Managing a Small EHS Office : Managing a Small EHS Office
Karen Misbach Suzanne Howard Bruce McDougal
Director, EH&S Director, EH&S Director, EH&S
Trinity College Wellesley College Colby College
Introduction to Trinity College : Introduction to Trinity College
Liberal Arts
2100 Undergraduate students; 150 graduate
80 Buildings on 100 acres
27 Residence halls
14 Teaching/ 23 research labs
Studio Arts facilities
Engineering labs
EH&S at Trinity : EH&S at Trinity Created January 2000 from EPA initiative
3 FTE: manager, technician, fire systems specialist
Report to Director of Facilities
Asbestos, CHO, waste mgmt, RCRA, TSCA, air, wastewater, SPCC, Tanks, OSHA, reporting/recordkeeping, training, construction safety, fire systems, IAQ, emergency response, safety committee, etc.
Prioritizing and Perspective : Prioritizing and Perspective Develop key relationships
Let your presence be known
Self promotion
CYA
Use resources
Manipulation
Timing
Smile and repeat mantra
How to Prioritize : How to Prioritize Eliminate the hazard
Address non-compliance
Fix the easy to fix first
Target big ticket items
Minor tasks vs. Big projects
Inadequate is better than nothing
Direct efforts purposefully
Proactive vs. Reactive
Communication : Communication No one really knows what the heck I do
My boss = Asbestos & lead (budget killer)
Campus Safety = Emergency management & chemical spills
Custodial = Bloodborne pathogens
Faculty = Chemicals and waste mgmt
IT = Universal waste disposal
Admin. Assts.= IAQ & ergonomics
Students = Mold, bugs, & bad smells
Introduction to Wellesley : Introduction to Wellesley All Women’s College with 2200 Students
Founded in 1875 in Wellesley, MA
2.5 Million GSF
Approx 65 Buildings on over 500 acres
20 Residence Halls
Science Center has 285,300 sq feet of labs, offices and support space
EHS at Wellesley College : EHS at Wellesley College Manage the full range of typical (and atypical) EHS programs
Labs are more general oversight – not directly involved in the day-to-day. CHO has separate reporting-line up to the Dean.
EHS Staff includes:
EHS Director – 1 FTE
Consultant – 0.8 FTE
Students – 0.5 FTE
Admin Assistant – 0.05 FTE
How to Get Things Done?! : How to Get Things Done?! Plan ahead
Activities for each day and hope to accomplish at least one thing
Six months to one year out
Commit to not allowing something to sit on your desk for xxx amount of time
Develop & maintain professional relationships on campus
Respond in person sometimes, not email
EH&S trainings
Custodial Services are important allies!
How to Get Things Done?! : How to Get Things Done?! Develop & maintain professional relationships off-campus
Colleagues at other institutions
Regional Professional Organizations
National Professional Organizations
Benchmark with other similar institutions
COFHE – Consortium on Financing Higher Education – http://web.mit.edu/cofhe
How to Get Things Done?! : How to Get Things Done?! Keep a running list of priorities
What you MUST get done
Use a “rating system” – base it on risk, financial, compliance, political, others?
Put list on paper, computer, or whiteboard
Document SOPs
Keep them short and simple - no more than two pages – one preferable
Make them easily accessible
Slide13 : EXAMPLE SOP
Program: DOT Medical Certificates
Scope: Involves all employees who 1) drive commercial vehicles over 10K, 2) drive over 15 passengers, or 3) carry haz-mat in their vehicle regardless of size.
Procedure:
1. Employee can go to their primary care physician and ask for the certificate, OR
2. Employee can go to xx Hospital and obtain the certificate.
3. If go to the hospital, call the clinic at 617-555-5555. Advise them you would like an appointment for a DOT Medical Certificate. Wellesley College will pay for this visit.
4. Employees to provide copy of certificate to supervisor.
5. Supervisor to provide list of all employees to EHS.
6. If employees fails exam, must report this to supervisor. Supervisor will adjust employee responsibilities.
Frequency: Every two years
Recordkeeping: Medical Exams on file with physician.
List of all employees with certificate on EHS database.
References: Medical Report from DOT Website: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safetyprograms/Medical-Report.pdf
Date: April 11, 2007
How to Get Things Done?! : How to Get Things Done?! Use technology
Stay current with what is available
We use Microsoft Sharepoint Software
On-line training
Develop & maintain a good filing system
On the computer
Paper Files
Keep up with it!
Introduction to Colby : Introduction to Colby 1,800 Students, 667 Faculty & Staff
Founded in 1813, Waterville, Maine
750 Acres, rural setting
64 Buildings, 1.6 million sq. feet and growing
31 labs, LQG, DEP Inspected 2006
1.5 FTE’s for Safety
Safety Director since 1993
EH&S at Colby College : EH&S at Colby College Director manages full program
Chemistry Liaison: student safety training, inventory and SAA management, CHP
RSO, CHO, LSO, Fire & Life Safety, Training, Ergonomics, Emergency Response, RCRA, OSHA, Secretary, Clerk, Bottlewasher, etc.
DEP RCRA Inspection 2006
Still Employed!
YA GOTTA BELONG!!! : YA GOTTA BELONG!!! Benefits –
Shoulders to cry on
Brains to pick
Programs to “steal”
Info to share
Free/low cost training
FUN!!!
Costs –
Membership fee
Conference reg.
Time
WHERE TO BELONG : WHERE TO BELONG CSHEMA (www.cshema.org)
C2E2 (www.c2e2.org/)
ACS (http://membership.acs.org/c/ccs/ )
ASSE (www.ASSE.org )
Regional/State Groups
NESCESA
MECUSEA
Every region has one
NSC (www.nsc.org ), and more!!!!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT : PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GET CERTIFIED!
CSP
CIH
OHST
CHMM
HAZWOPER
More
Conferences
Insurance company
State
OSHA/EPA
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CONT’D) : PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CONT’D) Go back to school
On-line information
Listservs
CSHEMA
SAFETY
EPPNET
Visit/tour other institutions
Query the experts
Slide22 : Questions?
or
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