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POLICY 08:18:02

HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN

Employee Safety Guide 

Introduction 

Welcome to Pellissippi State Community College. The skills and talents you bring to Pellissippi State are vital to our mission of education, and providing service to our community, region, and state. One of the keys to accomplishing that mission is to ensure that we maintain a safe and healthy campus environment. 

This Employee Safety Handbook is intended for Pellissippi State Community College employees, full-time and part-time, regular and temporary, faculty and staff, and student workers. The Handbook has been developed to provide employees with answers to general questions concerning health and safety in the workplace. It is important, however, that you and your supervisor discuss site-specific safety policies and programs for your department. Your supervisor must inform you of the safety procedures and required training you will need to do your job. The college’s policies, procedures, manuals, and many other safety resources may be found on the college’s Campus Police web site, (http://www.pstcc.edu/police) and Environmental Health and Safety web site (http://www.pstcc.edu/ehs/index.php). You may also ask your immediate supervisor for help in clarifying policies and procedures for your area. 

Background 

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was enacted in an effort to improve the overall working environment and to provide every working person in the nation with safe and healthy working conditions. This Act provided an opportunity for the various states to develop their own Occupational Safety and Health Programs. In Tennessee this was accomplished by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972, administered by the Tennessee Department of Labor. Pellissippi State Community College, as a state institute of higher education, is administered by the Public Sector Programs Department. They may be contacted at 800-249-8510. 

Health and Safety Policy 

Pellissippi State Community College strives to provide a safe and healthful working and learning environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The college strives to play a leadership role in its environmental stewardship, health protection, safety standards and in its compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The achievement of these goals is an objective for departments at all levels of the institution. Employees and students are expected to be supportive of these goals in their college activities.  This plan shall be reviewed, and revised as needed, on an annual basis. 

Health and Safety Responsibilities 

Good environmental health and safety practices are a responsibility of all Pellissippi State Community College employees. The participation and cooperation of  each person is essential to a smooth and effective program. 

Employee Responsibilities 

  • Your responsibilities as a Pellissippi State Community College employee include: Following all health and safety rules and procedures; 
  • Reporting hazardous conditions to your supervisor; 
  • Wearing or using prescribed protective equipment; 
  • Reporting any job-related injury or illness to your supervisor and seeking treatment promptly; and 
  • Refraining from the operation of any equipment without both proper instruction and authorization. 

Supervisor Responsibilities 

Each supervisor is responsible for providing a working environment free from recognized health and safety hazards. Specific safety responsibilities of supervisors include: 

  • informing new employees of their health and safety responsibilities, procedures, rules and regulations; 
  • assuring that required equipment and personal protective devices are provided, maintained, and used; 
  • taking prompt action when unsafe acts or conditions are reported or noted; providing for health and safety training and education on a continuing basis; investigating and reporting all on-the-job accidents promptly and requesting medical treatment if necessary; 
  • investigating and reporting all job-related health or safety problems promptly; coordinating or conducting internal inspections to assure safe and healthful working conditions; 
  • requesting the assistance of the next higher level of supervision regarding budget requests for any health and safety improvements needed; and 
  • ensuring their employees are aware of their rights under the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972. The State of Tennessee Public Employee, Safety and Health Protection on the Job poster is the authorized  means of providing this information. This poster may be found outside the Human Resources office in the Goins Building, the Physical Plant building bulletin board, and at the college’s branch campuses. 

Department Head’s Responsibilities 

Deans, Directors, Coordinators, and other heads of academic and administrative units have primary responsibility for: 

  • The health and safety of their staff and students; Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; 
  • Obtaining and providing funds needed for health and safety improvements and 
  • for making those improvements; 
  • Requirements and responsibilities established by agencies external to the college. 

Office of the Director of Facilities 

The Director of Facilities, with the Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Manager, are responsible for development, oversight, and management of environmental health and safety programs that protect the environment, provide safe and healthy conditions for work and study, and comply with applicable laws and regulations. 

The director’s office can provide educational programs, technical assistance, and health and safety services to the college community. The office also functions as a consultant to deans, directors, and heads of academic and administrative units, other staff members, and students in all areas of environmental health and safety. The director’s office makes health and safety investigations as necessary. 

Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Manager 

The Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Manager is responsible for: 

  • Ensuring compliance with all EPA/TDEC/OSHA/TOSHA/NFPA/ADA/ DOT related laws and regulations 
  • Coordinating/supervising all monitoring, auditing, testing, and inspections required by the EPA, TDEC, OSHA, TOSHA, NFPA, and State Fire and Elevator inspectors 
  • Preparing, conducting, and/or coordinating all EPA, TDEC, OSHA, TOSHA,  and NFPA required training, exercises, and drills 
  • Generating, preparing, and submitting all necessary reports to the appropriate agencies 
  • Managing all hazardous, biologic, and chemical waste reduction and  abatement efforts 
  • Ensuring proper handling, collection, storage, labeling, and recycling/disposal  of all hazardous, biologic, and chemical wastes 
  • Developing and implementing appropriate plans, policies, and procedures including, but not limited to Chemical Hygiene Plan, Bloodborne Pathogens Program, Hazard Communication Plan, Safety Data Sheet Access, Emergency Preparedness Plans and general Life Safety Plans 
  • Organizing and providing leadership of the colleges’ Health and Safety committee 

Regular audits will be performed to verify compliance with established procedures and regulations. Corrective actions will be developed to move into and to maintain  compliance. 

The Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Manager will work with the Director  of  Facilities, the Chief of Police, the Deans, the Campus Directors, and the faculty  and staff to ensure every location has safe working conditions, that employees  perform safe work actions, and that all students and visitors are safe at all times. 

College Safety Committee 

The College Safety Committee is responsible for: 

  • Recommending policies and programs to insure a safe environment for students, staff, faculty, and visitors on campus; 
  • Monitoring the campus to ensure that college safety policies, procedures, and facilities are in compliance with applicable, state, and/or local code requirements; Reviewing, evaluating, and recommending for approval departmental Emergency Response plans. 

The Committee reports to the President and consists of the following Safety Practices 

  • College President  
  • Fine Arts faculty member 
  • Director of Facilities  
  • Nursing faculty member 
  • Environmental, Health and Emergency Management 
  • Safety Compliance Manager  
  • Services faculty member 
  • Chief of Campus Police  
  • Mathematics and Sciences faculty member 
  • Director of Human Resources  
  • Director of Internal Audit  
  • One maintenance employee 

Communication of Hazards in the Workplace 

Faculty, staff, and students must be informed of any recognized hazards in their workplace. It is the responsibility of supervisors to provide adequate  health  and safety orientation related to standard operating procedures, hazards, and personal protective equipment. You should receive this orientation prior to working in the area. 

 

Please make sure you understand all information presented at the orientation. If you have any language barriers, please explain these to your supervisor. Your supervisor must ensure that all applicable policies affecting your work place are readily available. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

Faculty, staff, and students may be required to wear PPE while performing their jobs, i.e., welding, painting, hammering, etc. or when they are in certain environments (for example, chemical laboratories). Your supervisor will tell you the specific PPE you must wear and ensure that you know when it must be worn. 

The following is a general guide for selecting what PPE may be necessary. 

Eye and Face Protection 

Proper eye protection reduces your chances of eye injury and reduces the severity of an injury should an accident occur. Most workers who have had eye injuries were not wearing eye protection. 

All eye and face protective equipment must comply with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines and be marked directly on the piece of equipment. Protective eye wear includes safety glasses, goggles and face shields. 

Operations listed below are a few examples where eye and face protection should be used: 

  • Handling acids or caustics  
  • Metal casting  
  • Welding  
  • Handling solvents  
  • Woodworking, i.e., sawing, drilling, sanding, etc. 
  • High pressure washing  
  • Handling human tissue, blood, or other bodily fluids  
  • Metal working  
  • Chiseling  
  • Using Lasers 

Chemical Hazards – To protect the eyes and face from splash when handling bodily fluids, using or dispensing corrosive liquids, non-vented chemical goggles or safety glasses with side shields and full-face shield offer the best protection. Safety glasses are the minimum protection recommended of all operations involving hazardous chemicals. 

Physical Hazards – When using high-pressure cleaning or spray equipment, safety glasses with side shields and full-face shields are the recommended PPE. 

Those  work  activities  that  produce  chips or dust as grinding/drilling, power fastening, or power tools   safety glasses with side shields as a minimum protection level and in some instances may also require the use of a full-face shield. 

Welding – Welding operations require a full welding hood with the appropriate tinted vision screen. Safety glasses with side shields are also required to be worn under the hood. When doing acetylene oxygen torch soldering, brazing, or  cutting,  appropriately tinted safety glasses with side shields or tinted goggles are the appropriate PPE. 

Hand/Arm and Body Protection 

Almost 75% of workers who suffered hand injuries were not wearing gloves. Although no glove will offer you total protection from every hazard, wearing the correct glove  will help you prevent hand injury. Make sure the glove(s) you use in your work area are designed to protect against the particular hazard(s) that have been identified. 

