Purdue wins 2012 Governor's Workplace Safety Award
Purdue has been recognized with a 2012 Governor's Workplace Safety Award, an honor collaboratively presented by the Indiana Department of Labor on behalf of Gov. Mitch Daniels, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Central Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers.
Purdue was the winner in the category of innovations in general industry by a large company. To be eligible for a Governor's Workplace Safety Award, entries are evaluated on strict criteria including, but not limited to:
* An overall project description.
* The last three years of the Total Recordable Case (TRC) rate history.
* The last three years of the Days Away Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate history.
* An overview of occupational safety and health training.
* A description of employee involvement in the occupational safety and health program.
Purdue demonstrated its proficiency in these areas by focusing on the University's Integrated Safety Plan.
The Integrated Safety Plan (ISP) is based on a large network of safety committees working with individual departments and Radiological and Environmental Management (REM) professionals to ensure compliance with safety regulations and hazard control. The direct collaboration of University departments and safety committees with REM staff has resulted in the establishment of a culture of safety that actively engages members of the campus community in safety awareness and assessment activities, says Carol Shelby, senior director of environmental health and public safety.
Additionally, the self-audit program that serves as the foundation of ISP certification provides a formal, standardized, participatory approach to reviewing and addressing safety at the departmental level. Information about ISP is on the REM website at www.purdue.edu/rem/home/files/ispinfo.htm.
For example, within Physical Facilities, each department has a safety committee that meets regularly. Representatives from each departmental safety committee come together for a larger monthly Physical Facilities safety meeting. These monthly meetings provide a venue for information sharing, the pursuit of timely safety projects and monitoring of ISP certification progress.
A campus-wide annual meeting during which safety achievements are celebrated and information is disseminated is an additional facet of Purdue's safety program. For more than 15 years, this annual safety chair meeting has provided an opportunity for University leaders to interact with safety professionals and peers to promote safety and compliance.
"Purdue's safety program and the Integrated Safety Plan are truly collaborative efforts that require the active participation of campus community members," Shelby says. "The Governor's Workplace Safety Award is an outstanding honor of which we can all be proud."
Purdue has won two Governor's Awards in less than 12 months. In October, Physical Facilities was honored with a Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for recycling and reuse.
