Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Introduction to the Safety Policies and Procedures Manual

Washington State University is committed to creating and maintaining safe and healthful environments for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

The WSU Safety Policies and Procedures Manual (SPPM) is the primary publication used by the University administration to distribute safety and health information, directives, policies, and regulations to the University community.

The manual includes subject areas that roughly correspond to University safety and health functions, i.e., accident prevention, accident reporting, accident follow-up, protective equipment, motor vehicle safety, fire safety, environmental health, occupational health, and radiation safety. See S10.20 for a description of University health and safety departments.

Business-related health and safety functions, e.g., insurance and risk management, are described in Chapter 50 of the Business Policies and Procedures Manual and EP6 of the Executive Policy Manual.

Topics in the SPPM have general interest to many or all University departments. The SPPM does not include sections which exclusively describe internal central administration procedures or procedures which impact only one or two University units.

While the substance of the SPPM is established by administrators, the Office of Procedures, Records, and Forms is responsible for editing the material prior to publication. This practice ensures consistent language, organization, and format throughout the SPPM< and promotes comprehension and access.

Procedures, Records, and Forms maintains two online versions of the Safety Policies and Procedures Manual: a text-only version and a text and graphics version.

Use an Internet connection to access both manual versions.

To view the SPPM, go to the Procedures, Records, and Forms Manuals web page at:

http://www.wsu.edu/~forms/manuals.html

Procedures, Records, and Forms does not provide paper copies of the manual. Offices wishing to maintain a paper copy may update their current manual with revisions printed from the text and graphics version.

In order to maintain current information in the SPPM, Procedures and Forms manages a review process.

When a section has not been revised in over three years, Procedures and Forms sends an Existing Section Review Request and a copy of the section to the responsible administrators.

The administrator determines whether or not the section requires updating. If the section requires updating, the administrator indicates the items to be changed on the review request form or attached copy. The administrator returns the signed review request and section to Procedures, Records, and Forms by the "Respond By" date.

If Procedures, Records, and Forms receives no reply within one month from the first respond date, the office sends copies of an Existing Section Review Request and the section to the responsible administrators and the unit's executive administrator.

If Procedures, Records, and Forms receives no reply within one month from the second respond date, Procedures, Records, and Forms submits a final request to the unit's executive administrator. The final request includes notification of the anticipated removal date.

Removal of Section Procedures, Records, and Forms removes the section from the SPPM if the administrator does not respond within one month from the final request date.

Each WSU department or office should have access to the online versions of the SPPM. Unit administrators are responsible for ensuring that unit employees and students have ready access to the SPPM. As such, individuals working in shops, laboratories, and offices should have access to the Internet for viewing the SPPM.

Individuals not having Internet access can request their unit administrative offices to print paper copies of sections as needed.

The Office of Procedures, Records, and Forms periodically revises sections of the SPPM. Procedures, Records, and Forms places a revision notification in WSU Announcements with general information about changes in policy or procedure.

Copies of revision notifications can also be viewed by selecting the link to the SPPM "Revision Memos" on the Manuals web page at:

http://www.wsu.edu/~forms/manuals.html

Substantive revisions are identified by a black line in the left margin of the PDF version.

University health and safety offices initiate most material included in the SPPM.

Any University-affiliated individual may suggest revisions or additions to the SPPM. If the suggesting individual is not affiliated with a University health or safety office, he or she should route the suggestion to the administrator of the responsible health or safety office. (See S10.10 and S10.20.)

If the responsible health or safety office determines that the suggestion has merit, that office forwards the proposed revision to the Office of Procedures and Forms.

Procedures, Records, and Forms edits and rewrites the draft as necessary, and coordinates review and approval.