SECTION IV:      SPECIFIC SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

(INCLUDING PURPOSE, COMPOSITION, PROCEDURES)

(Each Respective College or Unit, per WAC 296-24-045)

 

PURPOSE

 

Primary purposes are to:

 

1.     provide assistance and support in the ongoing implementation of the Community Colleges of Spokane accident prevention program;

 

2.     encourage fellow employees/students to follow established safety procedures;

 

3.     monitor, advise and support the overall CCS Environmental Health and Safety program;

 

4.     reduce accidents through identification of potential hazards that could cause accidents, making recommendations for correction.

 

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION AND MEMBER TERMS

 

The number of employer-selected members shall not exceed the number of employee-elected members, per WAC 296-24-045 (1) (b).  Method of voting shall be optional.

 

The terms of employee-elected members shall be a maximum of one year.  Should a vacancy occur on the committee, a new member shall be elected prior to the next scheduled meeting.   WAC 296-24-045 (1) (a)

 

As a minimum, composition will include:

 

A.  At the SCC and SFCC colleges:

 

1.      designated safety officer

2.      two representatives from classified staff, elected by their co-workers

3.      two representatives from faculty, elected by their co-workers

4.      a student, selected by the elected officers of the Associated Student  Body.

 

B.  At the IEL and District units:

 

1.      designated safety officer

2.      two representatives from classified staff, elected by their co-workers

3.      other committee members as appropriate to the specific area, maintaining a balance between employee-elected/employer-selected members (at IEL, this may include a student representative and/or a faculty member)

 

NOTE:  In regard to Environmental Health and Safety Committee composition at SCC and SFCC, the common practice which has evolved is that there are generally 12 or more committee members, each assigned to a specific building(s) on the college campus.  These members assume the responsibilities originally outlined for appointed building safety representatives. Within that facility(ies) they represent the Environmental Health and Safety Committee, serving as liaison between the committee and the building constituents and holding certain specifically assigned responsibilities for the facility(ies).

 

PROCEDURE GUIDELINES

(college or unit Environmental Health and Safety Committees)

 

1.     The safety committee shall have an elected chairperson.  WAC 296-24-045 (2)

 

2.     The frequency of meetings shall be monthly (or as determined by the committee).  WAC 296-24-045 (3)

 

3.     The date, hour, and location of meetings shall be determined by the safety committee. WAC 296-24-045 (3) (a).

 

4.     The length of each meeting shall not exceed one hour, except by majority vote of the safety committee.  WAC 296-24-045 (3) (b).

 

5.     Per WAC 296-24-045 (5), safety and health committee meetings shall address the following:

·         review of the safety and health inspection reports (Building Self-Inspection Safety Survey) to assist in correction of identified unsafe conditions or practices;

·         evaluation of the accident investigations conducted since the last meeting to determine if the cause of the unsafe acts or unsafe condition involved was properly identified and corrected (reference completed Medical Emergency Reports and/or completed Investigation Reports);

·         evaluate the accident prevention program with a discussion of recommendations for improvement where indicated.

 

6.     The chairperson is responsible for meeting agendas notices and for preparation and distribution of committee meeting minutes:

 

·         to other committee members;

·         to the administrative head of the college or unit (CEO, president, or executive vice president);

 

7.     Minutes of each committee meeting are to be kept on file by the college or unit safety officer for a period of at least one year and shall be made available for review by noncompliance personnel of the division of industrial safety and health.  Member attendance and subject(s) discussed shall be documented.  WAC 296-24-045 (4) and (5) (d & e).  When the elected chairperson is other than the college or unit safety officer, the safety officer will provide clerical support in preparation and dissemination of meeting notices and minutes.

 

COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

 

1.     Serve as an advisory group to the college or unit safety officer, on all safety matters.

 

2.     Monitor the Environmental Health and Safety program within their respective college or unit to achieve the CCS goal of providing a safe and healthful learning and working environment. 

 

3.     Within their respective college or unit, serve as a forum for the discussion of environmental health and safety issues of interest and concern and as an informational clearinghouse regarding relevant safety matters.

 

4.     Serve as conduits/advocates between and for the constituencies they represent and the CCS Environmental Health and Safety Steering Committee, via their safety officer.

 

5.     Review respective college or unit's Accident/Incident reports, investigation reports, building self-inspection safety surveys and hazardous condition reports, to assist in and insure appropriate correction of identified unsafe conditions. 

 

6.     Assist other CCS safety personnel in publicity efforts and promotion of safety awareness, including dissemination of safety-related information to the constituents of their college or unit (e.g., postings on facility safety bulletin boards).

 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF COLLEGE OR UNIT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES

 

The responsibilities listed below are in addition to those noted above for the Environmental Health and Safety Committee as a body.

 

1.     As assigned to a specific facility(ies) by the college or unit safety officer, serve as the point of contact within that facility(ies) for matters of safety, as brought to his/her attention via either building occupants and/or the college or unit safety officer.  (One committee member or building safety representative is assigned to one or more campus buildings or off-campus centers, so that each major facility has an assigned safety committee member.)

 

2.     Serve as liaison between the college or unit safety officer, facility supervisors and other college constituents.

 

3.     Maintain the safety bulletin board within the assigned facility(ies).  Per WAC 296-24-055, "...there shall be installed and maintained in every fixed establishment employing eight or more persons, a safety bulletin board sufficient in size to display and post safety bulletins, newsletters, posters, accident statistics and other safety educational material."

 

4.     Conduct annual safety self-inspections within assigned facility(ies), per date established by the safety officer.  Self-inspection is documented on the Building Self-inspection Safety Survey form, with copies routed as indicated on the form upon completion of the survey.

 

5.     May be asked by safety officer to participate as team member (with safety officer and CCS safety professional) in accomplishing additional inspections of those facility areas determined to have a higher potential for safety hazards.

 

6.     May accept and/or conduct preliminary investigation of employee reports of specific safety hazards in the facility(ies) to which they have been assigned, ensuring that appropriate parties are notified, including the building supervisor and the safety officer.  (NOTE:  The responsibility for correction of hazardous conditions is primarily that of supervisors, the safety officer, and the CCS Environmental Health and Safety Steering Committee.)

 

7.     Maintain a supply of Accident/Incident Report and Hazardous Condition Report forms for use of building occupants.

 

8.     Disseminate safety-related information to personnel within their assigned facility (e.g., postings on facility safety bulletin boards), as appropriate.

 

9.     Maintain designated first aid kit(s) and supplies within his/her assigned facility (reference WAC 296-24-065).  (Note:  "Designated" refers to the first aid kit or kits officially designated as such for that building, by the college or unit safety officer.  Maintenance of other first aid kits within the facility is the responsibility of the individual departments.)  

 

10.   Maintain valid first-aid certification.

 

11.   Attend scheduled college or unit Environmental Health and Safety Committee meetings.

 

(Refer also to the section of this document entitled SPECIFIC SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES:  All CCS Employees.)