University of Washington
Administrative Policy Statements		 Rev/Feb 18, 2003 10.11

Table of Contents

1. Policy

2. Scope

3. UW Compliance Responsibility

4. Health and Safety Committees

5. Committee Compliance Procedures

6. Additional Information
     

UW Health and Safety Committees

(Approved by the President by authority of Executive Order No. 1)



1.   Policy

In compliance with all local, state, and federal environmental laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, WAC 296–800–140, Accident Prevention Program, and WAC 296–800–130, Safety Committees—Safety Meetings Summary, and Permanent Variance (PV 99–11, FN 10 200, related to membership term lengths) granted by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries dated April 9, 1999, the University must have a Health and Safety Committee on which employees have representation.

The University Health and Safety Committees are structured along organizational lines with the establishment of a University-wide Health and Safety Committee composed of members from the organizational health and safety committees.

2.   Scope

This policy applies to all University locations including the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses, jointly owned facilities, all other University owned property, University leased space, and temporary field locations and field trips that are under the control of University operations and staff.

3.   UW Compliance Responsibility

It is University policy that each vice chancellor, vice president, dean, director, department chair, and supervisor is responsible for the health and safety performance in their respective units. This responsibility can neither be transferred nor delegated.

Everyone with supervisory responsibility is required to participate directly in the supervision of programs to assure that safe working conditions are maintained and to provide training for accident prevention for those working under their direction. Faculty and staff are directly responsible for their own safety and for the safety of students and employees under their supervision.

4.   Health and Safety Committees

a.   Organizational Health and Safety Committees

The University authorizes its organizational health and safety committees to perform specific duties as described below. These duties assure that the University is in compliance with state regulations. Variations from or additions to these activities specifically prescribed as organizational committee duties must receive prior approval by the Director of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).

Organizational committees shall address matters which specifically apply to the programs represented by the organizational unit. The following is a list of organizational committee duties:

  • Elect a chair.

  • Determine frequency, date, hour, and location of meetings.

  • Produce and distribute minutes of each meeting.

  • Review and evaluate safety and health inspection reports.

  • Review and evaluate accident investigation reports.

  • Review and evaluate accident/illness prevention programs within the various subunits represented by that organizational committee.

  • Review safety-related material provided by EH&S and various regulatory government agencies.

  • Recommend action and work with the vice chancellor, vice president, dean or director of the organizational unit to resolve health and safety concerns presented to the committee by employees within the organizational unit.

b.   University-Wide Health and Safety Committee

The University-wide Health and Safety Committee is comprised of the chair and one additional representative from each of the organizational health and safety committees. Of the two representatives from the organizational committee, at least one must be an elected member and the other an appointed member. There may be two elected members but there cannot be two appointed members. The number of appointed members may not exceed the number of elected members. Some unions are entitled to seats on the University-wide Committee by terms of their bargaining agreements. If a representative from one of these unions is not already elected to the University-wide Committee by their organizational unit, they may be designated by the Union to serve as the Union Representative, in addition to the chair and elected representatives. Representatives from the Office of Risk Management, the Attorney General’s UW Division, and the Facilities Services Office serve as ex-officio, non-voting members. Non-voting representatives from EH&S provide technical and staff support to the University-wide committee.

The University authorizes the University-wide committee to perform specific duties as described below. Activities not specifically prescribed as University-wide committee duties must receive prior approval by the director of EH&S. The role of the University-wide committee is to:

  • Coordinate information from the organizational committees to provide consistent campuswide strategies for health and safety activities and target concerns for organizational committee actions.

  • Review the extent and magnitude of occupational injuries, illnesses, and incidents experienced by University employees based on information presented annually to the University-wide committee by EH&S and the Office of Risk Management.

  • Review the status of the occupational health and safety environment for University employees based on information and risk factors provided by the organizational committees, EH&S, and the Office of Risk Management.

  • Make recommendations on health and safety strategies, policy, and programs to the director of EH&S.

  • Serve as a "watchdog" regarding employee health and safety concerns.

  • Assist EH&S in motivating the campus community to create and maintain a safe and healthful environment through: 1) adherence to health and safety rules and regulations, and 2) adoption of good health and safety practices in all work areas.

