Administrative Procedures

Environmental Health and Safety

 

1. Purpose

To implement KCTCS' commitment to developing and maintaining a healthy and environmentally responsible mode of operation and to model for the Commonwealth excellence in environmental stewardship, health protection, and safety standards.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all KCTCS operating locations and to all KCTCS employees, students, and visitors while on KCTCS owned or controlled property.

3. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Program

3.1

Each KCTCS College and System Office (SO) shall create and maintain working and learning environments free from environmental, health, and safety hazards, and ensure compliance with applicable law and policy in light of the Institution's educational mission, fiscal abilities, and duties to students, employees, alumni, and local communities.

1. The KCTCS System Office shall have an EHS Lead to provide EHS-related service, support, and leadership to the colleges and to the System Office.
2. The KCTCS President has ultimate responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of the institution's staff and students in connection with institution-related activities.
   1. Each college shall have an EHS lead designated by the college President who shall oversee and be responsible for the institution's EHS programs, records, and equipment.
   2. Questions or requests for information on environmental health and safety matters should be referred to the KCTCS EHS Lead at ehscoordinator@kctcs.edu.
3. KCTCS Administrators, supervisors, faculty, and other employees shall:
   1. Assure compliance with EHS laws, policies, and procedures.
   2. Assure her/his area requests sufficient budget and other resources.
   3. Have, use, and maintain appropriate equipment, including personal protective equipment, in areas subject to her/his authority.
4. EHS Lead Duties (college and SOEHS lead) shall include:
   1. Develop, oversee, and manage an EHS program that protects the environment, provides safe and healthy conditions for work and study, and complies with applicable laws and regulations.
   2. Provide EHS-related consultation to heads of academic and administrative units in all areas of environmental health and safety. 
   3. Conduct health and safety investigations as necessary, and upon request, assist safety committees in developing intra-departmental safety programs and participate in health and safety training and education initiatives.
   4. Provide technical assistance in determining existing or potential health and safety hazards.
      1. Assistance can be provided through consultations and code interpretations either for existing operations and facilities or for those that are being planned.
      2. Additionally, EHS will assess and report on the environmental health and safety aspects of KCTCS operations and facilities. 
         1. Such assessments may be routine or by request. 
         2. The results will be reported to the appropriate administrative personnel.
   5. Maintain reference materials from local, state, and federal agencies regarding rules and procedures affecting campus operations and assist in the technical interpretation of the same.
   6. Develop appropriate EHS standards for unique situations and obtain appropriate approval.
   7. Perform investigations of all accidents at KCTCS owned or controlled facilities.
   8. Coordinate with KCTCS Human Resources and other KCTCS officials on Worker’s Compensation claims and participate in the investigation of claims; and,
   9. Identify and help correct unsafe conditions that either have contributed or could contribute to an accident.

4. General Duty of Compliance

4.1

All KCTCS students, employees, and visitors while on KCTCS owned or controlled premises or in connection with KCTCS-related activities shall at all times comply with applicable environmental health and safety (EHS) laws, policies, and procedures.

1. Supervisors, professors, and instructors are responsible for creating and maintaining working and learning environments free from environmental health and safety hazards, and for ensuring compliance with applicable law and policy in areas subject to their authority.

5. Training

5.1

All students, employees, and other stakeholders shall complete environmental health and safety training as required for their courses, positions, or programs.

1. New employees shall complete assigned health and safety training within thirty (30) days of assignment by their supervisor or other authorized College or KCTCS official.
2. Existing employees shall timely complete annual or other training as assigned by their supervisor or other authorized College or KCTCS official.
3. Students shall timely complete annual or other class-related training as assigned by a responsible instructor or other authorized KCTCS official.

6. Accidents/Injuries

6.1

KCTCS employees, students, and stakeholders shall act promptly to obtain appropriate medical care for people injured in connection with KCTCS-related activities.

1. Reporting:
   1. KCTCS employees, students, and stakeholders shall promptly report to the college’s EHS lead any accidents, injuries, or hazardous conditions of which they become aware.
   2. Each college shall create a written internal process for complying with this procedure at that specific institution and shall identify the primary point(s)-of-contact for such reporting.
   3. Regardless of the perceived severity of the situation, accidents or injuries involving employees, students, or visitors shall be timely and properly reported on the KCTCS FM84 Accident Report Form.

   4.  This form shall be forwarded to the KCTCS Environmental Health and Safety Lead at ehscoordinator@kctcs.edu promptly within 24 to 48 hours of the incident.

2. Injury to Employees:
   1. Supervisors and the EHS lead shall immediately direct employees injured while on-the-job or on KCTCS owned or controlled property to the Human Resources Department to file a First Report of Injury for Workers’ Compensation claims.
   2. For accidents or injuries involving fatality, amputation, loss of an eye, or hospitalization for treatment of an employee.
      1. The EHS lead shall IMMEDIATELY notify the System Office EHS Lead of any such incident.
      2. The EHS lead shall also report the following incidents within the stated deadlines to the local Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) office or the institution may incur severe non-recoverable fines from government regulators.
         1. Fataliy: if an employee is killed on the job it must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours of the accident.
         2. In-patient Hospitalization: if an employee is admitted to in-patient care or treatment at a hospital OSHA must be notified within 24 hours. An emergency room visit only does not require an employer to notify OSHA.
         3. Amputation: a traumatic loss of all or a part of a limb or an external body part must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours. Amputations include fingertips with or without bone loss, medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage after the accident, and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached.
         4. Eye Loss: Loss of an eye is required to be reported to OSHA within 24 hours of the accident.
3. Injury to Students:
   1. The faculty member, Dean of Students (or equivalent), and EHS Lead shall assure students receive the appropriate forms to file a claim with the Student Blanket Accident Insurance.
   2. The completed form shall be forwarded to the Lead Insurance Coordinator at System Office.
4. Injury to Visitors:
   1. If a visitor is injured, the EHS Lead shall send a general liability claim in addition to the KCTCS FM84 Accident Report form to the Lead Insurance Coordinator at System Office.

6.2

The System Office EHS Lead shall immediately notify the KCTCS Office of General Counsel (OGC) of any serious injury or harm to a student, employees, or visitor and shall coordinate with other departments the gathering of all related forms, statements, documents, and evidence to be held until cleared by OGC to dispose of them.