Occupational Safety and Health

Scope

This policy applies to Indiana University employees who:

• receive compensation, including faculty and staff; temporary agency employees working for Indiana University and student workers; and
• work in any location on behalf of Indiana University where hazardous conditions may reasonably occur; and
• work in any activity that could reasonably pose a hazard to the individual.

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Policy Statement

Indiana University is responsible for providing a safe working environment for all employees. This includes:

• Making reasonable efforts to investigate and address safety issues.
• Complying with specific regulatory requirements when certain types of work are performed (see below).
• Ensuring employees receive all necessary training and personal protective equipment before being assigned to perform tasks.
• Making information on hazardous materials readily available.

All Indiana University employees must act in a safe, responsible manner, follow all provided safety training or other guidance, report observed safety issues and any work-related illness or injury to management immediately.

Indiana University Environmental Health and Safety (IUEHS) has the authority to stop work on jobs where lack of compliance with this policy presents a danger to university employees.

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Reason for Policy

Indiana University is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for employees and complying with applicable regulations. The purpose of this policy is to outline the programs and procedures related to occupational health and safety.

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Procedures

Any job can have hazards, whether in a lab, in a construction zone, or at a desk. Indiana University takes steps to identify and control the risks that might arise on the job in order to provide a safe, healthy work environment. The following sections briefly describe specific types of work and by inclusion, these programs and plans are enforceable by this policy. Questions about unique situations that do not fall into these areas should be directed to an IUEHS representative or the respective campus.

Aerial Lift Program
Applies to all Indiana University departments that set-up, maintain, and/or operate an aerial lift, regardless of location. Aerial lifts include all powered or manually operated personnel lifting devices.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=8

Asbestos Management Program
Covers all work activities that have the potential to disturb asbestos-containing materials (ACM). These activities include routine maintenance and operation activities; renovations or demolition; new construction-related activities; information technology services; electronic security services; and abatement activities for damaged asbestos-containing materials or for other activities in which contact with ACM may occur.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=46

Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan (ECP)
Applies to all employees; including full-time, part-time, temporary, and probationary; who may as part of their jobs come in contact with persons, unconditioned primate animals, or items that are infectious for bloodborne pathogens.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=44

Cold Stress Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees who are exposed to or may become exposed to excessive cold during the course of performing their job duties.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=10

Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees who use, handle, store or transport compressed gas cylinders.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=55

Contractor Safety Program
Covers all work activities performed by contractors and subcontractors on Indiana University property. This Program does not cover the legal responsibilities that contractors and subcontractors have regarding their own employees, but only the steps necessary to protect members of the campus community. Those responsibilities, including but not limited to compliance with 29 CFR 1910 and 29 CFR 1926, rest solely with the contractor.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=11

Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Program
Applies specifically to the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start-up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=12

Crane, Hoist, and Sling Safety Program
Establishes the minimum performance requirements for the safe use of cranes, hoists, and/or slings.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=13

Electrical Safety Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees, and covers all electrical equipment (e.g. machinery, tools, equipment, and circuit parts), which, due to their nature of operation and/or design, pose inherent hazards from electricity.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=58

Ergonomics Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees and all related jobs and job tasks. It was developed to proactively prevent or reduce work-related ergonomic injuries.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=14

Fall Protection Program
Establishes the required procedures, methods, precautions, training, and responsibilities to be used by Indiana University employees where fall protection is required.

The following work situations are covered by the IU's Fall Protection Program:

• Fixed Ladders – over 20 feet in height;
• Elevating Personal Platforms – scaffolds, aerial platforms, scissors lifts forklift-mounted platforms, cherry pickers, etc.;
• Elevated Surfaces – roofs (closer than 15 feet from the edge), catwalks, skylights, boilers, chillers, etc.; and
• Vertical Opening - ground level entry into excavations, trenches, holes, pits, vessels, and confined spaces.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=50

First Aid, CPR and AED Program (shared with INLOCC)
This program is jointly administered by IUEHS and INLOCC. It applies to all Indiana University departments that provide first aid kits for the purpose of treating minor injuries and/or have designated employees trained in the administration of first aid, CPR, or the use of an AED.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=42

Hand and Power Tool Safety Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees who may use hand tools (e.g. screwdrivers, chisels, pliers, etc.) and/or power tools (e.g. rotating, reciprocating, pneumatic, etc.) during the course of their work. This program does not cover the safe use of mowers which is covered by the Lawn Mower Safety Program.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=16

