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Occupational and Employee Safety

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Occupational Safety and Health Programs

The University's Occupational Safety and Health Programs are managed through the implementation of campus policies. Visit our Forms, Policies, Plans, and Procedures page to view specific policies.

Safety Topics

Services

  • Accident Investigations
  • Air Quality Assessments
  • CDC's Cold Weather Information (PDF)
  • Ergonomic Evaluations(Check out this information from OSHA)
  • Exposure Determinations (chemical/physical agents)
  • Fume Hood Evaluations
  • Hazardous Materials Cleanup/Decontamination
  • Job Hazard Analysis
  • Laboratory Assessments
  • Occupational Health Physicals/Immunizations
  • Occupational Noise Evaluations
  • Personal Protective Equipment Assessments

Contact Information

Bloodborne Pathogens Safety

CAUTION!

If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin, immediately flood the exposed area with water and clean any wound with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available. Report this immediately to your supervisor and seek immediate medical attention.

Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries may expose workers to bloodborne pathogens.

All employees who may have occupational exposure to human blood, body fluids, or unfixed tissue; human cells or cell lines; or HIV or Hepatitis B Virus are required to comply with the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Standard.

Exposure Control Plan

To reduce or eliminate the hazards of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, Wright State has an Exposure Control Plan to eliminate or minimize occupational exposures. The plan includes:

  • exposure control;
  • methods of control;
    • use of universal precautions;
    • use of engineering controls;
    • use of work practice controls;
  • use and provision of personal protective equipment (PPE);
  • housekeeping;
  • regulated waste (infectious waste);
  • laundry;
  • availability of hepatitis B vaccinations to workers with occupational exposure;
  • availability of post-exposure evaluations and follow-up to an exposure incident;
  • use of labels and signs to communication hazards;
  • information and training to workers; and
  • maintenance of worker medical and training records.
  • also describes how Wright State uses a combination of engineering and work practice controls, ensures the use of personal protective clothing and equipment, provides training, medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccinations, and signs and labels, among other provisions.

Compliance with this program is mandatory.

Exposure Control Plan/Bloodborne Pathogens Program (PDF) 

Written Opinion

The University must provide the employee with a copy of the evaluating health care professional's written opinion within 15 working days of the completion of the original evaluation. The opinion for post-exposure evaluation and follow-up should include:

  • whether or not the employee received the vaccination,
  • that the employee has been informed of the results of the evaluation;
  • that the employee has been told about any medical conditions resulting from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials that will require further evaluation or treatment.

All other findings or diagnoses will remain confidential and will not be included in the written report.

All laboratory tests are conducted at no cost to the employee.

Contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (937-775-2215) if you have a post-exposure evaluation or follow-up questions.

Medical Records must be maintained for the duration of the worker's employment plus 30 years.

Procedures

Emergency Needlestick Information

If you experienced a needlestick or sharps injury or were exposed to the blood or other body fluid of a patient during the course of your work, immediately follow these steps:

  1. Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water
  2. Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water
  3. Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants
  4. Report the incident to your supervisor
  5. Immediately seek medical treatment

Resources

General

Post-exposure Prophylaxis

Contractor Safety

All contractors bidding on Wright State University projects are required to participate in the Contractor Safety Assessment (CSA). This program allows the University to objectively assess the safety performance of its contracting partners and assists the project management community in making informed decisions.

Want to become an Approved Wright State Contractor? Complete and submit the Contractor Safety Assessment form (PDF) to Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@wright.edu or by fax to (937) 775-3761.

Contractor Safety Assessment (CSA)

Wright State University Contractor Safety Assessment (PDF) assists in contractor selection through evaluation of a contractor's safety performance history and current safety management systems. The CSA allows the University to objectively assess the performance of its contracting partners and assists the project management community in making an informed decision.

Approved Wright State Contractor Expectations

If contractors do not participate in the CSA they will not be able to bid or work on Wright State construction projects.

Contractors need to enroll before bidding on any Wright State construction project work.

Required Information

  • Worker's Compensation Information
  • EMR Form for the past 3 years
  • OSHA lost workday data for the past 3 years
  • OSHA total injuries recorded
  • Number of reportable chemical releases your company has been responsible for
  • Information on any government/regulatory agency citations in the last 12 months

Fire Safety

Emergency Action Plan: Building Fire Alarm

Upon hearing a building fire alarm, all occupants must evacuate the building immediately. Faculty members and instructors are required to cease instruction and assist students in exiting the building. The only exception for remaining in the building applies to “designated personnel" who are required to operate or shut down critical systems. Should smoke and/or fire be in the area of a critical system, “designated personnel” shall immediately evacuate the building and report to their respective supervisors.

