Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Accident Prevention Responsibility

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The University's Accident Prevention Program is intended to reduce work hazards, promote the well-being of WSU personnel, and result in low occupational accident rates. The provisions of the University's Accident Prevention Program are included in the various sections of Chapter 2.

Each University staff or faculty member is responsible for following University safety regulations as documented in this and other sections of the Safety Policies And Procedures Manual, as well as memoranda from the following:

• Environmental Health and Safety,
• Radiation Safety Office,
• Department of Risk Management,
• Public Safety Department, and
• University Health and Safety Committee.

Specified categories of University employees are responsible for the following:

Executive and principal administrative officers:

• Ensure that each reporting unit establishes a unit-specific accident prevention program.

Each unit may contact Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) for an accident prevention program template.

• Ensure that each reporting unit implements the University's overall Accident Prevention Program (Chapter 2) and the unit's own accident prevention program.

NOTE: See the Faculty Manual for definitions of executive and principal administrative officers.

Department chairs, directors, and superintendents:

• Ensure that at least one administrative representative participates in safety committee meetings, accident investigations, and facility inspections.

See 2.12 for more about safety committees.

• Prepare a written accident prevention program which describes how the unit intends to meet the provisions of the University's Accident Prevention Program as set forth in Chapter 2.

EH&S provides an accident prevention program template.

• Route a copy of the unit's written accident prevention program to EH&S.


• Ensure that the workplace is free of recognized hazards that havecaused or are likely to cause serious injury or death.


• Provide appropriate safety devices and safeguards.


• Ensure that safe methods and techniques are adopted.


• Make every reasonable effort to protect the life and safety of employees.

The safety and health of employees is a primary responsibility of each supervisor. As such, supervisors:

• Implement the unit's accident prevention program.


• Ensure that all applicable health and safety rules, regulations, policies, and procedures are understood and observed, e.g., use of protective equipment and safe work methods.


• Follow up on accidents and accident trends via investigations and/or correction of hazards; establish prevention measures.


• Actively follow the progress of injured workers. Encourage recovery and return to work as soon as medically feasible. See 2.32.


• Prevent employees under the influence of intoxicating beverages or narcotics from remaining in the workplace.

• Review, understand, and follow the unit's accident prevention program.


• Review and understand applicable safety and health rules prior to beginning job tasks.


• Observe federal, state, and University safety and health rules and apply the principles of accident prevention to day-to-day duties.


• Report promptly any job-related injury, illness or property damage to the supervisor, and seek medical treatment promptly.


• Report hazards and unsafe practices to the supervisor, safety committee representative and/or Environmental Health and Safety as appropriate. (Use the Hazard Notification form. See 2.52.)


• Are not to interfere with another employee's use of any safety device or safeguard.


• Are not to interfere with or modify safe methods and techniques adopted for the workplace.


• Are not to use intoxicating beverages or narcotics in or around the workplace or enter the workplace while under the influence of intoxicating beverages or narcotics.

NOTE: This does not apply to persons using prescription drugs as directed by a physician, as long as such usage does not endanger the employee or other persons.