Hazard Communication Program
Establishes requirements for informing Indiana University employees who work with or are exposed to regulated chemicals which pose a physical and/or health hazard. The requirements apply during routine or non-routine operations or during emergency conditions at any phase of the chemicals' "life-cycle," including receipt, issue, use, or disposal. Note that these requirements are very different for laboratory settings, as opposed to non-laboratory workplaces.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=17

Heat Stress Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees who are exposed to or may become exposed to excessive heat during the course of performance of their job duties.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=7

Heavy Equipment Vehicle Safety Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees who operate or work in conjunction with heavy equipment, including, but not limited to, farm vehicles, vehicles intended for earth-moving, and vehicles intended for over-the-road hauling.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=20

Hot Work and Welding Management Procedures (shared with INLOCC)
This program is jointly managed by IUEHS and INLOCC. It applies to all hot work operations performed on Indiana University property, including, but not limited to, construction, maintenance, and renovation projects.

https://inlocc.iu.edu/Policies/HotWork.cfm

Indoor Air Quality Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees and all owned or leased indoor environments and establishes standard procedures for the management of indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns.

https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/occupational-health/air-quality.html

Lawn Mower Safety
Applies to all Indiana University employees who use lawn mowing equipment during the course of their work. This Program does not cover the safe use of Hand and Power Tools which is covered by the Hand and Power Tool Safety Program.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=23

Lead Safety Program
Covers all work activities that have the potential to disturb lead-containing materials (LCM). These activities include; construction, repair, renovations, or demolition with a potential for exposure to lead.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=40

Machinery and Machine Guarding Program
Applies to all Indiana University employees and covers all machinery which, due to nature of operation and/or design, pose inherent hazards caused by mechanical motion such as ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=39

Occupational Injury and Illness Investigation Program
Ensures that IUEHS is informed of employee injuries and illnesses for the purpose of incident investigation and prevention and to establish a mechanism for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule for reporting work-related fatalities and severe injuries/illnesses (29 CFR 1904.39).

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=6

Permit-Required Confined Space Program
Applies to any Indiana University employee who is required to enter an area that has been identified as a permit-required confined space.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=37

Portable Ladder Safety Program
Establishes training and standard procedures for all Indiana University employees who use portable ladders at work. This program pertains to the use of the following ladders: step ladders, straight ladders, extension ladders, and other variations of portable utility ladders. This program does not apply to step stools less than 3 feet in height.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=36

Powered Industrial Truck Program
Applies to all Indiana University departments that operate and/or maintain specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. This includes all self-propelled, material delivery vehicles or self-propelled, fork lift vehicles that the operator walks with, stands on, or sits on. Excluded from the scope of this program are compressed air or nonflammable compressed gas-operated industrial trucks, farm vehicles, and any vehicles primarily used for earth moving or over-the-road hauling.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=35

Robots and Robotic Systems Safety Program
Establishes minimum requirements for the design, rebuild, installation, safeguarding, maintenance, testing, start-up, and employee training as it relates to or use of robots or robotic systems.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=25

Scaffold Safety Program
Establishes safety requirements for the proper construction, inspection, maintenance, operation, and use of supported scaffolding. Excluded from this Program are aerial lifts which are addressed in the IU Aerial Lift Program.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=34

Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Safety Program (“Drones”)
Applies to all Indiana University employees, students, and overseeing departments that operate small UASs as part of university-related activities or research at Indiana University. This program also applies to any other person or entity that may operate small UASs on or above Indiana University property.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=26

Walking and Working Surface Safety Program
Establishes appropriate procedures, corrective measures, and protective measures related to walking and working surfaces in the workplace.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=32

Welding, Cutting, and Brazing Safety Program
Applies to all welding, cutting, and brazing work activities performed by IU employees and other workers who are under the supervision and direction of IU employees.

https://psia360.iu.edu/sites/ehsdocs/?id=30

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Definitions

Employee – this term shall be synonymous with and include all employees working for Indiana University – academic employees, including faculty; and staff, including full-time, part-time, and temporary (hourly) employees at any University campus or working on behalf of the University. Students may also be employees.

Indiana University Property – Buildings, grounds, and land that are owned by Indiana University or controlled by Indiana University via leases or other formal contractual arrangements to house ongoing IU operations.

Temporary Agency Employee - An employee working for Indiana University on a temporary basis, through an agency, that has been contracted to provide said employees.

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Sanctions

Failure to follow established procedures and training may subject employees to progressive disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, in accordance with University policies. IUEHS has the authority to immediately halt non-compliant activities.

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Additional Contacts

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History

This policy was established in 2016.

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