Environmental Safety Guidelines
Charge From The Board Of Regents Campus Environmental Safety Coordinator
The Board of Regents (BOR) created an Environmental Safety Office in 1994 due to a variety of factors and now expects each university in the system to have a Campus Environmental Safety Coordinator to do the following:
- Provide Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) guidance to the campus senior administration and to all departments by developing, reviewing, and implementing EHS policy and guiding principles
- Develop and maintain EHS programs on campus
- Track and remain up-to-date on regulatory changes and developments
- Provide leadership in building EHS programs by functioning as facilitator
- Serve as EHS liaison with BOR Environmental Safety Office by coordinating report submission and required data
- Arrange and conduct EHS training for campus personnel
- Promptly investigate potential EHS problems and issues and coordinate corrective action and follow-up
- Make EHS resources available to campus personnel
- Review proposed construction and renovation projects for potential EHS issues
- Conduct periodic inspections of campus laboratories and buildings to establish funding priorities or corrective action plans
- Assist the State Fire Marshall in fire safety
GSU Environmental Safety Guiding Principles
Georgia Southern University (GSU) follows the leadership of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in stating its strong commitment to the protection of the environment and human health in all of its operations. To fulfill this commitment, GSU recognizes that pro-active efforts must be taken to ensure that sound EHS planning must be integrated into every level of the GSU Administration decision-making.
Effective EHS performance is important to GSU in relationship with students, faculty, staff, legislators, regulatory agencies and the general public. To assist this institution in meeting the mandate of the Board of Regents' stated policy, the following guiding principles have been established. GSU shall:
- Comply with all applicable environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. In the absence of specific laws or regulations, good management practices shall be followed in order to avoid or reduce environmental risk;
- Develop, follow and continuously improve environmental, health and safety procedures and practices for all facilities, projects and operations in support of GSU Mission Statement;
- Perform periodic environmental, health and safety program reviews to correct deficiencies, establish goals and identify funding priorities;
- Designate the Director of Environmental Safety to be in charge of environmental, health and safety affairs for the institution. This individual shall be a key member of the team empowered to promote environmental, health and safety awareness among all faculty, staff and students and provide appropriate resources for training and program implementation;
- Design, construct and operate all facilities in a manner that protects human health, safety of the occupants and the environment. Environmental, health and safety considerations shall be an integral part of GSU master planning efforts;
- Practice pollution prevention and waste minimization by recycling all appropriate materials, purchasing recycled products, substituting less hazardous materials and establishing micro-scale chemistry operations;
- Recognize the interrelationship between energy and the environment and implement energy efficiency strategies, including purchasing / using alternative and clean-fueled vehicles, where appropriate;
- Work cooperatively with government, industry and other appropriate organizations in developing reasonable environmental, health and safety strategies, which promote sustainable development and continual environmental improvement in local communities.
- Environmental Safety Requirements
- The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - 40 CRF 460
- Hazard Communication Standard - 29 CFR 1910.1200
- Infectious Waste Notification - 40 CFR 60
- Underground / Above ground Storage Tanks - 40 CFR 280
- Bloodborne Pathogens - 29 CFR 1910.1030
- Air Quality / Air Emissions Controls - 40 CFR 40 - 50
- Laboratory Safety - 29 CFR 1910.1450
- The Lead Standard / Lead Safety - 40 CFR 745/29 CFR 1910.1025
- Asbestos Awareness - 29 CFR 1910.1001,1926, 40 CFR 760
- Pesticide Standard - 40 CFR 150
- Confined Space Entry Standard - 29 CFR 1910.146
- Radiation Safety Standard - 10 CFR 20
- Emergency Response Plan - 29 CFR 1910/40 CFR 260
- The Formaldehyde Rule - 29 CFR 1910.1048
- Lockout / Tagout Standard - 29 CFR 1910.147
- Machine Guarding - 29 CFR 1910.123
- General Office Safety - 29 CFR 1926.20
- Personal Protection - 29 CFR 1910.132 - 136
- Worker Safety - 29 CFR 1910
- Fire Protection / Fire Extinguishers - 29 CFR 1910.155-7
- Respiratory Protection - 29 CFR 1910.134
- SPCC Regulation - 40 CFR 112
