Rights and Responsibilities

The EHSO is the guiding authority at OU for safety and health issues.

The EHSO is responsible for:

• Auditing campus compliance
• Conducting training, maintaining training files, and assisting with departmental training programs
• Providing technical assistance, including SDSs to personnel departments
• Maintaining the master chemical inventory and storing employee exposure data for at least 40 years
• Providing chemical information to OU Police or Campus Security and local fire departments
• Reviewing accident and injury reports and determining the appropriate response action
• Reviewing employee-reported unsafe or unsure conditions, determining the appropriate response action, and recommending corrective action where appropriate
• Submitting required permits, other environmental, occupational health and safety compliance reports, and documentation in a timely manner to the appropriate regulatory agency

In addition to these responsibilities, OSHA requires the University to maintain both employee exposure records and employee health records under several OSHA standards.

Deans/Chairs/Administrative Heads are responsible for ensuring that workplace supervisors are aware of the responsibilities and procedures contained in this document, and for providing administrative enforcement of this program.

For laboratory-related facilities, Laboratory Principal Investigators are responsible for( compliance may be facilitated by delegating tasks to a lab manager):

• Completing, maintaining, and submitting chemical inventory lists to the EHSO as required by this program
• Making SDSs available to laboratory employees as required by this program
• Ensuring that all laboratory employees receive safety training as required by this and other university safety or environmental policies or programs
• Ensuring that laboratory chemicals are properly labeled in accordance with this program
• Establishing an emergency call system.
• Ensuring names and off-duty telephone numbers/pager numbers of the individuals who will be responsible for management of hazardous materials or a spill should be posted on or near each piece of equipment in hallways and on the doors to each laboratory unit or storage room.

While supervisor responsibilities may vary depending on the type of work the employees perform, all supervisors are responsible for a safe environment in their work areas, including tasks such as:

• Complying with and enforcing university policy, observing all safety rules and regulations, and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when required
• Encouraging and actively supporting employee involvement in workplace safety
• Ensuring that appropriate safety equipment and PPE are provided in appropriate sizes and types, are readily available, and are in a usable condition
• Ensuring that employees use PPE properly, that employees demonstrate an ability to use PPE properly before allowing them to perform work requiring the use of PPE, and identifying and retraining employees whom the supervisor believes do not have the understanding and skill required to properly use the required PPE
• Assuring the availability, accuracy, and placement of all required labels, signs, or placards for their work areas
• Ensuring that all employees under their direction receive appropriate safety training as required by this policy and other OSHA or Oklahoma Department of Labor rules and regulations
• Assuming responsibility for visitors within their assigned areas, requiring that they follow the same rules as employees, and ensuring they are escorted or supervised at all times
• Reporting accidents and assisting with accident investigations
• Performing routine surveillance of assigned work areas to identify potential hazards and ensure compliance, and taking appropriate action if hazards are identified
• Ensuring that good housekeeping practices are maintained in assigned work areas

Employees have the right to a safe workplace and have the right to know; The identity of any hazardous chemicals or biological substances that an employee may use or have exposure to and the hazardous effects of these substances.

Employees are responsible for conducting work as described in this document, with specific responsibilities to include:

• Knowing the hazards of the hazardous chemicals that they use, and following established safe work practices.
• Properly labeling chemical containers in their workplaces, as described in this document.
• Attending required training.
• Planning and conducting operations in accordance with established procedures and good safety practices.
• Using personal protective equipment in accordance with prescribed training and established procedures for safe handling of hazardous chemicals
• Knowing how to access SDSs.
• Reporting any unsafe condition to your supervisor immediately
• Notifying your supervisor immediately in the event of any occupational illness, injury, chemical exposure, or accident