Facilities Safety Program

The Utah State University Facilities Department is committed to the safety and health of its employees. Facilities Safety is a resource for all Facilities Departments in creating, supporting, and maintaining a safe working environment. We follow the Safety and Health Policy 3014 for all Utah State University employees.

Accident Reporting and The Return-to-Work Program

When an accident occurs, even minor injuries or near miss events, it is imperative that it is reported to Supervisors and the Facilities Safety Manager as soon as possible. All incidents can be reported by using the Incident Reporting form.

Facilities is determined to return injured employees to their original jobs as soon as medically possible. The injured employee may have to perform transitional job tasks as a part of the process of returning to the original job if they are given work restrictions by the designated health care provider. The return-to-work program is established to help injured employees and Facilities work together to accomplish this goal.

Accident Reporting and Return to Work Program

Hazardous Waste Disposal

Hazardous waste is any substance or chemical that can cause harm to people, plants, or animals. Examples include paint, lubricants, flammables, batteries, cleaning chemicals, solvents, etc. Hazardous waste should never be thrown away in the normal trash and must be disposed of according to local laws. To dispose of waste properly, please submit a hazardous waste pickup request to the EHS office.

Safety Trainings

All required trainings can be found on the Learn Blue Facilities catalog.

Monthly Training Schedule

Month	Facilities Maintenance	Crafts and Trades
January	Back Safety, Proper Lifting, and Ergonomics
February	Bloodborne Pathogens	Electrical Safety
March	Hazard Communication (HAZCOM)
April	Ladder Safety and Fall Protection
May	Walkway Safety	Lockout Tagout
June	Heat Illness Prevention
July	Equipment Safety	Confined Space Awareness
August	Chemical Handling and Spill Response	Hearing Conservation
September	Asbestos Awareness
October	Storm Water Protection, Hot Work
November	Snow Removal Safety, Slips Trips and Falls	Slips Trips and Falls, Walking Working Surfaces
December	Overview of year, training as needed

In addition to the monthly trainings, there are also shop/crew specific trainings available, such as the General LOAM Safety Training or Worker Protection Standard Training. If you have any questions about the required safety trainings for your crew, please contact the Facilities Safety Manager.

The Safety Committee

It is essential to include every department to effectively maintain a safe working environment, which is why the Safety Committee was put together. The Safety Committee includes the Safety Manager and one member of each Facilities shop/crew. The Safety Committee focuses on communicating safety procedures and program elements to USU Facilities employees. Member’s duties include:

• Leading required monthly safety trainings for their individual crews.
• Ensure that the shop/crew completes a safety blueprint once per quarter. These blueprints focus on improving safe behaviors, fixing unsafe job conditions, and improving safety culture.
• Complete a brief, quarterly digital check-in with the Facilities Safety Manager to see what has been working, and what needs attention.
• Attend monthly Safety Committee meetings
• Facilities employees are encouraged to make safety suggestions, which are evaluated by the Safety Committee and, if appropriate, incorporated into the safety policies of the department.
• Safety Committee members take the lead in developing written procedures that focus on performing job tasks correctly and safety.

The Safety Incentive Program

Facilities has a Safety Incentive Program that rewards employees and crews who are proactive in their safety approach. To earn the quarterly award, the following three requirements must be met by each shop/crew:

1. Safety Skill Builder, Individuals complete a safety skill builder at least once per month. There are three ways to meet the first requirement.
   1. 2026 Monthly Safety Training (Group or Individual)
   2. Shop specific training or safety discussion lead by shop based on Monthly Safety Training schedule (Group)
   3. Required area specific training (Group or Individual)
2. Safety Rep Check-In, Area Coordinators, Team Leads, Shop Safety Representatives complete a brief, quarterly digital check-in with the Safety Manager.
3. Safety Blueprints, Area Coordinators, Team Leads, Shop Safety Representatives, or Foreman complete one written document every quarter.
   1. Hazard Communication (HAZCOM) Blueprint (2026)
   2. Lockout Tagout Blueprint (2026)
   3. Emergency Action Fire Prevention Blueprint (2026)
   4. Shop Safety and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Blueprint (2026)
   5. Job Hazard Analysis Blueprint (2026)
   6. Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan Blueprint (2026)
   7. Other documents approved by the Safety Manager