ADOPTED:                             12/20/2021

REVISED:                                n/a

RESPONSIBLE OFFICE:     MU Environmental Health & Safety

POLICY STATEMENT

The University of Missouri (MU) is responsible for developing and implementing programs and policies to ensure that MU is in compliance with all applicable environmental health and safety regulations and provides a safe work environment for faculty, staff, students, and visitors as outlined in the Collected Rules & Regulations.

It is every employee’s responsibility to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to MU, and to make decisions and take actions in good faith which serve the best interests of the University.  All use by individuals of any sort held in University buildings or on University grounds is subject to applicable U.S. and Missouri laws and University requirements, rules and regulations.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) has oversight of health and safety programs at MU, engaging with faculty, staff, and students to form a safety culture based on the foundation of the collaborative and trusting interactions.  Areas of responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Fiscal
• Notification
• Training
• Planning, Design & Construction

DEFINITIONS

• Design Guidelines. All construction, renovation, or rehabilitation efforts must comply with all applicable laws, building codes, standards, regulations and labor agreements and shall be coordinated by Campus Facilities.  Design Guidelines define the basic minimum construction requirements, establish the quality of materials, and work appropriate for university projects. Design Guidelines are in addition to applicable codes and standards and no attempt to repeat any codes or standards has been made.
• Laboratory. An area owned by the University of Missouri where relatively small quantities of chemicals and other substances are used on a non-production basis for teaching or research (or diagnostic purposes at a teaching hospital) and are stored and used in containers that are easily manipulated by one person. Laboratory is inclusive of photo laboratories, art studios, field laboratories, chemical stockrooms, and preparatory laboratories that provide a support function to teaching or research laboratories (or diagnostic laboratories at teaching hospitals).
• Mismanagement of Hazardous Materials. Compliance with all applicable environmental health and safety regulations depends upon proper management of hazardous materials per statutory requirements.  Mismanagement of hazardous materials includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  • Improper disposal.
  • Improper identification of contents.
  • Lack of segregation of incompatible materials.
  • Extended storage of materials beyond storage and/or expiration date.
  • Exceeding regulated accumulation limits.
  • Use of incompatible containers, or containers in poor condition.
• A person under the age of eighteen who is not enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student at the University.
• Near Miss. An incident that could have caused serious injury or illness but did not.
• Universal Waste. EPA regulated categories of materials that include batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, lamps and aerosol cans.

RESPONSIBILITIES

MU ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY

• Emergency Situations. In case of life safety matters or imminent danger to life or health, the Director of EHS or designee has the authority to order the cessation of the activity until the hazardous condition is abated or adequate measures are taken to minimize exposure to the campus community and the public from such a condition.
• Statutory Compliance. Develop programs and policies to ensure that MU is in compliance with all laws and applicable regulations; to ensure the health and safety of its students, faculty and staff; and to ensure the proper use, storage, and disposal of biological, chemical, radioactive materials, and any other hazardous materials.
• Training & Documentation. Provide faculty, staff, and students with the relevant rules, the necessary training, and the appropriate resources to comply with standards and regulations, to maintain an appropriately safe work environment, and to maintain appropriate documentation that standards and regulations are being met.

STUDENT, FACULTY, STAFF, AND VISITOR RESPONSIBILITY

• Comply with Rules and Regulations. Faculty, staff and students at the University of Missouri have the responsibility and obligation to act in accordance with all applicable federal and state regulations.
  • It is the responsibility of individual faculty, staff, and students to be informed of applicable rules and regulations and to comply with these rules and regulations. Failure to comply with these rules and regulations constitutes possible grounds for dismissal of students and termination for cause of faculty and staff.
  • In unusual situations where the University is exempt from regulatory jurisdiction due to its status as a government entity, faculty, staff, and students still have an obligation for knowledge of the risk and meeting the intent of the regulations.
  • It is also the responsibility of individual faculty, staff and students having actual knowledge that the actions of visitors are in violation of applicable rules and regulations to inform the visitor(s) of that known fact and to take reasonable steps in an effort to stop such action.
• Deans / Directors / Department Heads and their Designees
  • Fiscal Responsibility
    • Identify responsible parties for costs associated with health and safety management or mismanagement. EHS reserves the right to pursue compensation for costs associated with correcting unsafe or noncompliant conditions.
  • Notification Responsibility
    • Communicate with EHS at least two (2) months in advance of an opening, moving, and/or closing of space where environmental health and safety materials are used or stored, including, but not limited to:
      • Biohazards
      • Chemicals
      • Radioactives
    • Communicate with EHS of current roster of laboratory personnel.
      • Minors. Must comply with CRR 210.020 Protection of Minors and the Office of Research Policy on Minors in Laboratories.
      • Separation. When personnel separate from the University and decide to relocate non-University owned materials that may be considered hazardous, it is their responsibility to follow all applicable transportation requirements as described by the DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation), IATA (International Air Transport Association), NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), or other relevant regulatory agency, and arrange for their transport, if necessary.
    • Communicate with EHS of Near Misses in which there is an incident that could have caused serious injury or harm but did not.
  • Training Responsibility
    • Obtain required training for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to ensure compliance with federal, state, or local regulatory requirements as well as university policy and procedures.
    • Comply with all applicable policies regarding procurement, transporting, and managing hazardous materials.
  • Planning, Design & Construction Responsibility
    • Comply with Design Guidelines as well as safety design standards as set by EHS.
    • Communicate with EHS to obtain the necessary permits to comply with all applicable regulations regarding construction, remodeling, or renovation of spaces, including but not limited to land disturbance permit, right-of-way permits, asbestos, Universal Waste, clean fill, construction debris, painted debris, lead paint, asbestos, etc.

RESOURCES

• Federal Policy: EPA 40 CFR 262.200 Subpart K
• UMSYS Policy: CRR 85:010 Risk Management (2007)
• CRR 85.020 Hazardous Chemicals and Radioactive Materials (2007)
• CRR 85.030 Hazardous Chemicals and Radioactive Materials Policy – Defense and Protection of Employees (2014)
• CRR 110.010 Regulations (1988)
• CRR 210.020 Protection of Minors (2021)
• FPD Consultant Procedure & Design Guidelines (2021)

MU Policy: BPPM 2:001 Fiscal Roles and Responsibilities (2016)

• BPPM 7:001 Environmental Health & Safety (2021)
• BPPM 7:400 Laboratory Safety (2021)
• BPPM 12:070 Improvement to Physical Facilities (1999)
• Office of Research policy on Minors in Laboratory (2021)

For additional information about any safety or health related policy or guideline, refer to the EHS web site or contact us at ehs@umsystem.edu / (573) 882-7018.