Health and safety compliance

The University of Washington, like other dynamic research institutions, must comply with dozens of complex federal and state health and safety laws and regulations.  Creating a culture of safety relies on the broad acceptance and adoption of routine and repetitive role-specific safety practices, and the choice by every member of the UW community to follow them.

Topic areas

These are some of the areas at the University that are governed by federal and state laws and regulations:

Workplace safety
Fire and life safety
Student health and student safety
Environmental contamination
Radiation safety
Police and security
Construction safety
Safety of minors
Emergency management
Violence prevention

Laws and policy

The University of Washington Health & Safety Compliance report catalogs applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, as well as the University policy, boards and committees, and service provider offices that support the management of the University’s compliance obligations. Reports are reviewed and updated every 18 months.

Process improvement

Thirteen projects were recently undertaken across the University in six major compliance areas. For health & safety compliance, the projects were: 1) Health & Safety Governance Task Force, 2) Accident Prevention Plans, and 3) Safety of Minors. Project completion updates were presented to the Board of Regents in January 2018. The initial health and safety assessment and project plan was presented to the Board of Regents in April 2016.