Workplace environment safety
Visit the UW Environmental Health & Safety website for more information.
Topics
Accident Prevention Plan and Bothell Addendum
The University’s Accident Prevention Plan (APP) covers the anticipated occupational hazards that generally apply to employees across the University. It outlines policies and procedures implemented to reduce or eliminate these hazards. Employees include staff, faculty and students or volunteers in paid permanent, part-time or seasonal positions. The APP applies to all schools, departments and organizations within the University and will be revised with appendices for the UW Bothell campus alone.
Find the Bothell APP Addedum here:
2018-Addendum-to-APP-2019.pdf
Confined Space Program
The Confined Space Entry Program applies to any UW department that has space(s) that may potentially be hazardous when entered. A confined space is one configured so that a person can fully enter and work, but is not designed for continuous human occupancy and has restricted or limited means of entry or exit. For a list of confined spaces here on the Bothell Campus, please see the inventory list found on the UW Seattle EHS confined space webpage.
*If there is a hazardous space which you or your department must enter, please notify EHS Bothell
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the practice of fitting the job to the individual, which can help prevent work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal injuries include awkward postures, repetitive tasks, and/or forceful motions.
- For an evaluation of your ergonomics and workplace factors please contact EHS Bothell. For training on ergonomics awareness, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has provided this ergonomics PowerPoint training for supervisors and employees.
Hazardous Energy Control - Lockout/Tagout
The Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO) program is designed to prevent injuries resulting from unexpected start-up, energization or release of stored energy during servicing and maintenance of equipment. Hazardous energy, such as electricity, chemical, radiation, pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical and gravitational energy sources, must be dissipated and isolated before servicing or maintaining equipment. EH&S provides consultation and assistance to departments that need to comply with the requirements of the LOTO program, and provide or coordinate LOTO training to Authorized Personnel.
Authorized Personnel
Always coordinate and communicate LOTO work with affected personnel and others as needed, follow all LOTO procedures when necessary. Suggest changes to the LOTO as needed, your opinion is important. Report any equipment that may be needing LOTO and always report any incidents or near misses you may have through OARS.
- Please ensure to take annual refresher training as needed
E
mployees, students and visitors (affected personnel)
Ask questions about LOTO and our work area, know which equipment need to be maintained through LOTO, and whom the authorized personnel are in your area to work with LOTO. Never touch or try and start any equipment with LOTO devices on it. Always report any near misses or accidents through OARS.
Hearing loss & prevention program
The Hearing Loss Prevention Program encourages all UW organizations and departments to minimize the risk of noise-induced hearing loss to employees, researchers, students and visitors.
Responsibilities of department managers, supervisors & principal investigators
- Identify areas of excessive noise and affected employees. Refer to the Noise level of common sounds page.
- Coordinate sound level surveys and personnel monitoring for noise exposure, conducted by EH&S, to provide a quantitative assessment of noise hazards in your workplace.
- If employees are exposed to noise above 90 dBA averaged over the work shift, implement engineering or administrative controls. See how can noise be eliminated from the workplace? (L&I) and Reducing Hazards from Noise (OSHA) pages.
- Ensure individuals exposed to noise levels at or above 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour work shift are enrolled in the Hearing Loss Prevention Program, receive training and medical surveillance.
- Ensure employees are provided with baseline and annual audiometric exams through EH&S.
- Ensure staff has taken the Hearing Conservation training.
- Provide at least two types of hearing protectors to employees if controls cannot be implemented, and for all employees exposed to noise levels at or over 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour work shift, greater than 115 dBA any time and 140 dBC impact noise any time.
- Ensure hearing protectors are worn properly.
- Post caution signs where noise may exceed 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour work shift.
- Post danger signs where noise may exceed 115 dBA, even intermittently.
- Ensure that reports of high noise are investigated.
- Maintain records as required.
If you feel that you are being exposed to loud noise either periodically or over the course of the day, contact your supervisor regarding the Hearing Loss and Prevention Center. EH&S can provide consolation regarding noisy area surveys, annual audiometric testing and PPE recommendations.
Personal Protective Equipment
The purpose of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) program is to protect researchers, employees, students, and visitors from potential hazards in the work environment. However, eliminating hazards through engineering or administrative controls provides better and more consistent protection than relying on PPE alone. If PPE is necessary, it is best used with engineering and/or administrative controls along with good work practices.
A key element of the program includes a thorough hazard assessment of activities, processes and work areas to determine the nature and degree of hazards, determination of the engineering and administrative controls that are in place and relevant regulations. When the hazard assessment indicates that PPE is required, departments must select and provide PPE that properly fits employees.
The program covers hazard protection for the eyes, face, head, hands, feet, whole body and drowning. PPE for respiratory, hearing, elevated work, electrical, and welding are covered by other programs, but shall be documented in the hazard assessment for PPE.
For more information on your role with PPE, please visit the EH&S webpage.
Respiratory protection
You might need respiratory protection if inhalation hazards exist in your work environment. If you wear a respirator at UW, you must use it according to the UW Respiratory Protection Program designed to protect employees and students by establishing accepted practices for assessing respiratory hazards and selecting, using and caring for respirators.
At the UW, managers and supervisors are responsible for establishing and maintaining good health and safety practices, including controlling exposures to airborne contaminants, such as dusts, vapors and other aerosols. Whenever engineering or administrative controls are not feasible or practical, or in emergency situations, you may need to use respirators and other personal respiratory protective equipment to protect employees and students from inhalation hazards.
The Respiratory Protection Program outlines the requirements and the University’s procedures for using respiratory protection in a safe and effective way that is compliant with applicable regulations. EH&S will conduct a respiratory hazard evaluation, and determine whether a respirator is required or voluntary.
*Please contact EH&S with any issues you might have with exposure to airborne hazards at: uwbehs@uw.edu
Shop & Makerspace safety
UW departments are required to develop a health and safety plan to prevent injury and exposure to hazardous materials in their specific shops and maker spaces. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring organization and the users to ensure that that these areas and equipment are used and maintained in a safe manner.
EH&S has developed an Accident Prevention Plan that may be used by shops and maker spaces to supplement their written shop-specific plan. EH&S provides resources for shops and maker spaces to help address the health and safety issues they may encounter.
**For a list of Shop and Maker Space reference file, please look at the UW Seattle EH&S Maker Space webpage.
Reference Links