- Universal Waste Regulations - 40 CFR 273
- Water Quality
- Environmental Management Programs to Meet the Requirements
In order to meet the above requirements, Environmental Safety will implement the following initiatives
- Hazardous waste management:
- Develop waste management program
- Provide waste jugs to generators
- Explain the plan to faculty
- Collect and transport waste to storage facility
- Segregate waste
- Test for pH and co-mingle certain waste
- Fax inventory to disposal companies for quotes
- Schedule pickup
- Maintain waste site weekly inspection log
- Conduct inspections
- Hazard Communication Standard (RTK)
- Revise Hazcom or RTK training
- Develop a lesson plan for New Employees
- Develop a lesson plan for Physical Plant Employees
- Develop a lesson plan for Office Employees
- Conduct training
- Maintain documentation
- Conduct inspections for MSDS compilation
- Biomedical or Infectious Waste Management
- Develop biomedical waste management program
- Explain the plan to faculty
- Segregate infectious waste from non-infectious waste
- Collaborate with Physical Plant to establish collection sites
- Find medical waste contractors
- Define who will pay for the disposal
- Study feasibility of site license depending on weekly waste amount
- Keep records
- Storage Tanks
- Update the location and size of tanks in service (Physical Plant will help)
- Obtain baseline leak test data for underground storage tanks
- Verify that UST have spill prevention and vapor containment from GEFA
- Keep monthly records for Title V compliance (Lynn Fail will help)
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Verify that staff involved in biohazardous activities know about Universal Precautions and Hepatitis B vaccination
- Title V (Control and Monitoring of Air Emissions)
- Review Title V Permit status for boilers, generators, etc.
- Determine if emissions must be updated annually for Minors
- If yes, update emission inventory
- Verify that Physical Plant has all necessary Permits to Install and to Operate
- Laboratory Safety
- Revise laboratory safety manuals for Chemistry and Biology
- Revise waste management in labs
- Revise fume hood inspection
- Revise laboratory inspections
- Conduct inspections
- Implement internet training and keep documentation
- Lead Standard
- Review present compliance to the standard
- Maintain records of surveyed buildings for paint
- Mention lead awareness during training
- Maintain records of drinking water tests
- Asbestos Awareness
- Review compliance to the standard
- Establish asbestos inspection protocol prior to construction projects
- Mention asbestos awareness during training
- Establish protocol for asbestos abatement
- Keep records
- Pesticide Awareness
- Review pesticide standard compliance
- Maintain records of licensed pesticide applicators (name and GA Number)
- Mention that during training
- Emphasize MSDS collection
- Confined Space Entry
- Review confined Space entry compliance
- Radiation Standard
- Review radiation compliance with the Radiation Safety Officer
- List sources, location, researchers and disposal company
- Mention that during training
- Emergency Response Plan
- Update Emergency Response Plan
- Review Emergency Response Plan with Public Safety and the local Fire Department
- Conduct drills with local agencies
- Lockout / Tagout Standard
- Review Lockout / Tagout procedures with Physical Plant
- Conduct refresher training with Electric Shop
- Assist Physical Plant in setting up and implementing the program
- General Office Safety
- Design Office Safety training session
- Conduct the training
- Personal Protection
- Establish a respiratory protection plan
- Establish a hearing protection plan
- Implement and monitor the plans
- Fire Protection
- Assist the Fire Marshall in building inspections
- Check all fire extinguishers
- Assist departments in relocating or adding fire extinguishers
- Create and maintain a bar code system for fire extinguishers
- Maintain Certificates of Occupancy
- Assist departments in building occupancy and egress point requirements
- Spill Prevention Containment and Countermeasures
- Review the SPCC plan
- Implement the plan through frequent inspections
- Indoor Air Quality
- Develop building inspection plans to check mold
- Document Asbestos abatement status
- Document Lead compliance status
- Assist Physical Plant in mold remediation
- Water Quality
- Verify storm water discharge points
- Verify presence of monitoring wells
- Verify the status of ponds, lakes, or rivers on campus
- Check for ground water monitoring wells
- Collaborate with regulatory agencies and local officials
- Environmental Evaluations
- Complete GEPA checklists and project evaluation forms before starting land disturbing activities or projects
- Complete standard EPD notification form before demolishing property
- Verify the non-existence of landfills, dump sites or buried debris on campus