  • Determine if any University-wide committee issues require attention by the Board of Environmental Health and Safety (BEHS) and, when necessary, represent employee health and safety positions on those issues to the BEHS.

c.   Departmental Health and Safety Committees

In addition to the organizational and University-wide health and safety committees, health and safety committees or safety coordinators established within organizational units may deal with the specific concerns of a subunit, such as a department, school, institute, center, laboratory, or program. Organizational units are encouraged and assisted in establishing department-level health and safety committees to deal with day-to-day and specific operational health and safety issues. These committees will be referred to as "departmental" health and safety committees to distinguish them from the organizational committees.

Members of these departmental committees are strongly encouraged to notify the organizational unit's health and safety committee of which they are a part, regarding any of their concerns that have organizational or campuswide significance.

5.   Committee Compliance Procedures

a.   Membership

Each organizational health and safety committee and the University-wide Health and Safety Committee is made up of employee-elected and management-appointed members. The number of management-appointed members may not exceed the number of employee-elected members.

Each organizational unit determines the size of their organizational committee. The number of organizational units and unions involved in the health and safety committee program determines the size of the University-Wide committee. Terms of membership on the University-wide committee are for two years beginning January 1st in an even year and ending December 31st the following odd year, with elections held during Autumn Quarter of each odd year.

b.   Reporting

The reporting structure for the organizational health and safety committees is as follows:

  • The organizational committees report to the vice chancellor, vice president, dean or director of their respective organizations and work with that person to implement recommended health and safety changes.

  • The University-wide committee reports to the director of EH&S.

  • The director of EH&S reports to the Executive Director of Health Sciences Administration who is the chair of the BEHS and reports to the President of the University (see the University Handbook, Volume 4, Part VI, Chapter 4, Section 1.B, for the charge to the BEHS).

c.   Elections

The permanent variance granted to the University requires that employee elections must be held every two years (Autumn Quarter of each odd year). EH&S coordinates with the vice chancellors, vice presidents, deans, and directors to whom the organizational unit committees report to assure the required elections take place. Organizational units may opt to provide nominations for the election through an internal process or rely on a general call for nominations.

d.   Appointments

Some management-appointed members of health and safety committees should be persons with the administrative authority to allocate material and human resources, and make policy decisions relating to occupational health and safety. The director of EH&S requests the heads of the organizational units to appoint management representatives to the committees, and to arrange for the initial meeting of their organizational committee once elections are complete. Organizational units can determine the number of appointed members they require, provided that the number of management-appointed members does not exceed the number of employee-elected members.

e.   Union Seats on the Committees

A union is entitled to representation on the University-wide committee, or on any specific organizational or divisional committee, only when the union's bargaining agreement with the University specifically provides for representation on that committee. At least one month prior to the general campus election, these unions will be notified by EH&S and given the opportunity to designate one union representative for each organizational committee where they have members. Each such labor union may also designate one representative, who currently serves as a member of an organizational committee, to serve on the University-wide committee. Union representatives are considered employee-elected representatives.

f.   Committee Meetings

The University-wide and the organizational committees shall meet at times agreed upon by the members, but at least quarterly. The meetings shall last no longer than one hour unless an extension is approved by a majority of the members present.

Minutes shall be written and a copy distributed to EH&S. Also, copies of the minutes shall be posted and distributed within the organizational unit.

g.   Agenda

The chair shall develop an agenda prior to each meeting and distribute it to the other members of the committee. Any member may suggest or request that a topic be placed on the agenda.

h.   Training

Biennial training is provided by EH&S for the members of organizational committees. Each member is provided with regulatory information and applicable committee material issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

i.   Release Time

Members of the committees shall be allowed reasonable time during working hours to conduct the business of the committee. Time commitments will vary, but committee members should plan to spend up to two hours per month in meetings and conducting committee business, and four hours annually for orientation and training. Release time is specific and limited to official committee business, meetings, and training. Such release time should be arranged with supervisors in advance, like any other time away from the job. Supervisors are expected to release employees unless serious operational problems would result from the absence.

6.   Additional Information

Questions regarding UW Health and Safety Committees should be directed to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety:

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