Incidents and Accidents
Science Safety Handbook
II. Responsibilities
1. All Science Employees and Students
1.1. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. All ACC science employees and students enrolled in science classes are expected to assume responsibility for the safety of themselves, others around them, and the environment.
1.2. Science employees and students shall immediately report any accident, incident, or hazardous condition to their supervisor, professor, science laboratory technician, or Departmental Safety Coordinator. If the accident or incident requires outside medical assistance, employees and students shall also make a report directly to the Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance.
1.3. Science students and employees shall:
a. Participate in safety training required by the Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance.
b. Use prudent practices and good judgment when working with hazardous materials, organisms or procedures, and when participating in hazardous or outdoor activities.
c. Follow established Environmental Health and Safety policies, practices and procedures.
d. Notify anyone who could be affected by hazardous materials or organisms that they are using or by hazardous procedures that they are engaged in.
2. Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance
2.1. The ACC Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance heads the Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance and reports to the Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration.
2.2. The Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance:
a. Administers the ACC Environmental Health and Safety Management System
b. Coordinates ACC’s response to chemical incidents, accidents, injuries, fires and natural hazards/disasters
c. Assists in the identification and mitigation of safety hazards in ACC activities and facilities
d. Oversees ACC compliance with local, state and federal environmental health and safety regulatory requirements.
e. Establishes ACC environmental health and safety practices, procedures and management.
f. Coordinates the ACC comprehensive emergency plan.
g. Ensures that ACC conducts regular practice exercises of its plans and procedures to respond to chemical incidents, accidents, injuries, fires and natural hazards/ disasters.
h. Provides ACC employees with education and training in environmental health and safety regulations, safe practices and procedures, and hazard identification/elimination.
i. Provides a strong safety and loss prevention system for ACC.
j. Drafts ACC environmental health and safety administrative rules and plans.
2.3. The Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance is the college's primary contact with local, state, and federal Environmental Health and Safety agencies and with fire, police, and medical responders to emergencies and disasters. The Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance is also responsible for compiling and submitting all ACC Environmental Health and Safety reports to governmental agencies.
3. Dean of Mathematics and Sciences
3.1. The Dean of Mathematics and Sciences has primary responsibility for protecting the health and safety of employees and students in the Division of Mathematics and Sciences and for compliance with all Environmental Health and Safety requirements for the Division. The Dean reports to the Vice President Workforce Education and Business Development.
3.2. The Dean of Mathematics and Sciences:
a. Oversees the Science Safety Committee.
b. Appoints and supervises Science Laboratory Coordinators for each science department.
c. Appoints and supervises Science Laboratory Coordinators for each campus at which laboratory courses are taught. The Dean also assigns responsibilities for laboratory and preparation facilities that are jointly used by more than one science department.
d. Works with the ACC Executive Team to provide the Science Laboratory Coordinators, faculty, and laboratory technicians with adequate compensation and resources to comply with Environmental Health and Safety laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and protocols.
e. Ensures that employees of science disciplines and science students comply with Environmental Health and Safety laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures and protocols.
4. Science Safety Committee
4.1. The Science Safety Committee is made up of the Dean of Mathematics and Sciences, the ACC Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Insurance, the Science Laboratory Coordinators in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, Astronomy, and Engineering, the Department Chairs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Astronomy, and Engineering, and a science laboratory technician.
4.2. This committee shall:
a. Oversee and manage the Environmental Health and Safety program in ACC science disciplines. This includes developing effective and practical Environmental Health and Safety policies, standards, procedures, and protocols to comply with Environmental Health and Safety governmental rules and regulations, and to implement ACC Environmental Health and Safety policies and guidelines.
b. Prepare and maintain a Science Safety Handbook. This handbook contains Environmental Health and Safety policies, standards, procedures, and protocols for ACC science disciplines including those required for ACC HazCom and HazWaste Programs.
c. Designate science work areas within each ACC workplace and identify a faculty or staff member responsible for each area.
d. Provide input and expertise to the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance for college-wide Environmental Health and Safety policies, plans, and administrative rules.
e. Address Environmental Health and Safety concerns of science students, staff, and faculty.
5. Science Safety Coordinators
5.1. Science Laboratory Coordinators are appointed by the Dean for each of science task force in the Division of Mathematics and Sciences. These individuals report directly to the Dean of Mathematics and Sciences.
5.2. Science Laboratory Coordinators shall:
a. Oversee and coordinate Environmental Health and Safety programs for disciplines within their department. This includes, but is not limited to, serving as hazardous material communication coordinator (Unit and Area HazCom Coordinator) for their department.
b. Maintain Environmental Health and Safety training records for employees assigned to disciplines within their department for a minimum of five (5) years after training.
c. Provide the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance, their Department Chair, and for classified staff, their Science Laboratory Coordinators, with an annual notice of Environmental Health and Safety training completion for faculty and staff in disciplines within their department.
d. Provide the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance with current names and telephone numbers of emergency contacts for chemical/ hazardous waste incidents and emergencies in laboratories and preparation rooms supervised by employees of their department. e. Ensure that science disciplines within their Task Force comply with: (1) Policies and directives of the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance and the Science Safety Committee (2) The ACC Hazardous Communications (HazCom) Plan (3) The ACC Hazardous Waste (HazWaste) Plan (4) Laboratory safety and hygiene standards, procedures and protocols (5) Protocols for science field activities 6) Environmental Health and Safety training requirements for ACC science personnel f. Evaluate reports of Environmental Health and Safety hazards and problems in science courses and facilities, and consult with affected individuals.
5.3. Science Laboratory Coordinators, with the assistance of science laboratory technicians and faculty, will:
a. Conduct regular hazard assessments of class demonstrations, laboratory exercises, field activities, science laboratory classrooms, and science preparation rooms. Based on these assessments the Science Laboratory Coordinator will coordinate the:
(1) Preparation of safety briefings and checklists for each exercise or activity
(2) Development of discipline protocols/procedures for laboratory exercises and field activities
(3) Identification and acquisition of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
b. Inform employees of the location of Work Area Chemical Inventories (WACIs), procedures for accessing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), and procedures for obtaining workplace chemical inventory lists.
5.4. Science Laboratory Coordinators will ensure that the:
a. Employees and students in their department receive appropriate training before:
(1) Working with hazardous materials or equipment
(2) Working in areas containing hazardous materials or equipment
(3) Participating in a field activity
b. Science laboratory technicians:
(1) Conduct and maintain WACIs in their assigned areas
(2) Post and maintain current MSDSs and required Environmental Health and Safety notices and signs
(3) Purchase and maintain required PPE
(4) Notify the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance prior to purchasing chemicals not currently on their WACI or when purchasing a quantity of a chemical above normal restocking amounts
c. Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance is immediately informed of Environmental Health and Safety incidents in their department laboratories, classrooms, preparation rooms, and field activities that require outside medical assistance.
d. Environmental Health and Safety reports for their department are submitted to the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance by November 1 of each year.
6. Science Department Chairs
6.1. Science Department Chairs are responsible for the overall management and supervision of the curriculum, employees, facilities, activities, purchasing, and professional development for disciplines in their department. They are elected by their department and report to the Dean of Mathematics and Sciences.
6.2. Science Department Chairs shall ensure that:
a. The purchasing of Environmental Health and Safety supplies and equipment has the highest priority in discipline budgets.
b. Annual faculty evaluations include a review of the safety training record and compliance with Environmental Health and Safety policies and procedures for each faculty member.
7. Science Laboratory Coordinators
7.1. Science Laboratory Coordinators supervise Science Laboratory Technicians and hourly employees on the campus or campuses to which they are assigned. They report to the Dean of Mathematics and Sciences.
7.2. Each Science Laboratory Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that Science Laboratory Technicians and hourly employees:
a. Perform required Environmental Health and Safety tasks
b. Maintain science equipment and facilities in compliance with Environmental Health and Safety policies, rules and regulations
c. Coordinate Environmental Health and Safety activities with their Science Laboratory Coordinator
d. Complete Environmental Health and Safety reports accurately and in a timely manner
e. Complete required Environmental Health and Safety training
f. Have adequate time to complete Environmental Health and Safety requirements
g. Handle, store, and dispose of hazardous materials, organisms and waste in compliance with Environmental Health and Safety regulations, rules, policies and procedures.
7.3. Where more than one Science Laboratory Technician within a discipline is assigned to a campus, the Science Laboratory Coordinator shall assign HazCom and HazWaste duties for the discipline on their campus.
8. Science Laboratory Technicians
8.1. Science Laboratory Technicians assist faculty in the preparation of laboratory exercises, classroom demonstrations and field activities, maintain preparation rooms and laboratory classrooms, purchase and maintain science supplies and equipment, supervise students during open laboratory sessions, and coordinate the work of hourly employees and work-study students. These individuals report to a Science Laboratory Coordinator for their campus.
8.2. Responsibilities of Science Laboratory Technicians include:
a. Compliance with HazCom and HazWaste requirements for assigned work areas
b. Compiling and submitting WACIs to their department Science Laboratory Coordinator
c. Performing Environmental Health and Safety self-inspections for assigned work areas and reporting results to their department Science Laboratory Coordinator
d. Meeting Environmental Health and Safety labeling requirements in assigned work areas
e. Posting and maintaining current MSDSs and required Environmental Health and Safety notices and signs in assigned work areas
f. Notifying their task force Science Laboratory Coordinators of chemical purchases in accordance with ACC HazCom policies and rules
g. Purchasing and maintaining appropriate PPE as directed by their department Science Laboratory Coordinator, Department Chair, or by the Science Safety Committee
h. Collecting and disposing of hazardous materials in accordance with ACC HazWaste policies and rules
i. Reporting Environmental Health and Safety hazards in assigned areas to the Science Safety Coordinator for their discipline
8.3. In open laboratory sessions, the Science Laboratory Technician shall brief the student on Environmental Health and Safety hazards and PPE specific to each laboratory exercise that they are working on, and enforce the use of appropriate PPE while the student is working on that exercise.
9. Science Faculty
9.1. All ACC full-time and adjunct faculty who teach science courses or who teach courses in science laboratory classrooms must comply with the Environmental Health and Safety rules, policies, procedures and protocols described in the Science Safety Handbook and with directives of the applicable Science Laboratory Coordinator and the Science Safety Committee.
9.2. ACC science faculty shall:
a. Consider Environmental Health and Safety requirements in planning field activities, classroom demonstrations, and laboratory exercises.
b. Identify Environmental Health and Safety hazards in activities and exercises that they prepare.
c. Report potential Environmental Health and Safety hazards to their Science Laboratory Coordinator prior to conducting an instructional activity.
d. Coordinate the preparation of appropriate safety training and checklists with their Science Laboratory Coordinator prior to conducting instructional activities.
e. Conduct science demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and field activities in a safe and prudent manner to protect the health and safety of their students and their technicians, and to protect environmental quality.
f. Train students in health and safety procedures and protocols prior to classroom demonstrations, laboratory exercises, field activities, or entry into areas where hazardous materials, organisms, or equipment is present. This includes briefing students on Environmental Health and Safety hazards and PPE specific to each laboratory exercise or field activity before it begins.
g. Enforce the use of appropriate PPE in classroom demonstrations, laboratories, and during field activities.