Fire Safety / Campus Fire Drills

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1 RMU Safety Update Published by the Robert Morris University Safety Department, (412) Fire Safety / Campus Fire Drills June 2006 Inside This Issue: Incident Reporting...2 Process RMU Safety on The Web..2 Safety Education and...3 Training Access to Material...4 Safety Data Sheets Test Your Safety...4 Knowledge (Answer) Protecting Yourself...5 in the Sun Test Your Safety Knowledge: What four elements are needed to start a fire? Find the answer on Page 4. Fire Safety is one of the critical aspects of the safety process as it touches all persons (students, faculty, staff and visitors) within the RMU community. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that in 2001 an estimated 2,530 fires were reported in dormitory properties, which caused six (6) civilian deaths, 82 injuries and over 48 million dollars in direct property damage. Mitigation or preparedness in the form of building fire alarm and fire suppression systems is a means of reducing possible risk associated with a fire. These systems are regularly inspected/tested by qualified personnel to ensure their reliability. In addition, the RMU Board of Directors recently approved fire alarm system upgrades to each of the eight (8) traditional dorms. The project is expected to be completed by this fall. In the March 2006 safety newsletter, RMU s new Fire Procedures Policy was introduced. This policy outlines procedures that are to be followed by all building occupants in the event of a fire emergency. The general response procedures can be quickly implemented by remembering the RACE acronym: Rescue: Rescue persons who may need assistance Alarm: Activate the fire alarm system (pull station) and call RMU Public Safety at (412) Contain: Contain the fire by closing doors & windows and shutting off fuel sources. Evacuate: Evacuate the building to a designated assembly point safely away from the building/fire. Fire extinguishers are located throughout RMU facilities and may be used by persons who are trained on their proper use. Fire Drills: As a means of testing our knowledge and response to possible fires or alarms, RMU will begin conducting fire drills in all facilities during the fall of this year. Building occupants will be provided notification of these drills, but the expectation is that all building occupants implement the RACE procedures and evacuate the building. The drills will be coordinated by RMU Public Safety and Facilities Departments, who will critique the response. Please take the opportunity to review the Fire Procedures Policy, which can be found on the RMU safety web page under Policies & Procedures.

2 2 RMU SAFETY UPDATE Incident Reporting Process Reporting all safety problems, incidents and accidents is important for the safety and wellbeing of everyone at RMU. You can improve the ability of the University Safety Committee to identify It is important that any type of incident (accident, injury or similar event) be reported and appropriate corrective action taken. To improve this process, an Incident Investigation and Reporting Policy has been approved by the University Safety Committee. This written policy provides basic definitions, procedures for incident reporting, incident investigation and maintaining records. Three (3) specific incident report forms are provided and must be completed to document the appropriate type of incident. The written policy and each of the incident report forms can be found on the RMU safety page at Any work related injury/illness to a RMU employee is documented on the Incident Investigation and Reporting Form Student related injuries / accidents are documented on a Student Medical Report Form Incidents at the Island Sports Center are documented on the Guest Accident / Incident Report This process will enable the gathering of information and statistical data, which will be used to measure the success of accident prevention programs and subsequently aid in identifying opportunities for improvement. All Staff Supervisors are required to complete an incident report any time an incident occurs. and address hazards simply by reporting all Learn More About RMU Safety On The Web safety problems, incidents and accidents. For quick access to complete information and details regarding RMU s Safety Process, visit our safety web page at This newly created site contains links to written safety policies and procedures, management plans, safety forms, a campuswide chemical inventory and material safety data sheets (MSDSs), weekly safety tips, and safety committee information (By-Laws, members and minutes).

