Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management

Do's

• Call 9-911 and/or Appalachian Police at Extension 8000 to report emergencies or to arrange emergency transportation to medical facilities. Remember to provide your name, location, and a telephone number where you can be contacted for further information if necessary. Become familiar with the University's Emergency Response Plan and your department's Emergency Response Procedures in the event an emergency situation occurs.
• Immediately inform your supervisor if you become injured/ill on the job. Report to Boone Urgent Care for medical treatment. If closed, or the injury is life threatening, seek medical treatment at the Watauga Medical Center Emergency Room. Inform the medical staff that you are seeking medical treatment for a job-related injury. Supervisors must immediately report the incident to the Workers' Compensation Administrator (WCA), Human Resource Services, Extension 6488.
• Promptly report all incidents and injuries to your supervisor. Complete Workers' Compensation forms to report work related illnesses/injuries or the single page App State Accident Report Form to report non work-related incidents. Forms are available on the Human Resource Services (HRS) web site. Supervisors must investigate all incidents as soon as possible. Forward the names and written statements from any witnesses along with completed Workers' Compensation forms to the WCA in HRS within 24 hours of the incident. Forward the completed single page Accident Report Form to the WCA in HRS, send a copy to the Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management Office (EHS&EM), and keep a copy for the department.
• Attend New Employee safety training. Request and complete initial and refresher employee safety training to comply with North Carolina Department of Labor and other regulatory agency training requirements. Refer to the App State Employee Safety Training Matrix (Requirements) on the EHS&EM website. View the App State Employee Required Training Matrix.
• Send documentation of completed safety and health training to EHS&EM for recordkeeping purposes. Remember to keep a copy of documented training in departmental files.
• Contact the Occupational Safety Manager at Extension 7649 to discuss additional safety and health training needs.
• Learn safety precautions and recommended safe work practices for working with hazardous materials used in your area.
• Assign an employee in your area to manage your department's compliance with: pre-employment physical examinations; hearing tests; purchase and use of safety shoes, safety glasses, and other personal protective equipment; purchase and storage of chemicals; and employee safety and health training.
• Report "close calls" or "near misses" to your supervisor. A "close call" or "near miss" is an incident that does not result in injury or illness, but may indicate a hazard exists that requires corrective measures to prevent future incidents. The supervisor must investigate the incident and implement proper controls to prevent an accident from recurring, or contact EHS&EM at Extension 4008 for assistance. Some activities, such as confined space entry, require reporting "near misses" to EHS&EM as well.
• Report hazardous or unsafe conditions in your area to your supervisor. Supervisors are responsible for prompt correction or repair of hazards or unsafe conditions in their area. Contact EHS&EM at Extension 4008 for assistance. You may also report safety and health concerns to a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee.
• Become familiar with your building's emergency evacuation plan and the location of fire alarms, nearby fire exits, and fire extinguishers. Departments should preplan for the orderly evacuation of disabled or mobility impaired employees prior to an emergency situation. Report damaged fire alarm equipment and problems with fire extinguishers to the Fire and Life Safety Manager at Extension 4008.
• Keep emergency evacuation routes/exits in campus buildings clear of obstructions at all times evacuation routes must have a minimum clearance of 36 inches. The storage of materials or equipment in corridors or stairwells is prohibited. Any items stored in these areas will be reported to department officials for prompt relocation.
• In case of fire, initiate the building's fire alarm, evacuate the building, and report the incident to Appalachian Police at Extension 8000. Remain outside and away from the building at the designated departmental meeting place until given approval to re-enter. All fires, no matter how small, must be immediately reported to Appalachian Police.
• Use extension cords on a temporary basis only (not to exceed 90 days). If used, cords should not cross/span floors or walkways, be placed under carpets, or run through walls, ceilings, or doorways. Avoid use of multiple receptacle devices (adapters). Avoid linking or plugging extension cords end to end to extend the overall length of the cord. Use of power strips with circuit breaker/surge protection for office equipment (e.g. computers) is encouraged.
• Check to be sure electrical cords have proper strain relief and are free of visible fraying, cracking, or splices prior to use. Also, check to be sure ground prongs are not removed or bent on 3 wire electrical cords before use.
• Check to be sure cover plates are present (in place) for all receptacles and switches in your area.
• Properly guard pinch points and sharp edges on machinery and equipment prior to use. Finger guards should also be present on all paper cutters.
• Close drawers, doors, and slide-out trays of desks, hutches, cabinets, etc. when not in use.
• Place heavy objects, items at waist level to aid in proper lifting procedures. Place long term storage items, materials on/in lower shelves and drawers of filing cabinets. Avoid storing materials on top of cabinets over 6 feet in height.
• Contact Health Promotions staff at Extension 6314 to provide ergonomic guidance in the proper placement of computer workstations and other office furniture in your area. Health Promotions staff can also provide a free individual workstation assessment and/or free informational sessions. For assistance with other ergonomic-related questions, contact the University Industrial Hygienist at Extension 6838. Additional information on ergonomics can be found on the EHS&EM website.
• Employees working with chemicals in laboratory areas must comply with the University's Chemical Hygiene Plan. Contact the University Industrial Hygienist at Extension 6838 if you have questions.
• Keep all chemical containers labeled with product name, chemical ingredients and hazard warnings (e.g. flammable) at all times. Unless commonly known, trade names are not acceptable for use in labeling tasks. Employees who work with chemicals must be trained in accordance with the App State Hazard Communication Program Policy. If you routinely visit areas where chemicals are used, you must also receive Hazard Communication training.
• In the event of a chemical spill, follow the procedures outlined in the App State Hazardous Chemical Spill Response Policy. Contact Appalachian Police, Extension 8000, and the University Industrial Hygienist, Extension 6838.
• Promptly arrange for the removal and/or relocation of surplus, unused equipment. Make sure surplus laboratory equipment is decontaminated prior to removal and/or relocation.
• Contact the Environmental Affairs Manager at 4008 to schedule the pickup and removal of hazardous waste items in your area.
• Review safety and health information, policies, and procedures posted on the EHS&EM Department web site. Safety and health policies and procedures that apply to all App State employees are also posted in the Safety & Workers' Compensation Section of the App State online Resource Manual. Check these sites periodically for new and updated information.
• Contact Physical Plant officials to arrange for modifications or renovations in your area. This includes, but are not limited to, sanding or scraping painted surfaces, any work above or below ceilings (including cable/wiring installation), ventilation system additions or modifications, any electrical additions or modifications, floor tile removal, wall or ceiling penetrations (other than simple penetrations such as hanging pictures), changing/ relocating walls, doors, windows, wall coverings, etc.
• Supervisors must be aware of their safety responsibilities. Click on the Supervisor Responsibilities link on the EHS&EM website. Contact EHS&EM staff at Extension 4008 if you need additional information.
• Supervisors must inform contractors and other outside groups of hazards, chemicals, and emergency plans in their work area so that contractors and others in charge may help ensure protection for their workers.
• Contact the Environmental Health Safety & Emergency Managment Office at Extension 4008 if you have questions or concerns about a safety or health policy or procedure.

Don'ts

• Wedge/prop open doors to stairways, landings, and other fire doors.
• Perform electrical repairs unless qualified to do so. Contact the Occupational Safety Manager at Extension 7649 to schedule electrical safety training (including lock-out/tag-out training). This also applies to employees who may be exposed to energized parts.
• Place, store items closer than 18 inches below sprinkler heads.
• Hang, suspend items from ceilings or drop ceiling tracks.
• Allow combustibles to accumulate in your work area.
• Dispose of chemicals, oil, or other hazardous materials in the sewer or normal trash receptacles.
• Transport injured or ill persons to medical treatment facilities in your private or state vehicle, unless you are specifically authorized to do so (e.g. Appalachian Police).

Note: Failure to comply with or enforce safety and health policies may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Violation of work rules is a job performance issue and shall be dealt with through the job performance disciplinary process.