Health, Safety, and Environmental Management Programs Rule

PURPOSE:  To provide a safe and healthy environment and workplace for Tarleton State University  students, faculty, and staff; for clientele who use our facilities; and for the general  public.

RULE:   Procedures, protocols, and practices will be implemented to ensure the  accomplishment of Tarleton’s Health and Safety programs purpose.

AUTHORITY: This rule is written with the authority given to The Texas A&M University System and  Tarleton State University through Executive Order GWB 95-8, Relating to Workplace Safety and Health of State Employees, Citizens Served, and Preservation of State Property.
 

Health, Safety, and Environmental Management Programs Procedures

1. GENERAL:

 Tarleton State University is committed to the development and maintenance of health, safety and environmental management programs.  Safety is the business and responsibility of every campus citizen and can be better achieved through proper engineering, education, training, protective equipment, and enforcement of safety rules.  The structure and responsibilities for the programs are shown below.

 It is the intent of the university to comply with all relevant local, state, and federal occupational and environmental regulations, codes, and standards.
 

2. AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES
 

2.1 The chief executive officer (CEO) of Tarleton is responsible for developing, maintaining, funding and documenting health, safety, and environmental management programs and for overseeing their implementation and management.  The Environmental Health and Safety Department is responsible for the administration of these programs.  The objectives of the programs shall be to:

(a) provide a safe environment for students, employees, and the public;
(b) reduce the frequency and severity of incidents;
(c) comply with appropriate environmental laws;
(d) minimize the risk of accidental job-related deaths, occupational injuries and illnesses, state property losses, and environmental contamination by the use of recognized loss prevention and control techniques;
(e) establish written performance/accountability standards and objectives to reduce the incidence of death, injury, or illness to persons, to conserve property and resources of the state, and to preserve the environment;
(f) provide adequate safety, health, environmental, and property preservation training and education for managers, supervisors, and employees;
(g) establish risk management/environmental health and safety committee(s);
(h) promote work practices that ensure the safety of persons and the preservation of state property and the environment;
(i) establish a procedure for conducting periodic risk management/environmental health and safety inspections so that potential hazards and risk are detected and corrected or controlled in a timely manner;
(j) comply with applicable state and federal laws, standards, rules, regulations and guidelines regarding safety and health, property preservation, and environmental protections;
(k) provide for the designation of an individual(s), whose qualifications and experiences are comparable to the guidelines set by the System Office of Risk Management and Safety, to serve as the organization’s risk manager/environmental health and safety officer to assist in developing and implementing local rules and procedures;
(l) Promote effective investigation and management of workers’ compensation claims and the prompt return to work of injured employees; and
(m) Promote investigation of incidents, injuries, and reported near misses to determine cause, effect, and means for prevention.

2.2 Development of new programs and any necessary maintenance of existing programs will be conducted via the Tarleton internet services, the Environmental Health and Safety Department web page, or written documentation.

2.3 The methodology of effecting changes to existing programs or implementing additional health, safety, and environmental programs shall be as follows:

The Environmental Health and Safety department will generate new programs or necessary changes.  Approval will then be obtained from the associate vice president for business affairs, vice president for finance and administration, and, when required, the president.  The documentation will then be disseminated to appropriate departments.

The Environmental Health and Safety Department will provide training assistance to university departments as necessary.

4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

See System Regulation 24.02.01