The following are general guidelines in selecting and using gloves: 

  • Use metal mesh or cut resistant gloves to prevent cuts from broken glassware, knives, or other sharp objects 
  • Use leather gloves when repetitive motions are involved to prevent blisters, calluses, and abrasions. Leather gloves also protect against rough surfaces, sparks, and moderate heat 
  • Use cotton or other fabric gloves to protect against dirt and dust, or to better grasp slippery objects 
  • Use rubber, neoprene, vinyl, or nitrile gloves to protect against chemicals Workers who are sensitive to natural rubber latex should avoid direct contact with latex gloves and other rubber products 
  • Check gloves before wearing to make sure they’re not cracked, torn, or damaged in any way 
  • Make sure gloves fit properly. They should cover your hands completely and  be comfortable enough for you to perform your job 
  • Take   care   to   avoid   contamination not let your bare skin touch contaminated gloves 
  • Dispose of single-use gloves in the proper containers 

When using hazardous chemicals, specialized gloves offering protection for specific chemical families, a laboratory coat, and at times a splash apron are the appropriate PPE. 

Insulated gloves and arm sleeve covers are recommended when handling hot or cold materials. 

Head and Foot Protection 

Occasions may develop during the work day or job duty when the use of a hard hat or other head protection and foot protection is necessary. All hard hats or safety shoes must meet the requirements for protection outlined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). 

Hearing Protection 

If you work in areas or on specific job tasks that have been designated as requiring hearing protection, you must wear approved protective equipment. Personal stereos (Walkman’s, I-pods, etc.) are not considered approved hearing protection. If you have questions about high noise levels in your work area, you should ask your supervisor or contact the Pellissippi State Environmental Health and Safety Office for more information.

Respiratory Protection 

Some employees are required to wear respirators for specific job duties. Respirators include air-purifying negative-pressure respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, supplied-air respirators, and other such devices. If you wear one of these respirators, you must have a physical exam and you must be fit, tested, and trained before using it on your job. Dust masks do not require any special training or considerations. 

Documentation 

Supervisors are responsible for maintaining written copies of safety programs and employee training documentation. Copies of all training documents will be stored in the office of the Secretary of the Director of Facilities. This documentation is a requirement of most regulatory standards. Regulatory agencies may ask to see these documents during an inspection. 

Training 

You may be required to attend in-house training sessions on such topics as blood borne pathogens, hazard communication, hazardous waste, or laboratory safety. Supervisors of affected employees should exercise a measure of accommodation for those needing training. A checklist to help you understand which Health and Safety training programs may apply to you can be found on page 11. 

In some cases, supervisors may conduct specialized training sessions (e.g., forklift operation and safety). Supervisors can contact the Director of Facilities, the Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Manager, or the Pellissippi Campus Police Department for information or assistance in preparing training materials. 

  • Training should be  provided: when an employee is hired; 
  • when an employee is given a new work assignment for which training has not 
  • previously been given; and 
  • when a new hazard (chemical or physical) is introduced into the workplace At a minimum, health and safety training for employees must include: 
  • Right to Know and right to Understand training (chemical hazards, labeling, Safety Data Sheets and how to use chemicals safely); 
  • general and job-specific health and safety practices; and 
  • Federal and State regulations and Pellissippi State health and safety policies applicable to the job. 

 General Safety Rules 

  • All classrooms, laboratories, offices, shops, storerooms, and passageways will be kept orderly and free from unnecessary debris 
  • Floors will be cleaned and waxed in such a manner as to keep  slipping hazards to a minimum 
  • Flammable liquids will not be used to clean floors, clothing or equipment.  Trash containers in classrooms, laboratories, shops and other work areas will be emptied each working day, preferably at the end of normal working hours,  or thereafter 
  • Furnace, mechanical, and air handling rooms will not be used as storage  areas 
  • Worktables, stools, benches, tools and equipment will be maintained in good repair 
  • Electrical and mechanical equipment will have moving parts adequately guarded 
  • All electrical equipment will be properly grounded 
  • Appropriate personal protective equipment and/or clothing will be worn in all areas and/or during operations requiring such use 
  • Unauthorized persons will not tamper with electrical panels, alter existing wiring, or install new electrical wiring 
  • Electrical cords will be maintained in good condition 
  • Extension cords must be the types that contain a built-in overload circuit breaker, they must not be extended and used outside the room in which the fixture outlet is located, and must not be located in such a manner as to create a tripping hazard. Where cords must be placed across paths of travel, cord covers must be used 

