Introduction
University Safety Policy states "Departments and units in laboratory disciplines will form internal safety committees".
Furthermore, the nature of the risks associated with maintenance and construction work merit at least one departmental committee in Facilities Operations and Development.
The purpose of this document is to put forth a model mandate for the operation of such committees.
DSC Annual Activity Report
The draft form to be used as a template for the annual activity report is available here as a Word document form.
Mandate
Authority
The Departmental Safety Committee is an advisory body that reports directly to the department chair or the unit director. Further, and according to University Safety Policy each departmental or unit safety committee should report to the equivalent faculty safety committee or to the University Health and Safety Committee.
Composition
The Departmental Safety Committee should include, at a minimum, 1 faculty representative, one technician, and one graduate student. Representatives from clerical and administrative staff may also be included. The department chair or unit director shall appoint the chair of the committee.
Mandate
- To oversee implementation of departmental health and safety requirements
- To advise the chair or unit director of any situations involving non-compliance with University or departmental health and safety policies and procedures
- To organize department health and safety activities, such as safety training and orientation sessions
- To ensure that policies and procedures are effectively communicated to members of the department
- To appoint a representative to the Faculty Health and Safety Committee, to report on activities of the department and to keep the Departmental Health and Safety Committee apprised of developments at the faculty level
- To receive and evaluate concerns, queries and complaints related to occupational health and safety issues from members of the department
- To receive and review reports of accidents, incidents, or occupational diseases in the Department and to recommend corrective measures
- To facilitate the process of pro-active hazard identification by way of regular workplace inspections and reviews of safety procedures
- To recommend and develop other suitable measures to ensure a healthful and safe environment that best meet the needs of the department, for example the appointment of safety officers for particular areas or projects, and peer-reviewed certification processes for research projects
- To submit an annual report of its activities to the department chair or unit director and to the University Laboratory Safety Committee.
Department/Unit Safety Committee List
The following document contains a listing of ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s Department and Unit Safety Committees, along with the names of the current safety committee chairpersons:
Unit Safety Committee Chairpersons- Updated December 06, 2024
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