Safety

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POLICY NO: 2000
EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/23/99
REVISED DATE: 01/13/10
REVIEWED DATE: 12/02/09

Basis of Policy

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents requires that the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) develop and implement an effective written injury and illness prevention program which promotes occupational safety and health practices and strives to reduce work-related accidents and injuries on campus. In addition, UNMC's injury and illness prevention program complies with applicable federal regulations, the Revised Statutes of Nebraska and the rules and regulations promulgated by the State of Nebraska Commissioner of Labor.

General Policy

It is the policy of UNMC to minimize the risk of injury to faculty, students, staff, patients and visitors, to promote illness prevention, and to protect university property.

Violence-Free Workplace Policy

It is the policy of UNMC to prohibit violence or threats of violence on campus or at campus-sponsored events against members of the university community or university property or by members of the university community against other persons or property and to strictly enforce applicable federal and state laws. For the purposes of this policy, violence and threats of violence include, but are not limited to:

• any act that is physically assaultive; or
• any threat, behavior or action which could be interpreted by a reasonable person to carry the potential:
• to harm or endanger the safety of others;
• to result in an act of aggression; or
• to destroy or damage property.

Anyone who commits a violent act or threatens to commit a violent act toward other persons or property on campus or at campus-sponsored events will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment, refusal to provide treatment or services, or expulsion from the university, exclusive of any civil and/or criminal penalties that may be pursued, as appropriate.

It is the responsibility of every administrator, faculty member, staff member, and student to take any threat or violent act seriously, and to report acts or threats of violence to the appropriate authorities. UNMC has established a Threat Assessment Team to evaluate reported threats. The team can be activated by calling Campus Security at 559-5111.

Incident/Accident Reporting Policy

It is the policy of UNMC that there be written reports of all unusual incidents to provide prompt, complete and accurate documentation of the details related to an incident in order to: assure continuous quality improvement, identify trends or potential problems, document occurrences to assess liability, process any necessary insurance claims, and provide the information necessary to carry out corrective action and develop programs for prevention. The following forms need to be completed for incidents and accidents:

• A Confidential Report of Occurrence form should be completed by the employee anytime there is an occurrence that could have or did result in an injury or damage to property.
• A First Report of Incident Form will need to be completed and signed by the supervisor with input from the employee.
• Employee Health or the Worker's Compensation carrier may request that a Choice of Doctor's Form 50 (English) (Spanish) form be completed.

Safety Education

All faculty, staff and students are required to have a basic understanding of the safety program and their role in emergency response. Mandatory on-line safety training is available on Blackboard and includes information about the safety program and emergency procedures. Safety information is also provided as a part of the New Employee Orientation program. Annually all faculty, staff and students must review course content and successfully complete the appropriate competency assessment.

There are three different safety competency modules. Individuals should complete the module that best fits the environment they work in:

• Medical Safety - for those that have patient contact or work in an area where there are patients, including UNMC students.
• Laboratory Safety - for those who work in a lab.
• General Safety - for everyone who does not work in a lab or an area where there are patients.

Scoring: A score of 18 out of 20 points or 90 percent on the post test is required to successfully complete a course.

Content: The orientation program and safety competency courses* include information about the following safety-related topics:

• General Safety
• Emergency Preparedness
• Radiation Safety
• Hazardous Materials
• Biohazardous Waste
• Universal Waste
• Infection Control
• Utility Management
• Medical Equipment
• Other Information as needed

*Courses only contain the modules that are related to the work/functions of those taking the course.

Those working with formalin or formaldehyde must complete a specific module related to these chemicals. Other Safety Training programs and educational material will be developed as needed.

Recordkeeping: Information is automatically recorded in ESS for those taking the test through Blackboard. For those using the printed materials the employee's answer sheets should be scored and recorded in ESS on-line by the department compliance training coordinator. Department managers will be accountable for maintaining attendance records for all safety-related programs.

Department-Specific Orientation and Training: All new employees will be oriented to safety practices and emergency procedures specific to their department and position within the first two weeks of employment and reviewed annually thereafter. The department-specific orientation will include:

• General Safety (i.e., hazardous operations or procedures, specialized equipment, sharps, electrical safety)
• Hazardous Materials (Location of the Material Safety Data Sheets [MSDS])
• Department Specific Emergency Procedures (fire safety - exits, designated meeting place outside the building, severe weather shelters, specific duties during disasters, essential staffing condition)

Evaluation: Safety will conduct an annual review of the safety education program to evaluate the effectiveness. Content of the safety programs will be determined by the needs of the institution, accreditation organizations, industry standards and regulatory agency requirements. The results will be reported to the Safety Leadership Team.

Procedures

For information related to emergency procedures refer to the Emergency Procedures Manual which is posted in buildings and also on line. Procedures have been established to address other safety related issues. They include the following:

• Bloodborne Pathogens
• Children in the Workplace
• Confined Space Entry
• Deadly Weapons
• Decorative Material and Furnishings
• Eye Protection Selection and Use
• Fire Prevention in Cutting and Welding Processes
• Pets in the Workplace
• Portable Space Heaters
• Prevention and Management of Latex Sensitivity
• Power Lockout (Lockout/Tag Out of Energized Equipment)
• Shipment of Hazardous Materials or Dangerous Goods
• Telephone System Failure (see page 14 of the Telecom Information section of the online telephone directory)
• Threat Assessment Team
• Waste Handling and Disposal

For more detailed information, contact the Safety Manager

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