Industrial Hygiene and Safety (IH&S) protects University staff from workplace injury and illness by assisting departments in anticipating, evaluating, and controlling potential health and safety hazards. IH&S staff focuses their attention on North Campus and on many of the auxiliary departments such as Housing, Athletics, University Unions, and Printing Services. We also oversee health and safety on construction projects throughout the Ann Arbor campus. IH&S activities assure that air quality and working conditions are safe for faculty, students, staff and contractors. IH&S also ensures that the University is in compliance with federal and state occupational safety and health regulations.
Safety Training Programs
IH&S staff conduct a wide array of training sessions for employees. The training topics are specific to the work task and are intended to convey an understanding of the potential hazards as well as the work practices and control measures necessary to minimize those hazards while performing the job. Many training topics follow the programs described above, or are developed based on a specific need.
Workplace Evaluations
IH&S staff will routinely visit department work areas to evaluate potential health and safety hazards and to make recommendations for improvement. Air and noise monitoring to measure actual worker exposure is part of the evaluation process. Faculty and staff who are concerned about health and safety in their workplace can call and request an evaluation. Typical evaluations include solvent and paint exposure; asbestos and lead exposure; dust and welding fumes; indoor air quality assessments; noise and heat stress monitoring; ergonomic assessments; non-ionizing radiation including lasers, electromagnetic, microwave, and radiofrequency radiation; electrical safety; and machine guarding.
Health & Safety Programs
IH&S develops written programs and guidelines for easy adoption by University departments. The programs are designed to help workers understand the potential risk, assist in the development and implementation of methods to control the risk, and provide procedures the workers can use to protect themselves. Some of the major programs are Hazard Communication and Material Safety Data Sheets, Hearing Conservation (for employees working in high noise environments), Building Emergency Action Plans, Personal Protective Equipment, Confined Space Entry, Lead, and Asbestos.
Protective Equipment
Additional Programs
Health & Safety in Construction Projects
The impact of construction and renovation projects on the safety and health of nearby University occupants and contractors is managed by IH&S. The goal of IH&S is to minimize disruption to occupants and to address health, safety, and environmental concerns. Projects involving the disturbance of asbestos or lead-containing materials or other hazardous materials are reviewed by OSEH staff working closely with Architecture, Engineering, and Construction engineers and architects who design the projects. Monitoring is conducted as necessary during project work to ensure safety of University staff and students as well as contractor safety. Asbestos work in particular is regulated very closely with continuous oversight by consultants managed through IH&S, in cooperation with the Construction Management Department. All matters related to asbestos in buildings are addressed in the University Asbestos Management Plan.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued security rules to help prevent the intentional misuse of certain high-risk chemicals. Colleges and Universities are covered by these rules because they apply to any organization that manufactures, stores, uses, or otherwise handles chemicals, including compressed gases. The rule requires each covered organization to determine if they have certain chemicals of interest above certain threshold quantities in order to report to Homeland Security. Based on their review, a facility may then be required to perform security vulnerability assessments and possibly implement additional security measures.
As part of our continuing effort to comply with these regulations, it is imperative that each lab area or department maintain accurate up-to-date inventories in their area. OSEH will periodically request these inventories in order to review data to ensure compliance with this regulation. Additionally, the purchase of research chemicals should be conducted when possible through one of the University’s strategic suppliers. This will enable the tracking of chemicals and compressed gases on campus in order to effectively track quantities on hand.
Click here to view a list of the DHS Chemicals of interest. If your area purchases or acquires new chemicals or compressed gases and they are on the DHS list, please update your chemical inventory and submit to drsheen@umich.edu.
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