The University of Dayton strives to provide facilities, equipment and training that will minimize risk to its employees, the general public, the environment and campus property. To do this, the environmental safety office (ESO) has programs to address the issues of safety, industrial hygiene, security, emergency preparedness, and environmental protection. Therefore, understanding of and adhering to the following safety guidelines will help all employees do their part to ensure a safe work environment.

            The environmental safety office (ESO) is available to assist all employees in carrying out their safety responsibilities. The office is located in the College Park Center (1529 Brown Street), ext. 4503. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Emergency notification can be made through public safety at ext. 2121. ESO’s Web site lists many safety and health programs and guidelines at http://campus.udayton.edu/~UDCampusPlanning/EnvironmentalHealth/SafetyHome.html.

            While only present in small quantities, a wide range of hazardous materials may be found at the University including carcinogenic, radioactive, flammable, corrosive, and explosive substances. Improper handling, use, and disposal of these hazardous materials may result in adverse health effects or contamination to the environment.

General Safety Rules

            The following general safety rules should be observed by all University employees. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action as described in this handbook.

A.        All work-related injuries/illnesses must be reported immediately to your supervisor and be properly treated.

B.        Good housekeeping is essential to a safe work environment. It is the responsibility of each employee to maintain their work area to reduce the potential for fires, injuries, illnesses, and other unwanted incidents. Clean your work area at the end of each work day. If it is not possible to complete a project before the conclusion of the work day, and the work site that must be left presents a potential hazard, barricade the area and place proper warning signs of the hazard.

C.        Access to the following must not be blocked:

1.   Fire alarms

2.   Fire equipment

3.   Fire doors

4.   Exits, stairways, corridors

5.   Safety showers

6.   Eye wash stations

7.   Walkways and roadways

8.   Electrical panels

D.      Clothing, shoes, gloves, etc., should be appropriate for the job, so as not to present a hazard to the employee.

E.      Only qualified personnel are to operate or repair machinery and equipment. Appropriate safety equipment (such as eye protection and hearing protection) is to be worn when and wherever it is indicated either by a warning placard or by the nature of the job as instructed by your supervisor.

G.     All guard and safety devices must be in place and operable before any equipment is operated.

H.     Materials such as certain pipe insulation, floor tile and other building materials which contain asbestos should not be disturbed or damaged.

I.       Chemical Spills

1. Small chemical spills with minimal exposure hazards to occupants may be cleaned up by laboratory personnel - CAUTION: Always evaluate the risk of the material.

2. Large quantity spills or small quantity highly toxic chemical spills that require special equipment and/or specialized training should be cleaned up by the ESO. Notification should be made to public safety for additional safety and security measures.

3. Chemical spills may require notification of the incident to State or Federal agencies. An "Incident and Hazard Report Form" must be completed and forwarded to the ESO. Forms may be obtained from the ESO.

If you have any doubt about how a spill should be cared for contact the environmental safety office, (ext. 4503).

J.      Waste Disposal

1. Chemicals are to be disposed of according to specific procedures found on the Chemicals Material Data Safety Sheet.

2. Solvents, flammable liquids, toxic materials are not to be poured or flushed down sewers or drains.

3. Strict EPA regulations prohibit dumping anything into an outdoor storm drain.

4. Glass is not to be placed in wastebaskets.  Broken glass that is contaminated with chemicals cannot be recycled.  Put this waste in an appropriately labeled container. Glassware contaminated with a hazardous material (a broken mercury thermometer, for example) must be treated as a hazardous waste.

5. A "Hazardous Waste Disposal Form" must be submitted to the ESO for approval, prior to pick up by the ESO. These forms may be obtained in the ESO.

K.     When handling chemicals or equipment containing chemicals, safe handling or removal must be considered before use. All persons who handle chemicals must have Hazard Communication Training. In addition, laboratory workers must be trained in the Laboratory Chemical Hygiene Plan. All training is conducted by the ESO. Arrangements for training may be made by contacting the ESO.

L.      Eating and/or drinking is permitted in lunchrooms, food service areas, break rooms and other areas that are free from, and physically isolated from, chemical exposure. No food or drink may be stored in refrigerators designed for storage of chemicals or laboratory materials.

M.     All containers are required to be labeled. Labels on all containers of potentially hazardous materials should include warning information about these hazards. The environmental safety office can answer any specific questions about property labeling requirements.

Federal, State, and Local Regulations

            The following is a list of federal, state, and local regulations that are adhered to by the University and its employees. Copies of these regulations and/or written safety policies that comply with these regulations may be obtained through ESO.

 Occupational Safety and Health Administration - OSHA (Federal)

1. Hazard Communication Standard

2. Laboratory Safety Standard

3. General Duty Clause

4. Machine Use and Guarding

5. Electrical Safety - Lock-out/Tag out

6. Welding/Hot Work

7. Compressed Gas

8. Fork Lift Safety

9. Blood borne Pathogens Standard

10. Asbestos Control Program

11. Laser Safety Standard

 Ohio Department of Health & Nuclear Regulatory Commission

1. Radiation Safety Program

Environmental Protection Agency - EPA - (Federal, State)

1. Hazardous Waste Program

2. Storm Water Discharge

3. Asbestos Control Program

4. Clean Air Act

5. RCRA - Resources Conservation Recovery Act

 Local Regulatory Agencies

1. Dayton Fire Department

2. Dayton Water Authority

3. Miami Valley Regional Conservancy

4. Dayton Wastewater Treatment Department

5. Regional Air Pollution Control Agency - RAPCA

Employee Information and Training

            Federal law guarantees employees the right-to-know what hazardous materials are found in their workplace. The University complies with this law through its environmental safety office (ESO). This office keeps a record of all known hazardous materials on campus and their location. You may come to the ESO to inquire about any hazardous substance on campus and to familiarize yourself with it by reading the Material Safety Data Sheet, or MSDS. The MSDS contains information about the physical characteristics, hazard and health effects of the material, waste disposal guidelines, and personal protective equipment needed to work safely with the material. These MSDS's are routinely available for consultation, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Emergency requests for a MSDS during other times can be made through the public safety office (ext. 2121/911) who will contact the environmental safety administrator.

            In addition to this general information, the University, through the environmental safety office, will offer specific safety training programs. For certain positions, federal law and/or University policy may require that an employee receive appropriate safety training. Attendance at such training sessions is a serious obligation. Failure to receive mandatory training may require the University to prohibit an employee from reporting to the workplace. In addition to specialized training, sessions of general interest will be advertised to the whole University community. You are encouraged to contact the environmental safety administrator for further information on training available or to request assistance with designing safety training for your workplace. A listing of available training can be found on the ESO webpage: http://campus.udayton.edu/~UDCampusPlanning/EnvironmentalHealth/SafetyHome.html.