| Charter |
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Purpose
The Location Safety Committee shall be organized to meet the Location's safety, health, and environmental needs as outlined in Manual 230 and 29CFR 1960, "Occupational Safety and Health Programs For Federal Employees (copies of documents available from Location web site and Cluster Environmental Protection Specialist).
Membership
Members will be appointed by the Research Leader rotating as appropriate prior to October 1. Ideally, the committee should represent a cross-section of facility personnel with representation from management, scientists, technicians, and administration. Members should be at least 75-80% full time employees with either ARS or University affiliation. It is suggested that each program be represented as follows:
Safety Committee Chairperson (chosen from committee)
Location Administrative Officer
Radiation Safety Officer, AD HOC
Hazardous Waste Officer, AD HOC
Bio-Safety Officer, AD HOC
Cereal Disease Lab-1-2 persons
Plant Science Research-1-3 persons
Soil and Water-1-2 persons
Program Support Person
The Committee may ask the Research Leaders to appoint others to join them based on specific need.
Meetings
-Meetings shall be held at least every other month
-Time and date shall be set by the Committee chair
-Minutes will be kept and published by the recorder
In general, the committee meets at one of the programs sites and after meeting inspects the site.
Tasks
Safety Committee tasks include:
A. Promoting a safe workplace through:
1. educational programs,
2. mandatory training of employees,
3. annual inspections of each workplace;
B. Reviewing employee accidents and near misses (both U.MN. and ARS);
C. Maintaining up-to-date file of ARS program components:
1. Manual 230;
2. OSHA Standards 29CFR1910.1200 and 1450,
3. Haz Waste Standards 40CFR262 and 265;
Note: These references are available at the Dairy Forage Internet home page:
http://www.dfrc.wisc.edu
D. Advising management on implementation of the ARS Safety, Health, and Environmental Program (SHEP) mandates; this includes reviewing program deficiencies and offering suggested corrective action.
E. Reviewing Chemical Hygiene Plans of each Management Unit and updating annually;
F. Requesting Chemical Inventories updated annually to be reviewed by CEPS;
G. Developing safety, health, and environmental goals for year and tracking progress;
H. Providing safety information to ARS personnel;
I. Resolving employee safety concerns;
J. Participating in applicable safety, health, and environmental training programs which will enhance membership expertise and credibility;
K. Reviewing periodically each laboratory's Laboratory Safety Documentation (checklist attached);
L. Monitoring and updating annually the Location Pollution Prevention Plan;
M. Recognizing Safety, Health and Environmental Management (SHEM) improvement and excellence.
Safety tasks not conducted by Safety Committee:
A. Workman's compensation claims shall be administered through the Location Administrative Officer.
B. Occupational Health Maintenance Program (OHMP) shall be administered through the Location Administrative Officer.
C. Hazardous Waste pick-ups and regulations shall be developed by the University of Minnesota. Copies of pick-ups shall remain in the lab requesting pick-up.
D. Radiation Safety shall be administered through the University of Minnesota Radiation Safety Department.
E. Biological Safety including recombinant DNA shall be administered through the University of Minnesota.
F. Recycling programs in ARS and University buildings shall be those of University of Minnesota Recycling Management.
Safety Committee
Safety Committee Members are not Collateral Duty Safety Officers. And thus do not need to receive the OSHA 40 hr coarse for Collateral Duty Safety Officers.
Training
Safety Committee Member training may be provided by the Area Safety Office through the Area Safety Manager or Cluster Environmental Protection Specialist. University of Minnesota College of Agriculture also sponsors training. Training should be in the areas of ARS work: Laboratory, chemicals, industrial hygiene, personnel protective equipment, environmental safety at the lab level (spills, hazardous waste disposal, pesticides), and farm safety. Each person on the safety committee brings a unique background of safety knowledge based on training and experience. By pooling this knowledge and learning from each other, the committee can assist each Management Unit in its safety goal to provide a safe work place, where hazards are controlled, exposures are minimized and accidents are of low impact. Safety Committee members should not hesitate to request additional training as needed. MWA has an extensive video collection on safety topics.
References
OSHA 29CFR1960---Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee
Occupational Health and Safety Programs
ARS Manual 230.0, Chapter IV, Section A
UW Chemical Waste and Disposal Guide
Approvals
RL, Soil and Water Management_________________________________________
RL, Science Research__________________________________________________
RL, Cereal Disease Research____________________________________________
Location Administrative Officer__________________________________________
