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Occupational Safety & Health includes providing safe and healthful working conditions for employees and the USG community by providing support regarding occupational standards, training, and resources.
Workplace Safety
Employee safety in the workplace is generally covered by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard’s requirements as well as national consensus and best management practices. Occupational Safety and Health training to promote safe and healthful work practices is administered through the SciShield Safety Management Platform.
- Control of Hazardous Energy - USG’s Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Program directs the creation of procedures used to ensure that hazardous energy sources are properly controlled during maintenance, repair, cleaning, or other activities. The program was developed to conform to the existing UMD College Park Policy on Control of Hazardous Energy During Maintenance of Equipment.
- Hazard Communication - To protect USG employees from the dangers associated with chemical substances used during the course of their work, a Hazard Communication Program applies based on OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200. The USG Hazard Communication Program is designed to reduce the potential for occurrences of occupational illnesses and injuries through information, education, and training on the use and management of chemical-related substances.
- Fall Protection - OSHA’s Industry Standard requires fall protection when working from heights greater than four feet, and the Construction Standard requires fall protection when working from heights greater than six feet above a lower level. The USG Fall Protection Program protects employees from hazards related to working at elevated heights
Makerspaces
USG hosts a Fabrication Shop and associated workspaces on the ground floor of Building IV (BSE). There are a variety of large pieces of makerspace equipment and many hand tools for student projects. Training needs to be completed to gain access to these resources, including General Safety Training, Equipment-Specific Operational Training, and Job Hazard Analysis Training. The goal of training is to inform on how to use equipment correctly and control hazardous tasks by identifying the safeguards, work practices, and personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of an injury.
Ergonomics
The applied science which emphasizes the importance of having the correct posture or body positioning and designing workstations so they fit the individual worker in an effort to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The objective is to maintain a body position that requires the least physical effort, and to design out as many equipment ergonomic risk factors as possible.
Indoor Air Quality
The qualities of good IAQ include an environment where the temperature and humidity are within acceptable ranges, adequate fresh outdoor air is supplied, and pollutants from inside and outside of the building are controlled.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends:
- Assuming normal indoor air movement, humidity, and solar radiant effects, the operative temperature for thermal comfort should range from 67°F to 76.5°F in the winter, and from 71.5°F to 80°F in the summer (the difference in temperature ranges between the seasons is largely due to clothing selection).
- Indoor relative humidity maintained between 30-60%.
If you would like assistance regarding either ergonomics or IAQ, please use the Report a Concern form.