Department
Plant & Soil
Sciences
Academic Department of the Year
August 2004
The DOHS is happy to recognize Plant and Soil Science's Safety Committee
and its Chair Jerry Hendricks for the Academic Safety Committee of the
Year program for 2004. A gift certificate to Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
was presented to the Committee in appreciation of their efforts. The
members of the Department of Occupational Health and Safety reviewed
the reports submitted by all the safety committees and voted to choose
Plant and Soil
Sciences as the Academic winner.
The committee
met all their requirements as set forth in University Policy 7-2.
In addition some highlights from Jerry's report of the committee's
activities are as follows. He summarized the five injuries they
experienced over the past year and listed the actions taken to prevent
future injuries. One prevention activity involved the development
of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for their autoclave and
posting it on the unit. They facilitated training for the department
in the following areas: Biosafety, Chemical Hygiene, Job Hazard
Analysis, Lab Inspection, New Graduate Student Safety Orientation,
Right to Know, and Waste Management. Several of their labs are using
the Laboratory Management Program. Lastly, they have developed an
extensive safety web site: Plant
and Soil Sciences Laboratory Safety Committee and are active
in physically posting safety information throughout the department
as well.
Jerry
in particular made a significant contribution to the safety program
this past year by participating in the OHS Program Review held in
December. He has spent countless hours reviewing self study documents,
attending meetings and conducting follow up activities. We are very
grateful for his dedication and willingness to perform this activity.
We are
very fortunate to have a department so willing to perform proactive
safety activities internally as well as for the University as a
whole. This certainly could not have happened without the strong
support of Dr. Don Sparks, the Department Chair as well as the faculty
and lab workers. Thanks to everyone for their part in improving
the safety of members of the University Community!
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