Welcome to the Prairie View A&M University Environmental Health & Safety Department (EHS) Web Site. The EHS is here to help faculty, staff, and students perform their work and studies safely and in an environmentally sound manner. This site is intended to provide faculty, staff, and students with information on essential services here on our University Campus.
Mission
The Environmental Health & Safety Department is dedicated to assisting the University achieve its first-class status in teaching, research, and impeccable service through efficient and effective support and leadership necessary to implement the various federal, state, and locally required Environmental Health & Safety programs, policies and procedures.
Relationship of the Unit’s Mission to the University’s Mission
With PVAMU and the Business Affairs’ Core Values & Mission Statements as our foundation, it is the Environmental Health & Safety department’s policy to assist the University achieve its first class status in teaching, research and impeccable service in a safe, responsible manner with respect for the environment and for the well-being of PVAMU’s faculty, staff, students, visitors, and local community. Conserving and protecting natural resources is essential to PVAMUs sustainability as well as the future of the world.
Goals and Objectives
Provide Safety Training and Awareness to Students, Faculty and Staff
Develop written instruction and guidelines to help accommodate a healthy and safe environment
Identify and reduce potentially hazardous conditions
Monitor Performance and Compliance (EPA, TDH, DOT & The Texas A&M System)
Help Maintain Compliance
Assist and Advise Departments on EHS Issues
The PVAMU Environmental Health & Safety Department is committed to the responsible support necessary to implement the various federal, state, and locally required safety programs and for carrying out the Environmental Health & Safety policies and procedures that have been established by PVAMU EHS.
The PVAMU EHS takes a proactive approach and has the authority to abate unsafe conditions or operations within PVAMU when, in the professional opinion of the Director of Environmental Health & Safety, or respective safety officer, the condition or operation constitutes an imminent hazard to life and/or property. Other conditions or operations considered not to be of an imminent nature, but in violation of federal, state, local, A&M System or PVAMU standards are recommended for correction through appropriate administrative channels.
The EHS will continue to work with administration, academic departments, service departments, clinics, laboratories, and specialized committees for the development and implementation for the continued improvements of the PVAMU safety programs. These programs, listed below, are designed to prevent accidents and to identify and correct risks:
Hazardous Materials:
Many do not realize just how much hazardous materials are a part of our lives. We can help you manage your chemical inventory, consolidate and Provide guidance for properly shipping hazardous materials.
Waste Management:
The Environmental Health & Safety Department is responsible for designing and implementing methods to ensure the safe and environmentally responsible disposal of chemical or biological hazardous wastes in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Waste Water Treatment Plant
EHS also is responsible for providing technical assistance and compliance input to the Physical Plants management of PVAMU’s 2 Million Gallon a Day (2 MGD) waste water treatment plant ensuring it is in compliance with all federal, state, local and A&M System rules, regulations and policies. The Physical Plant has contracted out the operation of WWTP to Severn Trent.
Accident Investigations
The EHS is responsible for investigating work-related safety incidents, injuries, and hazards; making corrective recommendations; and for coordinating safety education and training programs as required by federal, state, and local rules, regulations policies, procedures, and guidelines; or as necessary to promote reduction of unsafe incidents or hazardous exposures among PVAMU faculty, staff, students, patients, visitors, and volunteers.
Fire and Life Safety
The EHS is responsible for conducting ongoing fire prevention activities, including oversight of fire detection, response, and safety, and for providing liaison with outside agencies on matters relating to life and fire safety issues. The EHS reviews construction, remodeling plans, and monitors construction progress to ensure that life and fire safety requirements are adequately implemented. EHS performs periodic walk-through inspections of all PVAMU facilities at all campus locations. EHS can also assist with the establishment of evacuation plans, conducts fire drills which include evacuation of the buildings, responds to alarms and systems, conducts fire investigations, trains and assists fire response personnel with the facility floor plan, provides fire safety and fire extinguisher training, and provides special assistance during fire alarms or other emergencies.
The Laboratory Safety
EHS in conjunction with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), is responsible for the institutional Biological and Chemical Safety Programs, and for the development of protocols designed to ensure that safe work practices are followed when working with biologically or chemically hazardous materials (infectious agents, biohazards, or recombinant DNA).
EHS is responsible for conducting laboratory safety compliance surveys, and for ensuring the up keep of laboratory safety equipment, such as emergency eye wash stations, emergency safety showers, and fume hoods. EHS develops and presents laboratory safety training in electronic and classroom formats, as appropriate.
Radiation Safety
Currently the TAMU Radiation Safety division is responsible for implementing the policies, procedures and for assuring that PVAMU radioactive material and machine sources of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation are used in accordance with applicable rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines. The TAMU Radiation Safety division performs routine inspections and audits of PVAMU institutional radiation facilities.
Emergency/Crisis Management Response
The PVAMU Police Chief and Director of Environmental Health & Safety are responsible for emergency management planning and operations. The Vice President for Business Affairs is charged with primary responsibility for developing and maintaining the institution’s operating policies and procedures governing emergency management (Business Continuity Plan). These policies and procedures comply with applicable federal, state, and local rules and regulations, and each department has developed its own specific Emergency Operations Manual based on their unique departmental needs and functions. The overall PVAMU Emergency Management (BCP) Guideline is being designed to compliant the National Incident Management System standards, and will be tested using tabletop exercises and real-time drills.
Environmental Health & Safety Advisory Committee
EHS Advisory Committee was created to function as an oversight committee that will investigate and review PVAMU EHS safety issues, incident data, and actual and/or potential occupational and health problems for a higher quality cross functional product. The committee evaluates such data and formulates and implements recommendations to improve the overall PVAMU safety program. The committee will meet quarterly and as needed to address and respond to urgent safety-related issues, and it coordinates the exchange of information among the other safety committees.
