responsible to know the hazards of the work area, both the obvious dangers and those that may be brought about by inexperienced personnel.

Assisting with an Inspection - Since personnel involvement is the best strategy for stimulating interest in a safety program, supervisors may also assign personnel to inspect the work area(s) to help identify hazards.

If the supervisor assigns an individual to conduct an inspection, the person assigned should be knowledgeable of the equipment and processes in the area being inspected. The assigned person should inform the supervisor of the results of the inspection(s).

If a team effort is preferred, the size of the inspection team should coincide with the size of the work area being inspected.

Preparing for an Inspection - To prepare for an inspection, the supervisor should:

  1. Review work practices and procedures.
  2. Review previous inspection and investigation records, accident documentation, etc.
  3. Study information on the hazards of the operations or physical environment to be inspected.
  4. Plan the inspection route and outline the specific items to inspect.

Conducting an Inspection - The frequency of inspections should be in direct relation to the amount of risk posed in the particular work area. At a minimum, inspections of all work areas should be conducted at least once a year.

When conducting a safety inspection, the supervisor should:

  1. Wear personal protective apparel, where required.
  2. Inspect all work areas and observe work practices.
  3. Make notes.
  4. Avoid disturbing the personnel working.
  5. Attempt to discover what unsafe conditions exist and why they exist.
  6. Prepare written recommendations.
  7. Give constructive suggestions rather than finding fault.

Correcting Inspection Items - Although supervisors are responsible to promptly respond to all safety concerns and issues, the emphasis in all inspections must be on those conditions or practices which have a "high potential" for serious injury/illness or property damage.

Note: The Risk Management and Safety Department personnel are available to assist in identifying work area hazards.

Government Agencies Inspections

Under government regulations, compliance officers may visit the campus at any time to conduct periodic inspections of work areas, and may request permission to inspect a general or specific area.

Supervisors should instruct personnel who may receive such requests to direct the compliance officers to the Risk Management and Safety Department.

Safety Apparel/Equipment

Supervisors are responsible to establish, and in some cases provide, the types of protective apparel/equipment necessary to safely perform the work. In addition, they are responsible to require that personnel wear/use the appropriate safety apparel/equipment.

The following should be used as a guideline for providing safety apparel/equipment:

Where required, the University will provide the following safety apparel/equipment items (the department obtains them at their expense and the items remain on University premises):

  • Aprons
  • Foot protection (slip-on)
  • Hard hats
  • Hearing protection devices
  • Protective gloves (rubber gloves, mesh gloves for meat cutting, welding gloves, etc.)
  • Radiation detectors
  • Respiratory protection devices (contact Risk Management and Safety Department to fit test respirators)
  • Safety goggles and face shields

NOTE: This list is not all inclusive.

Personnel who prefer to use fitted safety apparel/equipment that is recommended but not required are responsible to obtain the apparel/equipment at their own expense:

  • Safety glasses (prescription or non-prescription)
  • Safety shoes
  • Gloves (except those provided by the department)

NOTE: This list is not all inclusive.

NOTE: The Risk Management and Safety Department can be consulted about appropriate safety apparel/equipment.

Safety Discipline

Supervisors are responsible to require compliance with established safety rules and procedures. When disciplinary action is necessary, the supervisor should contact the Employee Relations Office for the proper procedures. Each safety violation will be investigated and evaluated on its own merits.

The following types of behavior are NOT acceptable and shall warrant disciplinary action:

  1. Disregarding or failing to follow established safety rule/procedures.
  2. Not wearing/using safety apparel/equipment, as required.
  3. Improperly and/or unsafely using equipment or tools.
  4. Participating in horseplay that could or does result in injury to self, others, and/or damage to property.

NOTE: This list is not all inclusive.

Supervisors who do not fulfill this requirement or do not discipline personnel who disregard safety rules/procedures may also be subject to discipline.

Safety Education

Supervisors are responsible to:

  1. Establish, implement, and maintain procedures to inform their personnel about health and safety matters.
  2. Inform their personnel of the individual's responsibilities in the Campus Safety Program.

Note: A supervisor teaches the best and most effective lesson by personal example.

Supervisors should observe the individual's work performance for compliance with safety rules and requirements.

If an individual does not comply with the established safety rules and procedures, the supervisor is responsible to repeat the instruction or take corrective action, if appropriate.

Personnel Responsibilities

The individual's responsibilities in the Campus Safety Program include the following:

  1. Know and observe accepted safety rules and procedures for the work area.
  2. Report all unsafe conditions or practices as soon as possible to the immediate supervisor for corrective action.
  3. Wear protective apparel and use safety equipment, as required, in the performance of job duties. Personnel are responsible to inform their supervisor if the safety apparel/equipment is lost, stolen or becomes inoperable.
  4. Inspect work areas and equipment daily to keep them in proper operating condition.
  5. Report the use of any prescription drugs which may impair the ability to safely perform job duties.
  6. Develop and maintain a safe working attitude by:
    1. Setting a safe example for others.
    2. Avoiding taking chances or unnecessary risks.
    3. Encouraging the safe way to do things.
    4. Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher.
    5. Knowing first aid, if applicable.

Safety Training

Supervisors are responsible to inform their personnel of the safety hazards, and established safety rules and procedures for the work area.

Supervisors should provide safety training when:

  1. An individual is hired.
  2. An individual is given a new assignment for which training has not previously been received.
  3. New hazards are introduced by new substances, processes, or equipment.

Supervisors should be sensitive to levels of literacy and language barriers, and present their safety instruction in a way that is easily understood.

The Risk Management and Safety Department offers the following safety training programs:

  1. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
  2. Defensive Driving -- car, van, straight truck, maintenance vehicle, etc.
  3. Emergency Preparedness--community emergency response team training; stake/ward and individual/family emergency preparedness; earthquake preparedness; and disaster victim psychology.
  4. Ergonomics -- safe lifting, work station analysis, etc.
  5. Fire safety -- fire extinguisher use, flammable liquid storage, etc.
  6. First Aid
  7. HAZCOM (Hazard Communications)
  8. Specialized equipment -- forklift, manlift, etc.
  9. Other specialized OSHA mandated training -- lockout/tagout, respiratory protection, confined space entry, trenching, electrical work practices, etc.

Call the Risk Management and Safety Department, ext. 2-4468, or Safety Trainer, ext. 2-4896, for information about these programs and/or for assistance with other safety training needs.

Safety Meetings

Supervisors in high or potential accident areas are responsible to discuss safety issues in regularly scheduled meetings. If regularly scheduled meetings are not held, supervisors are responsible to hold periodic safety meetings.

Safety meetings should be held as needed or at a minimum of one per month. Documentation of these meetings should be kept on file. This documentation should include, but is not limited to: date, time, place, department, name of individual in charge, topics discussed, and signatures of those in attendance.

Safety meetings may include:

  1. Viewing audiovisual media on safety topics.
  2. Discussing accident reports, causes, prevention methods, and goals for reducing accidents.
  3. Conducting safety inspections to detect hazards in the work area, then discussing the results of the inspection(s).
  4. Discussing and demonstrating how a piece of new equipment can be safely operated.
  5. Establishing procedures for handling, discussing, and implementing/resolving submitted safety suggestions/hazards.
  6. Recommending changes or additions to establish/improve protective apparel and equipment.
  7. Discussing ways to promote safety programs.

Risk Secure Sign-In
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602. Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved.