Office of the PresidentCommitteesSafety, Health, and Security Committees

Safety, Health, and Security Committees

A network of WSU Safety, Health, and Security committees is organized into 4 levels. Together, the committees engage and coordinate WSU administrators, campuses, colleges, departments, programs, students, and employees to sustain and improve WSU’s commitment to safety and a culture that emphasizes safety.

The SHS Committees’ structure, members, and functions will be reviewed and revised as necessary, and at a minimum of every 3 years.

Level 1 – Executive Leadership SHS Advisory Committee

MEMBERS

  • Co-chairs—Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and Vice President for Research
  • Provost
  • Chancellors
  • President’s Senior Executive Assistant
  • Appointed Vice Presidents

FUNCTIONS

  • Advises regarding new or revisions to SHS policies and procedures, from proposals received from Level 2 Safety, Health, and Security Advisory and Approval Committees.
  • Authorizes Level 2 Safety Committees to develop safety, health, or security protocols and procedures.
  • Communicates with Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs about policy and regulatory changes that require implementation from the top down.
  • Sends requests to study and make recommendations about safety, health, and security issues to the Level 2 Safety, Health, and Security Advisory and Approval Committees
  • The executive leadership committee will meet at the call of the co-chairs or as needed, but not less than annually.

Steering Committee

MEMBERS

  • Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
  • Vice President for Human Resource Services
  • Vice President for Research
  • Vice President for Marketing and Communications
  • Associate Vice President, Police
  • Associate Vice President, Chief Compliance & Risk Officer
  • Director, Office of Research Assurances
  • President’s Senior Executive Assistant

FUNCTIONS

  • Assists and supports Level 1 Executive Leadership SHS Committee.
  • Assists and supports Level 2 Advisory and Approval SHS Committees.

Level 2 – Advisory and Approval SHS Committees

Laboratory Safety Committees—Coordinated by Office of Research Assurances (Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will coordinate the Chemical/Physical Hazard Safety Committee)

  • Biological Safety, Radiation Safety, Human Subjects IRB, Institutional Animal Care and Use, Chemical/Physical Hazard Safety, Reactor Safeguards

Employee and Construction Committee—Coordinated by Environmental Health and Safety

Student Safety and Security Committee—Coordinated by Public Safety

Infectious Disease and Public Health Committee—Coordinated by Health and Wellness Services and Environmental Health and Safety

International Safety, Health, and Security Committee—Coordinated by International Programs

Cyber Security Committee—Coordinated by Information Systems

Emergency Management—Coordinated by Public Safety Emergency Management

Risk Management—Coordinated by Risk Management

MEMBERS

  • Level 2 Advisory SHS Committees will propose and seek approval for committee members from the Executive Leadership SHS Committee.
  • Level 3 SHS committees may request membership to Level 2 Advisory SHS Committees. The Level 2 Advisory SHS committee will consider those requests and then as appropriate, propose and seek approval from the Executive Leadership SHS Committee.

FUNCTIONS

  • Provides technical and regulatory advice and support to the Executive Leadership SHS committee, on matters of policy and procedure relating to health, safety, and security for the protection of life and protection of Washington State University property.
  • Seeks input from and works with WSU students, employees, departments, visitors, and level 1, 3, and 4 safety committees to address safety, health, and security risks, hazards, and concerns.
  • Communicates, coordinates, and assists Level 3 and 4 health, safety, and security committees, to help implement safety, health, and security programs and to meet local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
  • Develops, coordinates, and communicates health, safety, and security WSU policies, procedures, and, issues for University operations and facilities, including regional campuses and extension units. Assesses implementation of health, safety, and security programs.
  • Reviews University safety, health, and security issues
  • Collects, reviews, and provides annual safety, health, and security statistics and information to students, staff, faculty, and visitors to improve SHS program effectiveness and makes suggestions for improvements.
  • Establishes subcommittees for safety, health, and security.

Level 3 – Regional Campus, College, Area – Unit SHS Committees

* – See SPPM 2.12 Unit Safety Committees and Meetings

MEMBERS

  • Membership will meet Washington Labor and Industry employee safety committee and meeting requirements *
  • See SPPM 2.12

FUNCTIONS

  • a) Functions will meet Washington Labor and Industry employee safety committee and meeting requirements*.
  • b) See SPPM 2.12

Level 4 -Department, Building, and Program – Unit Safety Health and Security Committees

* – See SPPM 2.12 Unit Safety Committees and Meetings

* WAC 296-800-130 and WAC 296-800-13020 requires that large employers (> 11 employees) on the same shift at the same location must establish safety committees.

WAC 296-800-13025 allows for safety meetings for large employers if they have work units with employees that work on different shifts with 10 or fewer employees on each shift, or work in widely separate locations with 10 or fewer employees at each location.

The goal is to allow for flexibility to form safety committees or hold safety meetings that best protect the safety of WSU’s employees in their diverse organizations and work locations.