Emergency & Safety Resources

All our new employees, including those that are permanent, temporary, or part-time, must receive instruction for the following:

• Reporting procedures for fire, police, or medical emergencies.
• Evacuation procedures during an emergency.
• Location of fire alarm pull-stations and fire extinguishers (see Sieg Building floor plan). Employees using fire extinguishers must have previously received training.
• Procedures and forms for reporting all accidents and incidents to their supervisors and completing a written online report using OARS.
• Procedures for reporting unsafe conditions or acts to their supervisors, and, when possible, taking action to correct unsafe conditions.
• Exact location of first-aid kits and identification of first-aid certified employees.
• Description of UW and departmental Hazard Communication Program.
• Identification and explanation of all warning signs and labels used in their work area.
• Use and care of any personal protective equipment they are required to use.
• Description of safety training they will be required to attend for their job.

Accident and injury reporting

Work-related incidents are tracked and investigated so that preventative measures can be implemented. The information contained in the reports is essential to maintain successful safety programs. The facts are necessary to develop procedures that can control both the conditions and acts that contribute to incidents. Reporting is also required to help the University meet its compliance responsibilities set by federal, state, and funding agencies.

a. Medical Emergencies

All medical emergencies must be reported to the nearest Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Call 911 to reach UW police when there is an emergency medical need.

b. Report form to supervisor and EH&S

All accidents and near misses must be reported to the employee's supervisor and EH&S as soon as possible. Near misses are valuable opportunities to correct unsafe situations, which under slightly different circumstances, would result in serious injury. A report may be filled out by the employee, the supervisor, or both, using the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS).

Copies of HCDE's completed forms are distributed to the HCDE Administrator. Forms are retained at HCDE for 3 years, and at EH&S for ten years.

c. Investigation

All accidents and near accidents must be investigated by the supervisor who then summarizes the details and corrective measures in the above report. EH&S and the department's organizational safety committee (Group 9) review the report. Assistance from EH&S is available by calling 543-7388.

Safety Problems: Reporting and Resolving

Employees are encouraged to report safety concerns to their supervisor. If employees do not feel they can do this, or have done so and do not feel the problem has been resolved, they may discuss the situation directly with their safety coordinator or safety committee representative. Assistance from EH&S is available, if needed, to resolve a problem. Safety problems may be reported online using OARS as you do for accidents/incidents.

Safety discussions are standing items at monthly faculty and staff meetings. Minutes of COE Group 9 Safety meetings can be found here.

Scope

The policies and procedures described in this Health & Safety Plan apply to the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE), College of Engineering (COE), University of Washington, at the following locations on the Seattle UW campus:

Policy

It is the policy of the University of Washington to create and maintain a safe and healthful work place free from recognized hazards that may cause harm to faculty, employees, students, and visitors. This policy is consistent with the University-wide Health and Safety policy (UW OPS 10.3) and applicable Washington Industrial Health and Safety Act (WISHA) regulations (WAC 296-24 and 296-62).

Responsibilities

Responsibility for safety programs and safety performance lies with the Dean, Director, Department Chairs and Supervisors. Everyone with supervisory responsibility is expected to participate directly in assuring that safe working conditions are maintained. Supervisors provide training for accident prevention, as necessary, for those working under their direction. Responsibility cannot be transferred or delegated.

Compliance

HCDE requires all employees to comply with health and safety regulations, departmental policies and procedures that apply to their own conduct on the job, and to report accidents, injuries, and unsafe conditions to their supervisor, and to correct unsafe conditions when feasible (e.g., wiping up small spills and removing tripping hazards).

Safety Coordinator

HCDE designates one individual to serve as Safety Coordinator for our department. Sarah Coppola is the current Safety Coordinator and can be reached at scoppola@uw.edu. 

The Safety Coordinator has been given adequate authority to carry out the following responsibilities:

• Promoting this Health and Safety Plan in our organization;
• Updating this Plan, at least annually;
• Scheduling employee safety training requested by supervisors;
• Coordinating with Environmental Health & Safety;
• Provide assistance to supervisors and employees to resolve safety complaints;
• Keeping safety bulletin boards current;
• Maintaining safety records; and
• Keeping the department chair aware of current safety concerns.

Health & Safety Committees at three organizational levels help determine unsafe conditions and procedures, suggest corrective measures, and obtain the participation of all UW personnel. At the organizational and University-wide levels, fifty percent (or more) of the representatives are elected by employees and fifty percent (or less) are appointed by management. Safety issues may originate at any level. Health & Safety Committees are required by Washington State regulation (WAC 296-800-14005). A listing of committees and current members may be found at the EH&S web-site (click on Safety Committees).

Department Health and Safety Teams

Departmental Health & Safety Teams deal with "front line" issues. Large departments may especially benefit from this centralized approach to health and safety issues. In addition to providing a pathway for communication between different sections, committees involve employees in the process of identifying and resolving safety issues. HCDE does not have a formal health and safety committee. Instead, health and safety issues are discussed in staff meetings (see section B.6).

Organizational Health and Safety Committees

The University system is divided into eleven organizational groupings, each one represented by an Organizational Health and Safety Committee. This committee deals with issues the members may have in common but can handle more effectively together. Each elected member represents all organizational units of the group, including their own. Unresolved issues may be referred to this committee from departmental committees. Our department is represented on the Group # 9, College of Engineering Organizational Health & Safety Committee.

University-wide Health and Safety Committee

In addition, to provide consistency and oversight, a University-wide Health and Safety Committee has been established. Its members come from the official organizational committees. Safety issues referred to this level are relevant to the entire University community. Stacia Green (greens6@uw.edu) currently represents us on the Group # 9 Organizational Health & Safety Committee; Alexander Lefort (aalefort@cs.washington.edu, January 2021 – present) is the Group’s chair. Minutes of Group #9's monthly committee meetings can be found here.

Boards

Our departmental safety bulletin board is used for posting WISHA posters, safety notices, safety newsletters, safety committee minutes, training schedules, safety posters, accident statistics, and other safety education material. It is located above the copy machine in Sieg Building, room 422, where all employees, students, and visitors can see it (WAC 296-800-19005).

Documentation and Follow-up:

1.  Record-Keeping

To meet State requirements, our department maintains records of safety activities for varying lengths of time depending upon the type of record, and is able to produce them when requested by EH&S or L&I.

HCDE Records created by Health and Safety Plan & Location:

New Employee Safety Orientation

• Personnel File Cabinet

Employee Safety Training (CPR, First Aid, Earthquake preparedness, etc.)

• HCDE Office/Fiscal Specialist/Health & Safety Plan
• Personnel File Cabinet (printed)

Accident/Incident reports

• Administrator File

Office Inspection dates/forms

• Health & Safety Binder

Workplace inspection dates/forms

• Health & Safety Binder

2.   Updates

This Plan is a "living document," it reflects the department's current safety program and its current responsible parties. Periodic updates, at least annually, are necessary to ensure this.