General Classroom Safety
Guidelines
I. Purpose:
To comply with
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Winthrop
University has set forth the following policy to provide for
the health, safety and security of students and employees.
II. Responsibility:
It shall be the responsibility of the department to
provide, as far as is reasonably practical, safe working
conditions for its students and employees.
Divisions of responsibility shall be as follows:
Department Head or Supervisor
1.
Has the ultimate responsibility for the safety of
his/her area.
2.
Must ensure that an effective safety program is in
place and supported by all departmental personnel.
3.
Appoint a safety coordinator of the department.
Departmental Safety Coordinator
1.
Coordinates and implements departmental safety plan.
2.
Surveys all areas for compliance with the safety
plan.
3.
Assists the university safety manager when needed.
4.
Monitors the procurement, use and disposal of all
chemicals in the department.
5.
Creates a chemical inventory and manages the
collection of Material Safety Data Sheets for these
chemicals in accordance with the Hazard Communication Plan
and copies them to the university safety manager.
Course Director, Researcher and Instructor
1.
Establishes a local health, safety and security
policy that is submitted to the university safety manager.
2.
Assists the university safety manager when needed.
3.
Ensures that faculty, staff and students are aware of
health, safety and security policies and responsibilities
therein.
4.
Ensures that regular inspections of the facility are
planned and carried out.
5.
Ensures that accident and hazard reports are
submitted and forwarded to the departmental safety
coordinator and university safety manager.
6.
Ensures that all instructional and laboratory areas
are hazard free and secure.
7.
Ensures that all equipment (including wood working
equipment) is in proper working condition before and during
student use.
8.
Informs students of the location of safety and/or
first-aid equipment and/or supplies.
9.
Informs students of safety procedures in the event of
such emergency situations as fire or severe weather.
10.
Follows appropriate procedures when traveling with students
on field trips.
Students
1.
Adhere to any and all health, safety and security
policies.
2.
Use classroom or laboratory equipment properly and
only for the manufacturer’s intended use.
3.
Follow the instructions of faculty or staff regarding
proper classroom/laboratory procedures.
4.
Know the location of eye wash stations, fire
extinguishers, safety showers, spill kits, and exits before
beginning work.
5.
Follow evacuation/safety plans in the event of such
emergency situations as fire or severe weather.
6.
Use appropriate protective clothing (i.e., lab coats,
closed toe shoes, latex gloves, etc.) when working in
potentially hazardous settings.
7.
Follow appropriate procedures (i.e., hand washing,
hazardous waste disposal, etc.) when working in potentially
hazardous settings.
8.
Follow all university safety protocol.
Employees
1.
Adhere to any and all health, safety and security
policies.
2.
Follow appropriate procedures when working in
potentially hazardous settings.
3.
Follow all university safety protocol.
4.
Report any potential safety hazards immediately to
the building coordinator or university safety manager.
III.
Accident Prevention:
It
is the policy of Winthrop University to actively prevent
accidents whenever possible.
To this end, every member of the faculty, staff or
student body is required to report any potentially dangerous
situation when it becomes apparent to the immediate
supervisor or instructor and the university safety manager.
A Hazard Report is available from the department
office (see Appendix A), and a copy must be given to the
department chair and university safety manager immediately.
In addition, safety information must be presented by
the faculty or staff to students at the beginning of each
semester or at the beginning of any new group of students.
Faculty
and staff must ensure the general cleanliness and
orderliness of the working environment, use of protective
clothing where necessary, and the proper maintenance of
equipment. Additionally,
faculty or staff must ensure that only authorized or
adequately trained individuals be allowed to use or operate
equipment.
IV. Hazardous
Materials/Chemicals/Bloodborne Pathogens:
Safety
policy in regards to hazardous materials, chemicals, or
blood borne pathogens involves the utilization of set
procedures to ensure minimized risk to the health and safety
of faculty, staff and students.
For more information see the
Hazard Communication
Plan and the Bloodborne Pathogen Plan.
V.
Accidents:
Accidents
are defined as incidents that have caused or might
reasonably be expected to have caused injury to persons
and/or damage to property.
Following an accident, apart from immediate attention
to an injured person or persons or crime scenes, attention
should be directed at securing the area and cleaning up,
altering or removing any hazard or equipment involved in the
accident. In
addition, an accident report (See Appendix B) must be filed
with the department chair immediately.
It is the responsibility of the department chair to
inform the university safety manager immediately.
Accident Report forms are available in the department
office.
VI. Safety
Inspection:
Inspection
of classrooms, laboratories and equipment therein shall be
the responsibility of the faculty or staff member assigned
to said classroom or laboratory.
Repairs of equipment or building facilities shall be
reported to the department safety coordinator for referral
to the university facilities management office, or in the case of
specialized equipment, the appropriate manufacturer or
repair service. The
departmental safety coordinator and the university safety
manager will make periodic inspections to ensure safety
guidelines are being met.
VII.
General Laboratory Guidelines:
The
following safety procedures and policies shall be followed
by faculty, staff and students when working in laboratories.
A.
All general health, safety and security policies and
procedures shall be
followed.
B.
Any and all spills must be properly and immediately
cleaned up.
C.
Individuals should never work alone in a potentially
hazardous area.
D.
Equipment must be operated properly and for its
intended use only.
E.
Individuals must always use appropriate guards and
safety devices when operating equipment.
F.
Individuals must wear appropriate clothing and avoid
wearing jewelry or clothing that might interfere with the
operation of equipment.
G.
Individuals should never run or engage in rough play
in the lab.
H.
Individuals should always wear shoes in the lab.
Do not wear open toed shoes.
I.
Exits and aisles should be kept clear and
unobstructed.
J.
Labels must be placed on all chemicals in accordance
with the Hazard Communication Plan.
K.
Individuals should never eat, drink, use tobacco
products, or apply cosmetics in the lab.
L.
Individuals should handle chemicals in accordance
with the Material Safety Data Sheet and departmental safety
procedures.
M.
Individuals
must wash hands thoroughly with soap and water whenever
leaving a laboratory.
N.
Individuals should get help or use a cart when
lifting or moving heavy objects.
O.
Individuals should use a well placed, sturdy stool or
ladder for climbing.
P.
Individuals should familiarize themselves with exits
and emergency equipment.