The individual(s) activating the fire alarm is responsible, after evacuating the building for meeting responding fire department personnel and/or public safety officers and identifying the location of the smoke and/or fire.

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety and the Facilities Operations Casualty Prevention Supervisor are responsible for identifying and training designated personnel.

Safe and Orderly Evacuation of Building Occupants

The following procedures represent acceptable guidelines for ensuring the safe and orderly evacuation of building occupants.

  • Building occupants are not to use elevators.
  • Building occupants are to use the primary emergency exit whenever accessible. When the primary emergency exit is not accessible, building occupants are to use the secondary emergency exit. Occupants evacuating the building should go immediately to the designated meeting point away from the building. Supervisors or employees in lead positions should account, to the maximum degree possible, for employees, students, and visitors.
  • Building occupants are to assist individuals with disabilities (non-wheelchair) in exiting the building.
  • Building occupants who use wheelchairs and are on floors above ground level are to go to the closest enclosed stairwell. A university employee should remain with building occupants who use wheelchairs until a rescue is completed or the emergency is terminated. Building occupants who use wheelchairs and are located in the basement of buildings are to use the tunnel system and go to the closest adjacent building not involved in the alarm situation. No individuals, regardless of physical limitations, are to stay in tunnels connected to the building in which the fire alarm has been activated.

Burn Permit (Cutting-Welding-Hot Work) and Hot Work Permit Program

Visit the Department of Facilities Operations' Safety and Casualty Prevention page for information about burn permits and hot work permits.

Related Information

Read the official newsletter of The Center for Campus Fire Safety.

Hazard Communication

General Information

In 1983, the Federal Government, through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), established the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) codified in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 “to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are evaluated, and that information concerning their hazards is transmitted to employers and employees.”

Wright State University developed and maintains a Hazard Communication Program to give all employees the right to know about any type of hazard they may encounter while performing their duties. The program complies with all requirements of OSHA's Standard for Hazard Communication.

All employees must complete Hazard Communication Training.

Compliance with this program at Wright State University is mandatory.

Five Elements for Compliance

The following five key elements are outlined in the standard and are included in the Wright State University Hazard Communication Program:

  1. Materials Inventory and Hazard Identification – A list of the hazardous materials present in your work area.
  2. Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) – A detailed description of each hazardous material listed in the Materials Inventory.
  3. Labeling – Containers of hazardous materials must have labels to identify the material and warn of its potential hazard to employees.
  4. Training – All employees must be trained to identify and work safely with hazardous materials.
  5. Written Program – A written program must be available to all employees (PDF)

Forms and Resources

Hazardous Materials Shipping

If you are receiving, packaging, shipping, or are in some way associated with the transportation of hazardous material, either to the university or from the university, you are required to receive training on applicable Department of Transportation or International Air Transport Association rules.

Contact Greg Merkle at (937) 775-2217 for more information.

Useful Downloads and Links

Lead Exposure Health Education

This public health communication containing information about lead and measures to minimize your exposure to lead is offered by community health nursing students working in collaboration with Environmental Health and Safety. 

Where Is Lead Found?

  • Lead-based paint
  • Air, soil, household dust
  • Pottery, porcelain, and pewter
  • Drinking water

How Does Lead Get in the Drinking Water?

  • Lead is a result of corrosion of materials containing lead in plumbing.
  • Buildings before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes or fixtures.
  • Most common problem with brass or chrome-plated brass fixtures.
  • “Lead-free” plumbing may contain up to 8% lead.

What Wright State Is Doing to Protect You

  • Required monitoring and reporting of lead levels every 6 months
  • Drinking fountains are out-of-service
  • Flushing pipes
  • Ongoing corrosion control study to evaluate water quality and potential effects on lead.
  • Replacement of fixtures as needed
  • Modernizing water treatment facility to reverse osmosis system

How You Can Reduce Exposure to Lead

  • Run your water to flush the lead out.
  • If the water has not been used for several hours, run each tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes or until it becomes colder before drinking or cooking. This flushes water which may contain lead from the pipes. This can reduce lead in water levels up to 90%.
  • Use cold, fresh water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
  • Do not boil water to remove lead.
  • Test your water for lead.
  • Consider testing your child’s blood for lead.
  • Consider using a filter for your household tap.
  • Regularly clean your faucet aerator.
  • Consider buying low-lead faucets.
  • Know where and how to check consumer reports for the water supply your home is using.

Why It Is Important to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead?

  • Damage to brain and kidney
  • Interfere with red blood cell (RBC) production, which helps oxygenates the body 
  • Risk to infants, children, and pregnant women
  • Lower IQ in children (lead on the brain)
  • Affects baby’s brain development in pregnancy 
  • Lead can be stored in bones and released later in life
  • Fetuses receive lead from mother’s bone

Public Health and Sanitation

Campus Drinking Water

Wright State University, in compliance with EPA standards and the Safe Drinking Water Act, regularly tests its drinking water to ensure that appropriate measures are being taken to provide safe drinking water to the Wright State community.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding Wright State's drinking water management program or policies, please contact Environmental Health and Safety Department at (937) 775-2215 or email ehs@wright.edu.

Reports

Related Links

Food Safety and Outside Food Sales

Wright State is contracted with Chartwells to provide all food services on campus. However, there are times when food can be sold outside of the Licensed Food Service Operations.

temporary food permit

Selling most food outside of the Licensed Food Service Operations requires a Temporary Food Service Operations license. The exceptions are "cottage foods".

cottage food production operation

A cottage food production operation is defined in the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3715 to mean a person who, in the person's own home, produces food items that are not time/temperature controlled for safety. The specific foods are LIMITED and listed below. All foods must be shelf-stable and not require refrigeration for safety.

What kinds of cottage foods can I make?

Approved cottage foods are LIMITED to the following items:

  • Jams and Jellies
  • Candy, except those with fresh fruit
  • Fruit butters and fruit chutney
  • Tea and Coffee (dry)
  • Pizzelles
  • Waffle cones
  • Seasoning mixes and herbs (dry)
  • Doughnuts (baked, unfilled)
  • Cereal/nut snack mixes (dry)
  • Baking mixes in a jar (dry)
  • Granola and granola bars (dry)
  • Popcorn (includes flavored)
  • Bakery foods (cookies, cakes, etc.) that are non-perishable
  • Allergen information –
    • If the food contains a major food allergen, it must state “Contains” followed by the name of the allergen. These include milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans. In the case of tree nuts, the specific type of nut should be listed (almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc.). This also applies to fish (bass flounder, or cod) and Crustacean shellfish (crab, lobster, and shrimp).

What cottage foods are NOT allowed?

  • Acidified foods, low-acid canned foods, and vacuum packaged foods are NOT permitted.

If you are selling and/or preparing food at a university-sponsored event that is not listed on the approved cottage food list, you will need to get a temporary food operations permit from Greene County Public Health. This food operation cannot be operated more than five consecutive days and no more than ten times a year (otherwise food operation will be licensed as a permanent or mobile food operation. To be approved as a temporary food operation, you must complete and submit a Letter of Intent, a State of Ohio Temporary Food License Application, and submit the $60 fee. Click here to get started: Greene County Public Health

Flow chart to determine if you need a temporary food permit or not (PDF)

Related Links

Respiratory Protection

Wright State University provides a safe and healthy work environment free from recognized hazards. The Respiratory Protection Program helps lower worker exposures to hazardous airborne contaminants and oxygen deficiency.

Respiratory protection should only be used when engineering controls have been shown to be infeasible for the control of the hazard or during the interim period when engineering controls are being installed. Once respiratory protection is determined to be necessary, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard 29 CFR 1910.134 requirements are followed.

Respiratory protection includes devices that will protect the wearer's respiratory system from overexposure by inhalation to airborne contaminants.

Respiratory protection is used when a worker must work in an area where he/she might be exposed to concentration in excess of the allowable exposure limit.

Do I need to wear a Respirator?

The job tasks/classifications that require respirator use include Painters, Water Treatment Operators, HVAC, Morgue (embalming), Police, HAZWOPER, and hazardous material disposal. If you feel that your job task may need a respirator, contact us to perform a risk assessment. If the risk assessment determines that a respirator is not required but you would like to wear a respirator voluntarily, please see below.

What if I want to wear a respirator?

If you want to wear a respirator for "comfort" reasons (as opposed to a documented hazard) please read Voluntary Respirator Use Information (PDF).

Resources

Working at Heights

"Working at Heights" course is being offered through the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department. Utilizing the 40-foot climbing tower located at the National Center for Medical Readiness (Calamityville®) we will cover fall protection and working at heights training offered by certified professionals. This course will provide the tools you need and hands-on practice to reduce the dangers of fall hazards and the associated risks of working at heights.

Single-day, eight-hour courses. Choose From:

  • Rescue
  • Competent Person
  • Authorized Climber

Courses will include classroom training and hands-on climbing tower and will be offered during Fall, Spring, and Summer sessions. Check out the video below to get an idea of what to expect.

Fall Protection Class: Taking students to new heights

Facilities Management and Campus Operations