3.10.6 The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all member of the campus community.
JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
Compliance.
NARRATIVE/JUSTIFICATION FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The University provides a safe, healthy and secure working environment for all staff, faculty, students, and visitors.General Health and Safety
The University focuses
on preserving
the environment and complying with federal, state, local and system regulations.
Through implementation of appropriate System regulations, the University
pledges to keep its commitment to the environment and its community.
The goal of The
Texas A&M University System Regulation 24.02 Environmental Health and
Safety Program, sponsored
by The Texas A&M
University System (TAMUS), is
to effectively communicate the importance of a safe working environment.
Understanding
the priority of environmental health and safety protection, proper training
and System compliance is the key to a successful program.
The TAMUS Risk Management Safety Council consists of at least one safety professional representative from each of the System Universities and Agencies as well as ex-officio members from the System Risk Management office. The focus of the council is to implement regulations, policies and procedures at the System level and to create programs at each institution to coincide with these regulations. The council has been successful in implementing regulations such as: Environmental Health and Safety Program, Hazard Communication Program, Chemical Safety, Biological Safety, Fire and Life Safety, Agriculture and Forestry Safety, Operations of Heavy Equipment, Crisis Management Program, Reproductive Risks, Use of Personal Protective Equipment, Employee Safety Responsibility, Industrial Hygiene: Monitoring and Evaluation of Occupational/Environmental Exposure, Hazardous Waste Management Program, Visitor Safety, Laboratory Safety and Health Management, Radiation Safety, Ventilation Control for Occupational Health, Lead Paint Control, General Safety, General Sanitation, Respiratory Protection, Mobile Equipment, Management of Thermal Stress, Asbestos Management, Peace Officers Security Bond, Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement.
The Texas A&M University System provides funding to purchase needed environmental health and safety supplies. In 2004, the University purchased two new automated external defibrillators, one evacuchair and Hepatitis vaccinations for employees at risk of a Bloodborne Pathogen exposure.
The University has implemented the following programs that comply with System regulations and make up the Safety Program:
- Hazard Communication Program: This program provides training, appropriate
personal protective equipment, and information regarding hazardous
chemicals in accordance with the Texas Hazard Communication Act and
the Public Employer Community Right-to-Know Act.
- Hazardous Waste Management Program: The purpose of this program
is to comply with all local, state, and federal regulations on the
proper collection, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste and prompt
personnel safety and environmental preservation associated with hazardous
waste management activities.
- Management and Disposal of Biological Waste: The purpose of this
program is to provide information, requirements, guidelines and procedures
for the handing and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous biological
waste for all departments and units.
- Bloodborne
Pathogens Exposure Control Plan: Employees identified
as having a potential bloodborne pathogen exposures as a result of
employment are properly trained annually and offered the Hepatitis
B vaccination.
- Crisis Management Plan: This program includes plans for prevention,
preparedness, response, and recovery for all forms of crisis or emergencies
foreseen on campus.
- Employee Safety Responsibility: Safety is the responsibility of every employee and can be better achieved through proper education, training, use of protective equipment, and compliance with safety rules, standards and laws. Each employee is responsible for understanding and practicing appropriate safety procedures.
In addition to these programs, the University also offers the following:
- Monthly safety newsletters distributed to all employees (full time,
part time, student employees, and workstudy employees). This four page
monthly newsletter contains articles of interest to the campus pertaining
to environmental heath and safety issues.
- A Food Handlers Workshop is offered to all student organizations
as a prerequisite for serving food and beverage fundraisers on campus.
This course is offered twice in the Spring and twice in the Fall and
must be attended by all organizations.
- Incident investigations are conducted after every accident or injury
incident on campus.
- Training is provided where required or as needed in areas such as: Automatic External Defibrillator; Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); Personal Protective Equipment; Heat Stress; Electrical Safety; Machine and Equipment Safety; Materials Handling Safety; Safe Lifting; Good Housekeeping Safety; Slips, Trips, and Falls; Ergonomics; Ladder Safety; Office Hazards; Fire Safety; Fire Extinguisher Usage; Reading Labels and Material Safety Data Sheets; Lockout/Tagout; Universal Precautions; and Lawn Equipment Safety. The University provides inspections of campus fire extinguishers and offers compliance inspections of National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code.
Safety and Crime Prevention
University
Police have
full law enforcement authority and are vested with all powers, privileges,
and immunities
of peace officers while on the property under the control and jurisdiction
of the institution. Police officers perform a wide array of
duties and services. Many of these are of a security nature, including
securing buildings, motorist assistance, security escorts and general
preventive patrol of buildings, parking lots and other campus areas.
In addition to traditional vehicular patrol, foot and bicycle
patrol are also employed. (University
Police, Patrol Division)
University police officers are charged with protecting the public safety
and welfare of students, employees, and property of the institution in
accordance
with Texas
law. (University
Police, Public Safety) In order to accomplish this charge, officers
must have attended a state certified police academy, received certification
and
licensing
by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education
(TCLEOSE), must have successfully completed a minimum of 30 college credit
hours and comply with state mandated bi-annual training requirements. Officers
are well trained, well educated men and women, committed to the concept of
community service, who protect a campus filled with professional, dedicated
faculty, staff and students in a unique academic environment.
The University Police Department maintains excellent relations with the City
of Laredo Police Department, the Webb County Sheriff's Office, the agencies
of
the United States Department of Homeland Security (including the Border Patrol,
Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation)
and other state and federal law enforcement agencies. The department
has established a liaison with the Laredo Community College Police Department,
the United Independent School District Police Department and the Laredo Independent
School District Police Department. Information about crimes and incidents is
exchanged between agencies so crime trends and activities may be monitored.
