F. Operation and Maintenance of Property

1.   University System Authority

1.1   Board of Trustees policy (BOT VI.F.2) delegates to the Chancellor the authority to establish University System policy on the operations and maintenance of property and delegate, in turn, to the component institutions the authority to establish correspondent institutional policies.

2.   Delegation of Authority

2.1   The Chancellor delegates to the chief executive officers of each component institution the responsibility and authority to establish and administer an operations and maintenance program for all property owned, occupied, or managed by their respective institutions.

2.2   The component institutions' operations and maintenance programs shall include procedures establishing prudent property management practices and ensuring compliance with applicable Board of Trustees and University System policies and state and federal laws. Those programs shall designate specific institutional officials to be responsible for ensuring institutional compliance with program requirements.

3.   Policy on Environmental Health and Safety

3.1   Overview

3.1.1   It is the policy of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) to maintain a reasonably safe environment for its students, faculty and other academic appointees, staff, and visitors.

3.1.2   Operations at each component institution shall be conducted in compliance with applicable regulations, and when appropriate, with accepted health and safety standards.

3.1.3   A Council on Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for overall coordination and assessment of System-wide environmental health and safety efforts. The Council is chaired by the UNH Director of Environmental Health and Safety and includes representation from each component institution. The President or Chancellor of each component institution (GSC, KSC, PSU, UNH, USNH) appoints members to the Council. The Council shall meet quarterly to share current information, and shall provide to the Presidents and then to the Chancellor an annual report describing the state of the University System's environmental health and safety.

3.2   Responsibility

3.2.1   The Chancellor and Presidents are responsible for the implementation of the Environmental Health and Safety policy at their respective component institutions.

3.2.2   Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors, Department Chairs, principal investigators, supervisors, and all other employees are responsible for compliance with this policy as it relates to operations under their control.

3.3   Campus Program Elements and Objectives

3.3.1   The Chancellor, Presidents and Vice Presidents shall enact programs for environmental health and safety and such programs will be in compliance with applicable health and safety standards promulgated by federal, state and local agencies. In the absence of appropriate statutes and governmental regulations, the published standards of nationally recognized professional health and safety organizations would serve as guides. Appropriate working relationships with official regulatory agencies pertinent to environmental health and safety are recommended and encouraged.

3.3.2   Each component institution shall establish a written mission statement to outline operating policies, procedures and guidelines, as well as training for compliance with applicable environmental health and safety objectives listed below.

3.3.3   The written statement and programs for health and safety and environmental compliance shall include, but not be limited to the following program elements and objectives.

3.3.3.1   Injury and Illness Prevention

3.3.3.1.1   Objectives: The objectives are (1) to provide the means by which workplace hazards are identified and corrected in a timely manner; employees are to be informed of the specific hazards associated with their jobs and are to be trained in the appropriate safe work practices; employees can communicate, without fear of reprisal, their concerns about work area safety, and (2) to integrate existing and future compliance programs and environmental health and safety technical disciplines in a manner to ensure statutory and regulatory compliance in an efficient and logical approach. These programs and disciplines are discussed below.

3.3.3.1.2   Compliance Programs/Technical Disciplines

3.3.3.1.2.1   Industrial Hygiene: The practice of recognition, evaluation and control of potentially harmful substances and physical agents in the work area. The scope of this program shall include, but not be limited to, toxic materials, air quality in controlled environments, elements of physical exposure such as lighting, noise and temperature, and asbestos abatement.

3.3.3.1.2.2   General Safety: Identification and correction of factors which contribute to the incidence of accidental injury shall be maintained. The scope of these efforts shall include environmental conditions, engineering and design, maintenance of facilities and equipment, and the human factor.

3.3.3.1.2.3   Radiation and Laser Safety: Applicable regulations and appropriate standards shall be observed in the use of radioactive materials and radiation-producing machines. Appropriate guidelines shall be followed relating to the proper use, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials.

3.3.3.1.2.4   Occupational Health and Medicine: Appropriate resources and technology shall be applied to the recognition and response to occupational diseases and injury. Preventive health measures and surveillance techniques shall be utilized in a manner consistent with regulatory guidelines, accepted industry standards, and campus policy. The purpose of this program is the maintenance of reasonable standards for the health and safety of campus personnel and students.

3.3.3.1.2.5   Integrated Contingency Planning: Contingency planning shall facilitate appropriate mechanisms for accident prevention, mitigation and response to unplanned releases of oil or non-radioactive hazardous material to air, soil, surface water or groundwater. Appropriate contingency plans shall be maintained for each campus and steps taken to ensure adequate familiarity with the plan on the part of campus personnel.

3.3.3.1.2.6   Biological Safety: Applicable regulations and accepted standards governing the use, storage, and disposal of hazardous biological substances shall be observed. Conscientious surveillance shall be maintained and resources and technology applied to the handling of bio-hazardous substances consistent with regulatory controls and/or recognized health and safety standards.

3.3.3.1.2.7   Diving Safety: Diving operations under the auspices of the University of New Hampshire shall be conduced in compliance with appropriate regulations, safety standards, and campus policy.

3.3.3.2   Hazardous Materials and Environmental Management

3.3.3.2.1   Objectives: The objectives are: (1) to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements for hazardous materials inventory and emissions reporting; and (2) to collect, classify, and pack for shipment all hazardous waste for proper disposition.

3.3.3.2.2   Compliance Programs

3.3.2.2.1   Hazardous Waste Management: Procedures and facilities shall be maintained to allow for the preparation and ultimate disposal of hazardous waste produced by the campus. All applicable laws and regulations shall be used to establish standards for compliance.

3.3.2.2.2   Hazardous Materials Inventory and Reporting: This program develops and maintains campus hazardous materials inventories for the purpose of complying with regulations related to hazard communication, community right-to-know, air emissions, building/fire codes, and emergency preparedness.

This page last updated Tuesday, June 29, 2021. For information on the adoption and effective dates of policies please see explanation on the OLPM Main Menu.