SECTION IV:      SPECIFIC SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

SUPERVISOR

 

All those who directly supervise have a unique opportunity and responsibility to affect the attitudes and actions of their staff in a positive manner in the area of environmental health and safety awareness and practices.  This positive attitude may be instilled through training, through example and through showing concern for the safety of others.

 

1.     Per WAC 296-24-040, Community Colleges of Spokane are to include the following specific items in on-the-job training, which has been delegated to each employee's (whether full-time, part-time, or work study student) immediate supervisor for implementation:

 

·         how and when to report injuries, including instruction as to the location of first-aid facilities

·         how to report unsafe conditions and practices

·         the use and care of required personal protective equipment

·         the proper actions to take in event of emergencies including the route of exiting from areas during emergencies

·         identification of the hazardous gases, chemicals or materials involved along with instructions on the safe use and emergency action following accidental exposure

·         name and work location of the college or unit Environmental Health and Safety Committee member assigned to the facility in which the new employee works

·         location and use of facility fire alarms and extinguishers, and location of nearest telephone and building/room exit.

·         location of facility's safety bulletin board

·         an on-the-job review of the practices necessary to perform the initial job assignments in a safe manner

·         when a new hazard is introduced into the work area, shall instruct their employees regarding the hazard including safe use, proper safety procedures, etc.

 

2.     Ensure safe working conditions for their staff and compliance with the safe place standards, per WAC 296-24-073:

 

·         Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious injury or death to his employees.

·         No employer shall require any employee to go or be in any employment or place of employment which is not safe.

·         No employer shall fail or neglect:

·         To provide and use safety devices and safeguards.

·         To adopt and use practices, means, methods, operations and processes reasonably adequate to render the employment and place of employment safe.

·         To do every other thing reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of employees.

·         No employer, owner or lessee of any real property shall construct or cause to be constructed any place of employment that is not safe.

 

3.     Shall ensure that the safety training needs of those staff who report to them are met by:

 

·         providing specifically required safety training to their employees themselves and documenting such training, with a copy sent to the Human Resources Office and to the CCS Environmental Health and Safety Office;

·         providing refresher safety training, as needed;

·         implementation of approved safety training programs and hazard control policies, working in conjunction with other designated CCS safety personnel;

·         (as needed or appropriate) contacting the CCS Environmental Health and Safety Office for consultation and assistance in meeting the safety training needs of their employees.

 

4.     Implement and comply with environmentally correct hazardous materials management procedures, including purchasing practices, safe chemical handling, usage, storage and proper disposal of any hazardous wastes generated.

 

5.     Implement and comply with established safety and health procedures within his/her area of responsibility, to eliminate or control conditions and practices which may contribute to accidents or injuries.

 

6.     Shall be alert for and, in accordance with established procedures, correct any unsafe working conditions, hazards or practices.  The responsibility for correction of hazards is primarily that of supervisors, the college or unit safety officer, and the CCS Environmental Health and Safety Steering Committee.

 

First level of responsibility:  The supervisor is expected to correct minor hazardous conditions or to refer a hazardous condition which would have major facility and/or economic impact to correct to the college or unit safety officer.

 

Whenever possible, plans for the orderly and efficient correction of the hazard, even when long-term planning is involved, are to be made.  When correction of a reported hazard is pending, the immediate supervisor or the safety officer, as appropriate, is responsible for implementation of temporary measures to mitigate the hazard and for monitoring progress of the hazard corrective action, to assure that delay is minimized and that completion of the corrective action occurs.  If the hazard correction involves the changing of an established procedure, the responsible supervisor will insure that all persons affected are informed of the change.

 

When it is not possible or economically feasible to correct a hazard, other actions should be taken (e.g. guarding, use of protective equipment, establishing procedures that warn of the hazard, etc.).

 

(Note:  All completed Hazardous Condition Report forms are to be routed through the appropriate college or unit Environmental Health and Safety Committee whether corrected or uncorrected.)

 

7.     Ensure that required safety equipment and protective devices are available and in proper working order within his/her area of responsibility, and shall monitor usage by employees to ensure that the equipment and protective devices are used correctly and as needed.

 

8.     Ensure that injuries, accidents and job-related illnesses of his/her staff are reported on the CCS Accident/Incident Report form within 24 hours of occurrence (routing as indicated on the form) and is to conduct an initial review, taking appropriate action where necessary (e.g. reporting/correction of a hazardous condition).

 

In the event of a serious injury, notification to the appropriate college or unit safety officer is to be as immediate as is possible.

 

9.     Evaluate reports of "near miss" incidents to avoid repetition of an incident with possibly more dire consequences.  A "near miss" is defined as an incident where there is no personal injury but where damage resulted to equipment OR where damage did not result but the likelihood of personal injury to the employee was great.  (Such evaluations may or may not, as appropriate, result in written documentation, e.g. completion of a Hazardous Condition Report form, or the regular Accident/Incident Report form.)

 

(Note:  If the conditions which permitted the near-miss or close call to exist are not eliminated, they will remain as potential hazards which may eventually result in property damage and/or personal injury to employees, students and/or visitors.)

 

10.   Maintain valid first-aid certification.

 

11.   Ensure that other employees within their area of responsibility have valid first-aid certificates, as appropriate.

 

12.   Routinely conduct informal safety surveys and inspections of their areas.  Hazards noted should, where possible, be immediately corrected.  Written documentation of these safety surveys and inspections is recommended, but not required.  As appropriate, hazard correction may require completion of a Building Improvement Request or a Hazardous Condition Report form.

 

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