The University Police Department has several crime prevention programs available
to the university community. These programs emphasize personal awareness and
personal responsibility for protecting property and to reduce and prevent crimes.
- Alarm Systems - monitors several types of alarms from different
locations on campus, these systems are designed to enhance personal
safety, building security and environmental controls;
- Crime Prevention Presentations - conduct crime prevention and crime
awareness presentations at student orientations and upon request as
follows:
- Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Course – basic physical
defense for women;
- Community Advisors (CA) Orientation – drug awareness
presentation for housing administrators and staff;
- New Student Orientation – safety awareness and topics
of interest for new University students;
- Heightened Security Presentation – crime awareness
for University community;
- Date Rape Presentation – awareness course for the
University community;
- Personal Safety – personal safety precautions.
- Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Course – basic physical
defense for women;
- Crime Stoppers - the University participates with local crime prevention
programs such as the Laredo Crime Stoppers program.
- Motorist Assistance Programs - provide assistance to motorists with
vehicle difficulties. The services range from jump-starts of vehicles,
attempting to unlock locked vehicles, providing assistance with out-of-fuel
vehicles, and assistance with flat tires.
- Dusty Trails - provides security escorts - walking, golf cart, police
vehicle – to on campus locations;
- Emergency Telephones – monitors and answers 17 Emergency Code blue telephones located throughout campus, emergency telephones in elevators and emergency telephones in university buildings that provide direct contact with the police dispatcher.
The University Police Department contributes crime information to the Texas Department of Public Safety and makes crime statistic information available to interested parties. Statistics for this report are compiled from University Police reports, incidents reported to public law enforcement agencies where the University owns or controls property, and from incidents reported by persons who have “significant responsibility for student and campus activities” to whom individuals report criminal incidents they have not reported to police.(University Police, Crime Statistics)
Student
Health Services
At TAMIU, Student Health
Services (SHS)
strives to meet the immediate and episodic student health care needs by
providing clinic
visits, outreach
contacts at the student housing complex, orientation programs, and
other campus activities. A collaborating
physician is available for medical consultation upon referral by the nurse
practitioner.
SHS strives to provide health information to increase student awareness
of a healthy lifestyle through direct teaching, health literature,
and vaccination
drives. Patients
receive information and education regarding health issues pertinent to a healthier
lifestyle. In addition, HIV counseling and testing is confidentially handled
through a local health care agency.
Currently a variety of services are provided including:
- Over-the-counter medications
- Prescriptions for medication
- Assessment & diagnosis of illness
- Nutrition and fitness counseling
- Weight monitoring
- Body fat percentage monitoring
- Blood pressure screening and monitoring
- Diabetic screening and monitoring
- Pregnancy testing
- Immunizations
- Tuberculosis testing
- Vision screening
- Weekly onsite visits by licensed physician
- Health information resources
- Class D Pharmacy (primarily provides antibiotics for infectious diseases)
- Referral to local health care providers
- Staff participation in Student Orientation programs
Campus Residence Programs
The mission of the Office of Housing & Residence Life is to provide
housing, programs, and services that establish a setting conducive to learning
and that are affordable, enjoyable, safe, and well maintained. This office
coordinates with all other campus offices and departments to ensure the health
and safety of over 400 on-campus student residents. In addition, the staff
of Housing & Residence Life conducts and coordinates educational programs
in all residence halls every semester which deal with
physical, occupational, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, health,
diversity, community service and gender issues. American Campus
Communities operated the management of on campus housing from 1996 until
Summer 2004. American
Campus Communities Customer Service Survey evaluated assessment of student
resident satisfaction. The survey was processed through Insights Research
Group. Beginning in the summer of 2004, the University assumed the management
of all
campus housing and the Office of Housing and Residence Life was created.
Assessment
of student resident satisfaction is evaluated through TAMIU's participation
in the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International
(ACUHO-I) "Resident Student Satisfaction Study" on a bi-annual
basis.
Health and safety policies for student residents on campus are published
in the Residence Hall Student Handbook.
The offices of University Police and Housing & Residence
Life have established a formalized relationship designed to ensure coordination
and completeness of safety procedures. A variety of media such as
the Internet, flyers, posters,
and direct mailings are used to update residents regarding
personal safety, including bomb
threat, and emergency evacuation.
The safety of campus housing is ensured by a number of standard procedures:
- Fire safety is supported by fire drills, presence of fire alarm
systems in all buildings, individual smoke alarms in all individual
rooms, a sprinkler system in all living units, and key boxes for the
fire department access in all buildings.
- Access safety is supported by a campus card system (NuVision Network).
All residence halls are gated and controlled access. In addition, telephones
are located at the main entrance of each residence hall and are available
for emergency use. Emergency exit procedures are posted on the back
of the doors of each residential unit.
- Maintenance of systems and facilities is supported by semi-annual
inspections of all buildings performed by the University Physical Plant
department, monthly inspections by the Director of Housing and Residence
Life, routine room checks
by Residence Life staff and daily patrols by the University Police.
- Training of Residence Life staff is conducted at the beginning of each semester and involves professional housing staff and representatives from the Division of Student Affairs, University Police, and Physical Plant. In particular, CPR and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) training programs are provided for all Residence Hall staff.
The Office of Housing and Residence Life focuses on the health and safety of on-campus residents through crime prevention, education, and intervention strategies.
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