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Preface

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A. Mission

B. Dangerous conditions

C. Unsafe conditions

D. Refusal of work assignments

 

Workplace Safety
AFSCME 5.6

Revised July 1, 2008
Changes indicated in red font.

A. Mission to create a safe and healthful working environment

1. Indiana University recognizes its responsibility to provide a safe and healthful working environment. This shall include making reasonable efforts to promptly investigate and address health and safety issues, not requiring employees to perform tasks that are dangerous to their health and safety without adequate training and safety equipment as determined by applicable state and federal laws, and making readily accessible information on hazardous materials.

2. The Union recognizes its responsibility to cooperate with the University in maintaining improving a safe and healthful working environment.

B. Dangerous conditions requiring immediate attention

1. In a dangerous, emergency situation, the employee should call 9-1-1. (In situations involving serious injury, the need for rescue, fire, or other emergencies that require the intervention of emergency response personnel, employees should immediately call 9-1-1.)

2. Where a dangerous working condition exists that requires immediate corrective action, the employee shall notify the supervisor at once. See Also:  Section D.  Refusal of unsafe or dangerous work assignments.

3. The supervisor shall take immediate action to correct or minimize the hazard to a reasonable standard of safety.  The supervisor shall notify the dean or director of the supervisor.

4. If corrective action is not taken immediately by the supervisor, or the action taken does not minimize the hazard to a reasonable standard of safety, the employee shall notify Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S).

5. EH&S will document the report of a dangerous working condition and designate the appropriate individual to go to the scene immediately, evaluate the situation, make a judgment, and document and communicate the decision on appropriate action to the employee, the supervisor, and the dean or director.

6. EH&S will inform the Joint Safety Committee (JSC) at the next regularly scheduled JSC meeting of the report of a dangerous working condition and the decision of EH&S regarding appropriate action taken.

7. The JSC will review the information related to the dangerous working condition and determine whether the situation has been satisfactorily resolved or if additional investigation and actions are necessary.  If the JSC determines that additional investigation is needed, then it will decide what actions are to be taken to reach a consensus at the following regularly scheduled JSC meeting.

8. In the case of impasse the matter shall be submitted to the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for resolution.

C. Unsafe conditions not requiring immediate attention

1. Where a working condition is thought to be unsafe, or potentially unsafe, but does not require immediate corrective action, employees and supervisors shall first work together informally to correct the unsafe working condition.

2. When this informal process does not resolve the issue, the following procedure shall be used:

   1. The employee(s) shall fill out an Unsafe Working Conditions form (also available as a PDF), being as detailed and specific as possible. The employee(s) shall note the location and cause of the unsafe condition and the actions which should be taken to correct the condition. The employee(s) should then give the Form to the immediate supervisor.

   2. The supervisor shall have five (5) working days to investigate and respond in writing to the complaint of unsafe working conditions and take whatever corrective action, if any, needs to be taken. The supervisor shall consult with department management before preparing the written response.

   3. If the employee(s) disagrees with the action taken by the supervisor, or if no action is taken, the employee shall have three (3) working days to appeal to Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S).

   4. EH&S shall have five (5) working days to investigate the matter and take whatever corrective action, if any, is needed. EH&S will inform the Joint Safety Committee (JSC) at the next regularly scheduled JSC meeting regarding the complaint of an unsafe working condition and the decision of EH&S regarding appropriate corrective action taken.

   5. If the employee(s) disagrees with the action taken by EH&S, or if no action is taken, the employee shall have three (3) working days to appeal to the Joint Safety Committee.

   6. The Joint Safety Committee shall consider the matter at its next regularly scheduled meeting. JSC will review the information related to the unsafe working condition and reach a consensus regarding whether the situation has been satisfactorily resolved or if additional investigation and actions are necessary.   If the JSC determines that additional investigation is needed, then it will decide what actions are to be taken to reach a consensus at the following regularly scheduled JSC meeting. The Joint Safety Committee shall respond in writing to all complaints brought to its attention.

   7. In the case of an impasse the matter shall be submitted to the Director of Environmental Health for resolution.

D. Refusal of unsafe or dangerous work assignments

1. An employee or group of employees who refuse a work assignment because of a reasonable belief that to perform such work would endanger his/her physical safety beyond the normal hazards of the occupation or violates governmental safety standards, should use the complaint procedure set forth in Section B. above.

2. Employees, including the employee or employees who refused the work assignment shall not be required to resume the disputed work until either the alleged hazard is corrected or a determination has been made by a qualified from EH&S person stating the work is not unsafe or dangerous.

3. No employee who refuses to perform work in accordance with this section shall be disciplined or retaliated against or lose the right to perform the work once the hazardous condition has been corrected.

4. Pending the decision by the University concerning the work in question or the removal of the hazardous conditions, such employees may be assigned to any other work that is available, without loss of pay.