3 3 RMU SAFETY UPDATE Safety Education and Training RMU is strengthening the safety process through safety education and training. A number of written safety policies and procedures have been established during the past year. These written documents provide everything from general information to detailed procedures regarding specific subjects. Often, this information and/or the work practices are already part of an employee s daily routine. Regardless, education and training is a key element of the process. Safety education is provided to ensure new employees have the knowledge and ability to perform specific tasks. It may be provided as a follow-up or refresher to confirm staff knowledge or review changes/updates. The training may also be required by regulatory agencies. Regardless of the basis, safety education and training is intended to help keep you safe. As written safety policies have been implemented, safety education and training has been provided to RMU personnel. Most of the training has been provided to specific groups/departments and has been provided in specific subject areas including; asbestos awareness, hazard communications, laboratory safety/chemical hygiene, personal protective equipment, fork truck safety, lockout/tagout, universal waste, and back safety. For assistance with safety education/training need within your department, please contact the safety office at Safety education and training is provided on many subjects and areas. In April, 2006, staff from the Facilities Department participated in Aerial Lift training. The training included classroom instruction and hands-on equipment operation, as seen in the photo.

4 4 RMU SAFETY UPDATE Access to Material Safety Data Sheets The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers provide specific information to personnel who use or may be exposed to hazardous materials in the workplace. So, how do you know if a material is hazardous or not? Hazardous Chemicals are generally defined as a material that poses some form of physical hazard (flammable, reactive, etc.) or is a health hazard. By this definition, you most likely encounter hazardous materials during your day to day activities (ex. household cleaning products, gas for your vehicle, fertilizers for your lawn, and the list goes on). Some of the basic elements related to chemical safety include maintaining an inventory listing and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each hazardous material. RMU s Hazard Communication Policy states that each department must maintain an upto-date inventory of each hazardous material used by the department. In addition, departments must maintain the corresponding MSDS for each hazardous material in the inventory. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are developed by the manufacturer and provide detailed information specific to each chemical (ie. hazard information, safety precautions such as personal protective equipment, spill procedures, etc.). A chemical inventory has been completed within a number of departments/areas and MSDSs have been obtained. A compilation of this information has been used to develop a campus wide chemical database and currently contains over 750 items. The chemical inventory and MSDSs can be accessed via RMU s Safety Web Page. Additionally, MSDSs are maintained by the Facilities Operations Center ( ). For complete details, see RMU s written Hazard Communication Policy. Test Your Safety Knowledge: Answer Four elements needed to start a fire (must be present at the same time) include: 1. Enough oxygen to sustain combustion, 2. Enough heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature, 3. Some sort of fuel or combustible material, and 4. The chemical, exothermic reaction that is fire. Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire tetrahedron. The Fire Tetrahedron The important thing to remember is: Remove any of these 4 elements, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.

5 5 RMU SAFETY UPDATE Protecting Yourself in the Sun Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. The amount of damage from UV exposure depends on the strength of the light, the length of exposure, and whether the skin is protected. THERE ARE NO SAFE UV RAYS OR SAFE SUNTANS. Skin Cancer: Sun exposure at any age can cause skin cancer. Be especially careful in the sun if you burn easily, spend a lot of time outdoors, or have any of the following physical features: Numerous, irregular, or large moles. Freckles. Fair skin. Blond, red, or light brown hair. Self-Examination: It's important to examine your body monthly because skin cancers detected early can almost always be cured. The most important warning sign is a spot on the skin that is changing in size, shape, or color during a period of 1 month to 1 or 2 years. Skin cancers often take the following forms: Pale, wax-like, pearly nodules. Red, scaly, sharply outlined patches. Sores that don't heal. Small, mole-like growths - melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. If you find such unusual skin changes, see a health care professional immediately. Block Out UV Rays: Cover up. Wear tightlywoven clothing that blocks out light. Try this test: Place your hand between a single layer of the clothing and a light source. If you can see your hand through the fabric, the garment offers little protection. Use sunscreen. A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 blocks 93 percent of UV rays. You want to block both UVA and UVB rays to guard against skin cancer. Be sure to follow application directions on the bottle. Wear a hat. A wide brim hat (not a baseball cap) is ideal because it protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp. Wear UV-absorbent shades. Sunglasses don't have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Limit exposure. UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you're unsure about the sun's intensity, take the shadow test: If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are the day's strongest. Preventing Skin Cancer: For more information about preventing, detecting, and treating skin cancer, check out these sources: American Cancer Society ACS-2345 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Skin Cancer Foundation SKIN-490 Source: US Dept. of Labor / Occupational Safety and Health Administration.