Workplace Safety
Our office strives to promote a safe and healthy workplace on campus for all employees. This may take the form of different methods including providing training, conducting safety walkthroughs, and implementing other risk mitigation strategies. In the end though, everyone has a responsibility for their own safety and taking steps to ensure they are working as safely as possible. The information below provides guidance on how to do this and other resources to help you make your work area a safe and healthy environment.
Workstation Ergonomics
Ergonomics is adjusting the workplace to the worker to function in harmony with the environment instead of working against it. This can take the form of various modifications to the workplace to reduce discomfort and/or mitigate potential repetitive motion injuries (aka, musculoskeletal disorders, "MSDs"). Workstations at TAMIU are designed to be flexible in nature featuring chairs, desks, and other peripherals that meet your needs and demands to accomplish your work tasks.
If there are elements that seem like they're not meeting your needs or you've encountered some discomfort during the workday, we encourage you to examine your environment through our Workstation Ergonomic Self-Assessment Tool to evaluate and possibly make improvements to your workstation, often with minimal effort, time, or additional resources.
Slips, Trips & Falls
Falls and other slip or trip-related injuries are regularly some of the top causes of workplace injuries. Many of these are preventable too via common sense strategies or other general awareness of your surroundings. To help mitigate or prevent slips, trips, and falls at TAMIU, keep the following tips in mind:
- Notify your supervisor or EHS if you see something you might slip or trip on
- Clean up spills and anything slippery.
- Clear walkways, stairs, and lobbies of anything that might be a tripping hazard, such as cords, wires, empty boxes, and clutter.
- Make sure that floor mats lay flat rather than wrinkled or bunched.
- Use handrails when you walk up and down steps.
- Before using any ladder or stepladder, make sure it opens fully.
- Check that ladder extensions are fully locked and that the ladder legs are stable on a flat, non-slippery surface.
- Clean off any slippery material on the rungs, steps, or feet of a ladder before you use it.
- Don’t go over the load limit noted on the ladder.
For more information on slips, trips, and falls, check out the following resources: