Ensuring that areas under their management comply with university, state and federal environmental and health policies, practices and programs;. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is dedicated to maintaining the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Biological Safety
Any questions or concerns regarding the use, storage, hazards and disposal of biological materials are welcome. Regularly scheduled training sessions are on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 8:30 am.
Biological and Infectious Waste
Infectious waste must be in leak-proof containers that have the biohazard symbol on them. Infectious sharps should be placed in a puncture-resistant container constructed of hard plastic with the biohazard symbol on it.
Hazardous (Chemical) Waste Disposal
Pack compatible materials in boxes with packing materials to prevent breakage during shipping. There is no cost to the waste disposal department except in unusual circumstances such as unlabelled, abandoned or packaged waste.
Waste Minimization and Recycling
Recover and reuse materials when feasible (eg, use spent solvent for initial rough cleaning and fresh solvent only for final rinsing); Desk bins and other office collection containers and collection services are available by contacting the CFS Call Center at 8-1900.
Fire Protection Services
Industrial Hygiene
Employees who have symptoms they believe are caused by their work environment should complete the Indoor Air Quality Questionnaire at ehs.iupui.edu/ehs/ indus_. Monitoring the employee's contact with a toxic substance or harmful physical agent during employment. Employees required to wear a respirator are subject to proficiency testing and training by EHS annually.
Before becoming fit, all employees must complete a medical evaluation questionnaire found at ehs.iupui.edu under Industrial Hygiene. Employees exposed to 85 decibels or more over an 8-hour time-weighted average must participate in the Hearing Conservation Program. Departments included in the hearing conservation program include: Campus Facility Services (CFS), Laboratory Animal Resource Center (LARC), Police Department, and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).
Accidents and injuries that occur on campus are investigated by EHS to determine the cause and make recommendations to prevent future accidents or injuries. Online or classroom training sessions are available on anesthetic gas safety, formaldehyde hazard communication, hearing conservation, mold awareness, respirators, personal protective equipment, ergonomics and hearing conservation.
Occupational Safety
Construction Safety Program
Radiation Safety
If your job requires you to work with radiation and/or radioactive materials, contact the Office of Radiation Safety to determine training and monitoring procedures before working with these machines or materials. For additional information, visit the Radiation Safety website at radsafe.iusm.iu.edu.
Laboratory Safety
To receive your free quarterly publication of LabNotes, visit ehs.iupui.edu to register. Laboratory safety surveys are conducted annually to determine the application of principles learned from laboratory safety publications and training. The Chemical Hygiene Plan is the written program of policies and procedures for the safe use of hazardous chemicals in a laboratory.
The purpose of the IUPUI Chemical Hygiene Plan is to define work practices and procedures that help protect laboratory workers at IUPUI from health and safety hazards associated with the hazardous chemicals they work with. The Laboratory Standard replaces the Hazard Communication Standard and applies to all employees involved in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals.
Laser Safety
Visit ehs.iupui.edu to complete the online laser safety course or view the laser safety handbook.
Office Safety
Home Safety
Ladder Safety
Large flat wooden planks secured under the ladder can level a ladder on uneven or soft ground. Do not place a ladder in front of a door that is not locked, blocked or guarded; Do not use a ladder for any purpose other than that for which it is intended;
Do not step on the top step or bucket rack or attempt to climb or stand on the back part of a stepladder.
Ergonomics
If signs and symptoms of ergonomic injuries are not reported early, permanent disability can result. For more information on computer workstation setup and laboratory ergonomics, visit ehs.iupui.edu. Use a negative tilt keyboard tray with an upper mouse platform or a tilt-down platform next to the keyboard.
Back Safety
Safe lifting is a critical aspect of daily activities and should be the focus of any manual material handling. Determine if the load is too large, too heavy or too uncomfortable to move alone;. Examine the place where the load will be placed to anticipate any problems; and.
Keep the load close to the center of your body to take full advantage of the mechanical action. Place the load on a bench or table by resting it on the edge and pushing forward with your arms and body; And. Secure the load so that it cannot fall, tip over, roll or anyone blocks the way.
Keep your shoulders straight while switching arms regularly to reduce strain on one side of your body while carrying the load. Lift with your legs and at the same time raise the load to the desired level;. Slowly lean your upper back onto your hands and stretch to a point that feels comfortable, and hold this position for five seconds; and.
Accidents and Injuries
A printed copy must be signed by the employee and supervisor and sent to IU Risk Management, 705 Poplars, Bloomington. If an ambulance is needed, the employee can be transported to Wishard or Methodist Hospital. IUPUI Health Services will issue a work status report to the injured employee, which may list work restrictions or indicate that the employee will be absent from work.
If the form indicates that the employee must be off work, the employee must contact his/her supervisor to inform them as such. If transition work is not available through the employee's department, the departmental coordinator must contact the Workers' Compensation Unit before the employee leaves campus. The IU Risk Management Worker's Compensation Unit, along with IUPUI EHS, evaluated and established a transition service pool for IUPUI.
Arrangements for transition work will be made through the IU Risk Management Workers Compensation Unit at If the University is able to provide work for an employee, the employee is not eligible to receive temporary total disability benefits through workers' compensation. If the employee declines to participate in the Return-To-Work program, the employee will be placed on FMLA leave if eligible.
Hazard Communication Program
All employees should know what a safety data sheet is and where it is located for their work area. Each department is required to conduct a chemical inventory to identify chemicals used or contained in the work area.
Public Safety
As you park and walk around campus, note the location of nearby emergency telephones.
Emergency Procedures
Call Wishard Ambulance Service at 9-911 from a campus phone or 911 from an off-campus phone and the IUPUI Public Safety Dispatch Center at 911 from a campus phone or off-campus phone for serious medical emergencies requiring an ambulance. It should not be used for cuts, scrapes, headaches or other non-life threatening situations. If you are on the upper floors of the building, seek accommodation on the lower level or in an interior room.
If you are in the outer areas of the building, move to the inner areas, away from windows and exterior doors. If you are indoors, stay indoors and sit under a table or desk or stand in a doorway. If you are driving, stop and stay away from bridges, overpasses and power lines.
Do not attempt to extinguish the fire unless you know it is safe to do so. For example, you can try to put out a fire in a wastebasket by putting water on the fire in the wastebasket if the smoke is not strong and the heat is not intense. If the fire alarm sounds in your building, evacuate the building immediately unless you work in a hospital or hospital-operated facility with patient care.
Policies
IUPUI developed this policy to oversee the events within the scope of this policy so that all food products intended for human consumption and offered for sale on campus are managed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. This policy was developed to protect the Campus Facility Services (CFS) staff and the IUPUI laboratory occupants from potential exposure to hazardous materials while servicing exhaust systems. This policy is to ensure the proper decommissioning or relocation of laboratories on campus to minimize hazards to University employees, maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, and promote environmental stewardship.
Additional information regarding this policy is provided during the IUPUI Online Laser Safety Training Course and is also available in the IUPUI Laser Safety Manual. This policy sets forth the procedures IUPUI will follow to identify workplace hazards and provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to the employee exposed to a workplace hazard. All carts used by any employee on campus must be registered with EHS, and employees operating carts for work purposes must complete the online Utility Cart Safety training course available at
The generators of campus waste are responsible for the proper separation of waste into the types listed above. Different types of waste and procedures for disposal of each type are defined in this rulebook. This policy contains information about the IUPUI program to limit the amount of waste generated and prevent pollution from improper waste disposal.
Notes
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