Safe Handling of Laboratory Glassware 

Supervisors, in departments that use glassware, must develop procedures to handle all glassware safely and ensure that all employees and/or students are informed of these procedures. Areas that should be addressed include: 

  • glassware inspection compatibility factors 
  • effects of extreme temperatures and pressure matching glassware to its intended use 
  • use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 
  • Storage and handling washing and clean-up assembling apparatus 
  • safe disposal of broken or disposable glassware 

Emergency Preparedness Procedures 

The establishment of well-developed emergency plans is one of the cornerstones of an effective safety program. Evaluating potential emergency situations, developing emergency procedures, and conducting practice exercises can help save lives.  Detailed instruction regarding emergency procedures may be found in the Pellissippi State Community College Emergency Preparedness Plan. 

 

A Pellissippi State Community College Emergency Desk Reference has been prepared and distributed to all employees. The desk reference, which should be kept readily available in your work area, provides useful information pertaining to severe weather, fire, bomb threats, and other potential situations.

You should become familiar with the posted evacuation plans and how you should respond to a fire or other emergency in your building. Be prepared to evacuate the building if necessary. 

When the Fire Alarm Sounds 

If you are in any Pellissippi State Community College building and discover a fire, please take the following actions: 

 

  • Leave the area quickly, closing doors as you go to contain the fire and smoke Pull the nearest fire alarm pull station and notify the Pellissippi State Campus Police Department (865-694-6649) or call 911 
  • Proceed to the nearest building exit and move to an area at least 300 feet away from the building 
  • If you encounter smoke or flame during your escape, use an alternative exit. If you must exit through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees 
  • Do not re-enter the building until emergency response officials have declared that it is safe to do so by issuing an All Clear notice. 

In the event of a serious injury requiring immediate medical assistance or any other emergency, remain calm. From a campus phone you can call the Pellissippi State Campus Police at 6649 or 911 directly. Notify the dispatcher of the type and location of the emergency. Answer any questions the dispatcher may have and stay on the line until released by the dispatcher. If you call 911 from your cell phone, please contact the Pellissippi State Campus Police office at 694-6649 to inform them of the emergency also. 

Employee Accidents 

You must report all work-related accidents, injuries, or illnesses to your supervisor. If an injury or illness requires medical attention, supervisors must report them to Human Resources in the Goins Building and the Environmental Health & Safety Compliance Manager in Facilities. A State of Tennessee Division of Claims Accident Report must be filled out and filed within 24 hours of the incident. A supplemental report may also need to be completed by the Pellissippi State Campus Police Department office. 

The State of Tennessee Division of Claims Accident Report is available at the Human Resources office in the Goins Building or from your departmental secretary. 

Student or Visitor Accidents 

Any faculty or staff member who witnesses, is involved in, or is informed of an accident with a student or visitor should immediately report the accident to the Pellissippi State Campus Police Department at 694-6649. 

Automobile Accidents 

All vehicle accidents occurring on campus will be reported to the Pellissippi State Campus Police Department at 694-6649. The Pellissippi State Campus Police office will notify other offices or officials as appropriate. All accidents involving State vehicles must be reported whether or not injuries are involved. 

Health and Safety Programs 

Health and Safety Programs Statement of Understanding 

The office of Environmental, Health & Safety has developed a number of programs to help provide for the health and safety of college employees. Many of these programs are mandatory to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Following are some of the programs and safety manuals available: 

  • Emergency Action Plan Fire Prevention Plan  
  • Bloodborne Pathogens Program Hazard Communication Program Chemical Hygiene Plan Lockout/Tagout/Tryout Program  
  • Personal Protective Equipment Program Mobile Equipment Program 

For copies of these manuals or programs, contact the Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Manager. 

A copy of the Employee Safety Guide has been given to me at the time of my employment. I have read the contents and been given an explanation of any parts that   I   do   not   understand. The Employee Safety Guide describes  important information about  Pellissippi  State Community College, and I understand that I should consult the Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Manager, the Pellissippi State Campus Police Department, or my supervisor regarding any questions not answered in this Handbook.  

Since the information, policies and procedures described here are subject to change, I acknowledge that revisions to the Guide may occur. 

Signature:   _________________________________________                                       Date:   __________

 

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, February 11, 2002
Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Staff, April 5, 2010
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, April 5, 2010
Revised by Environmental Safety and Compliance Manager 2018
Reviewed by Environmental Safety and Compliance Manager 2021
Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Council, March 28, 2022
Approved: President L. Anthony Wise Jr., March 28, 2022