Environmental Health & Safety

The Environmental Health and Safety Office works with the campus community to provide training and consultative services on a wide variety of safety issues. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government agency responsible for the health and well-being of employees in the workplace. Several pieces of legislation give OSHA oversight for employees. The Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires chemical manufacturers and users to assess the hazards associated with the materials in their workplace. Safety Data Sheets (SDS), labeling, and training are all results of this law. The laboratory health standard (Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories (CFR 1910.1450)) requires employers of laboratory employees to implement exposure control programs and communicate chemical health and safety information to laboratory employees working with hazardous materials.

Likewise, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for the health and well-being of our environment. Many laws authorize the EPA to regulate substances that negatively affect the air, land, and water. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA, 40 CFR 240), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, 40 CFR 300) and the Clean Air and Clean Water (40 CFR 100) acts are a few of the laws that commonly apply. Creating and maintaining a safe place to work and study is an ongoing challenge for any college campus.