Congratulations! You have just become the safety manager for Podunk University.
Your position is at the campus in Podunk, Colorado, and your predecessor left
the job a year and a half ago. There has been nobody in the position during
that interval. The commitment of the institution to safety is dubious at best,
but you are looking forward to starting your new position and making a positive
change.
After introducing
yourself to the secretary you share with a half dozen other, more senior,
people, you decide to focus on hazardous material and hazardous waste issues
since you just completed a great college course on those topics. You tour the
campus and discover that the following departments and programs are yours to
deal with:
• The
biology department has animal dissection, human dissection, a microbiology lab,
and a medical laboratory education program that uses small quantities of a lot
of chemicals.
• The
chemistry department has chemicals that have never been inventoried and a new
forensics program (as in CSI, not in college debate).
• The
physics department has high-voltage equipment, lasers, and LEDs.
• The
English department has lots and lots of books and papers, as well as
photocopiers.
• The
math department has lots of computers and whiteboards.
• The
automotive technology department has everything pertaining to auto repair,
including solvents, asbestos brake linings, pneumatic tools, waste oil, and
cutting and grinding tools.
• The
Massive Arena is one of the original buildings on campus and has a variety of
interesting problems, including asbestos insulation, and the building is
undergoing a massive renovation.
Respond to each of the
following questions:
1. Where
do you start?
2. Where
should you focus your initial HazCom efforts? In what order do you tackle the
rest of the departments?
3. What
are the HazCom issues in the automotive technology department?
4. What
are the hazardous waste issues in the automotive technology department?
5. What
are the HazCom issues in the chemistry department?
6. What
are the hazardous waste issues in the chemistry department?
7. With
the Massive Arena renovation, who are the people to whom you need to
communicate hazards?
8. What
are your main concerns with the physics department?
9. What
are the hazardous material/waste spill response issues for the university, and
how should you prepare for them?
10. Is
any HazCom training needed for the English and math departments?
11. What
are some resources for finding out how to solve the HazCom issues?
12. You
must choose technology or trainers to do the needed training. What are some
issues to consider when selecting these?
13. Due
to budget cuts, you have to do the training yourself, and you will use
PowerPoint. What are some considerations when developing your PowerPoint
Presentation?
14. How
can you evaluate your training to ensure that it is accomplishing your goals?
15. One
of the chemistry professors working with some of the automotive technology
faculty members, invents a new nonflammable compound that will render obsolete
the need for solvents to degrease auto parts. She wants to market the stuff.
What needs to be done before it can be marketed, and who should do it?
16. The
University decides to partner with the chemistry professor and market this new
compound. Due to the lack of flammability, it is a great hit nationwide. They
then decide to market it worldwide. What concerns need to be addressed?
17. It
turns out that this wonderful new compound makes a really great explosion when
used in conjunction with another chemical. As the University is manufacturing
the compound in large quantities and storing it on the grounds, what concerns
do you now have? What experts should you consult?
18. The
biology department has been busy as well. The little microbiology lab is large
now, and they are working with stronger pathogens. How would you determine the
new hazard communication requirements and things that you should do beyond that
minimum?
After a tough five
years, you have the Podunk University campus running smoothly. Everybody is
trained, and your successor will not have nearly as much of a challenge as you
did. Congratulations, and best wishes on your next challenge!
