Safety Inspections

Safety Inspection: EHS will conduct periodic inspections of lab, studio, shop, and other spaces for chemical safety, hazardous and universal waste management, proper personal protective equipment, electrical safety, fire safety, and hazard communication compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Department of Ecology (DOE), Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, local, state, and federal regulations, and university policies.

Lab, Studio, or Shop Spaces: A space may be a room, a group of rooms, or a portion of a room delineated by the hazards present, operations conducted, or the primary contact.

Primary Space Contact: The primary contact is an employee who is familiar with the space and hazards, who supervises safety in the space on a day-to-day basis, and who participates in the inspection process.

Safety Inspection Checklist: This document is owned and updated by Environmental Health and Safety to ensure the university is compliant with current laws, regulations, and best practices regarding safe chemical use and safety in campus spaces. It is used to conduct safety inspections and is available for departments to review on the EHS website.  

Noncompliance: Any item within the lab, studio, or shop space identified to not adhere with the items on the Safety Inspection Checklist with regards to local, state, and/or federal regulations. e.g. Noncompliance for not having PPE in designated lab space.  

Violation: The specific infraction that is known to be noncompliant.   e.g. Violation is that the incorrect type of gloves were provided.  

1. EHS 

• Notifies the department chair/director and department manager that spaces in their unit are due for inspection at least one month prior to the beginning of an inspection window.
• Provides the department chair/director and department manager with the Safety Inspection Checklist.
• Provides the department chair/director and department manager with a scheduling tool where primary contacts sign up for inspection timeslot(s) for their space(s).

2. The department chair/director and/or department manager 

• Forwards inspection information and scheduling tool to primary space contacts within their unit. Confirms that primary space contacts in their unit are aware that they are designated as primary space contacts and understand the responsibilities.
• Provides reminders as needed until all primary space contacts in the unit have scheduled inspections using the scheduling tools.
• Identifies an alternate if the primary space contact is unavailable during the inspection timeframe.

3. The primary space contact 

• Reviews the safety inspection checklist and prepares the space for inspection.
• Schedules an inspection timeslot using the scheduling tool. Updates EHS in a timely manner if there is a need to reschedule. 

1. EHS

• Conducts inspection with primary space contact. Documents compliance/noncompliance/violations on safety inspection checklist with photo documentation.
• Informs primary space contact of any issues that can be corrected in the moment.  
• Informs primary space contact of immediate dangers to life or health (IDLH) that necessitate immediate space closure. EHS will work with the Chair and FDO to freeze entry into an IDLH space and/or lockout hazardous equipment.  

2. The primary space contact 

• Participates in the inspection.
• Corrects any issues that can be corrected in the moment. 

1. EHS 

• Provides an inspection report with photo documentation to department chair/director, department manager, and primary space contact within two weeks of the inspection date.  
• Provides detailed information about noncompliance and/or violations including photo documentation and the corrections necessary for compliance.

2. The primary space contact

• Develops a written plan to make the necessary corrections and returns it to EHS within 30 days of the inspection report receipt date. Consults with EHS, the department chair/director, the department manager, or other colleagues as needed.    

3. The department chair/director and/or department manager 

• Assists the primary space contact with the development and implementation of the written correction plan, including timeline/deadline for completion.

4. EHS 

• Reviews the correction plan.  
• Approves or requests a revised plan within 30 days.
• Provides assistance with revision as needed.  

5. The primary space contact

• Implements the necessary corrections. Consults with EHS, the department chair/director, the department manager, or other colleagues as needed.  

6. EHS 

• Verifies that the corrections are implemented according to the written plan. Provides updated inspection reports to department chair/director, department manager, and primary space contact once the corrections are implemented. Initiates escalation protocol if the plan is not implemented.
• Generates aggregate reports for university leadership and the Laboratory and Chemical Safety Committee (LCSC) and others.
• Maintains records of completed inspections and corrective actions taken in accordance with the state retention schedule.  

Environmental Health & Safety

• EHS is responsible for communicating to departments that inspection procedures are being initiated, scheduling inspections with primary contacts, performing inspections, following up on safety violations, and escalation.
• Maintains an inventory of labs, shops, studios, and other spaces on campus where potentially hazardous activities are occurring and the primary contact for each space.  
• Contacts department chair/directors and department managers at least once annually to verify the accuracy of the space inventory.  

Department Chairs/Directors and Managers 

• Department Chairs/Directors are responsible for informing their departments about scheduling appointments with EHS for the safety inspection. They are also responsible for gathering the information regarding space inventory for their department, as well as disseminating the inspection reports. Department Chairs/Directors should also be involved with any necessary resolutions for safety violations that require funding beyond the capability of the Primary Contact.  

Department Safety Coordinators (DSC)

• Responds promptly to requests from EHS to verify the accuracy of the space inventory. Informs EHS of any incorrect or outdated information (if applicable) and provides EHS with accurate and current information (if applicable).
• DSCs, where applicable, are responsible for assisting with pre-inspections of inventory spaces with the Primary Contacts. They are also responsible for  resolving minor safety violations that fit under their job descriptions. They may or may not be the Primary Contact for certain inventory spaces, and/or may be present with the Primary Contact during the inspections.

Primary Contacts

• The Primary Contact for an inventory space is responsible for being present during the inspection of their space, ensuring that  identified  safety violations are rectified, and informing the Department Chair/Director and/or the Department Manager of their area of violation items that require more oversight than that which they are capable.  

Deans

• Deans are ultimately responsible for the safety of the inventory spaces in their college.  They will receive Safety Inspection Reports annually, and will follow-up with Department Directors/Chairs on any ongoing safety violations or patterns that become apparent. They are empowered to discuss safety violations within their cohort or involve University leadership as needed.

Space Inventories Must be Completed Before Scheduling Inspections

• The department space inventory, including a current Primary Contact for each space, must be maintained by EHS and regularly updated by the Department Chair/Director and/or Department Manager. The escalation procedure will be activated if space inventories are not submitted in a reasonable time after request is made by EHS. 

   

 The responsibilities above are documented in university standard STN-U5950.01.