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Management of Health and Safety Programs
2– 00–00 Goal
00-10 Authority
00-20 Policy
00-30 Policy Elements
00-40 Definitions
00-50 Assignments of Responsibilities
00-60 Safety CommitteesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), will provide and promote a safe and healthful work environment and will foster a positive safety and health attitude in managers, supervisors, employees and others (including visitors and contractors).
A. The Office of Health and Safety within CDC is established in accordance with the following references:
- Statement by the President, December 9, 1982.
- Executive Order 12196, Occupational Safety and health Programs for Federal Employees, February 26, 1980.
- Section 19(a), Public Law 91-596, Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act, Federal Agency Safety Programs and Responsibilities.
- Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs; Final Rule, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor, October 21, 1980.
- Section 7902, Title 5, United States Code.
- Health and Human Services Safety Management Manual, September 18, 1987.
B. The provisions stated in this chapter do not supplant the DHHS Employee Health Program prescribed by Personnel Instruction 792-1. The provisions of that instruction shall be applied in conjunction with the provisions of this chapter where applicable.
It is the policy of the CDC and ATSDR, as one of the lead federal agencies in public health and occupational safety maintenance, surveillance, and promotion, to develop and maintain a current, model occupational safety, health, and environmental program. The model program will focus on prevention of and protection against injuries and illness, and promotion of safe and healthful actions and attitudes, not only in CDC and ATSDR employees but also in other individuals who may be affected by its facilities and operations, including visitors, contract employees from private businesses and employees of other federal agencies, human study participants, and persons in the surrounding community.
Further more, the model program shall meet or exceed all federal regulations or guidelines as outlined in the Department of Health and Human Services Health and Safety Manual.
The following policy elements are applicable to all agency operations and activities. These elements are directed toward the prevention of all types of accidents and health hazards present in the performance of official duties.
- A. Prevention
- The Health and Safety Program will emphasize strategies that preclude or prevent any occurrence that would have an adverse effect on its managers, supervisors, employees, contractors, visitors, people in the neighboring community, or collaborating organizations that receive materials from CDC/ATSDR or their contractors.
- B. Surveillance
- The Health and Safety Program will provide for: the systematic inspection of facilities; collection, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of safety and health data essential to the planning and implementation of the Health and Safety Program; and the dissemination of these data on a timely basis.
- C. Protection and Control
- A system for the control of hazards will be maintained and will include: engineering controls; use of alternatives that are less hazardous; use of personal protective equipment; and administrative procedures.
- D. Emergency Preparedness and Response
- The Health and Safety Program will seek to identify circumstances which require advance preparation and immediate action, develop and maintain contingency plans and procedures to address these circumstances, and provide and communicate (to those potentially affected and to those who must respond) plans of action for responding to fire, medical, first aid, radiation, chemical, violence, biohazard, adverse weather, and other incidents that may require advance preparation and timely response.
- E. Education, Promotion, and Training
- Health and safety awareness will be promoted among managers, supervisors, employees and others (visitors, contractors, community members) through orientation programs and regularly scheduled education and training sessions, as appropriate.
- F. Notification and Communication
- Employees and others (visitors, contractors) will be notified of their exposure or potential exposure to hazardous substances or conditions, and will be informed of risks that result or may result from exposure to hazardous substances or conditions.
- G. Confidentiality
- The Health and Safety Program will make every effort to ensure the confidentiality of employee health and exposure records.
- H. Program Evaluation
- The Health and Safety Program will establish an effective monitoring system to provide data useful in routinely evaluating the operation of the program in terms of scope, appropriateness, and effectiveness, including an annual evaluation of the overall program to determine if it has met or made progress toward its goals and objectives, if its policies and procedures are relevant and appropriate, and if its policies, regulations, procedures, and facilities continue to meet or exceed HHS standards.
A. Incident: An unintended or unplanned occurrence which results in:
- injury or illness to personnel;
- damage to property or equipment;
- interruption or interference with the orderly progress of work;
- or a combination of the above.
B. Agency: Herein means an organizational component within the Department of Health and Human Services, i.e. the Centers for Disease Control and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
C. Policy: A broad statement, attitude or position defining a specific plan of action.
D. Procedure: A system or series of steps defining the implementation of a policy or rule.
E. Rule: A more narrow statement that supports a policy statement, or defines a definite course of action.
2-00-50 ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
2-00-51 Director, CDC
The Director, CDC is responsible for establishing the policy and philosophy of the Health and Safety Program.
2-00-52 Director, Office of Health and Safety
The Director, Office of Health and Safety, is responsible for:
- Identifying the applicable standards, guidelines, and recommendations necessary for a safe and healthful work place
- Establishing and annually reviewing a policy and procedures manual
- Comprehensively inspecting all CDC work places against appropriate standards no less than annually
- Identifying the need for, and providing, training and education
- Implementing the employee health and life-style programs
- Providing consultation for safety and health emergencies
- Maintaining comprehensive records of problems and solutions at the operational level and sharing this information with the appropriate supervisor and safety and health committee
2-00-53 Center/Institute/Office (CIO) Directors
Directors of CIO's, are responsible for directing programs that, meet or exceed, the legal requirements for health and safety. These officials are responsible for ensuring that the following elements are fully implemented within their areas of authority:
- Administration;
- Incident investigation, reporting and analysis; o Safety specifications, standards and procedures; o Facility survey/inspection;
- Safety education, training and promotion;
- Employee rights.
2-00-54 Supervisors:
Supervisors at all levels throughout the agency are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthful workplace by:
- Complying with all applicable safety and health standards, rules, regulations and orders issued by competent authority pertaining to the activities immediately under their jurisdiction;
- Ensuring that employees are instructed and/or trained in safe practices and methods of job performance as pertains to their assignment
- Ensuring that sick and/or injured employees performing official duties receive appropriate first aid and/or medical attention;
- Investigating and reporting each incident and/or injury in accordance with established procedures;
- Initiating, to the limit of their authority and capability, such actions necessary to correct unsafe or unhealthful working conditions determined to exist and promptly advising appropriate management when such conditions require corrective actions beyond their authority;
- Conducting regular surveys of their operations to ensure compliance with such safety standards, codes, regulations, rules and orders applicable to the work area concerned;
- Ensuring that employees under their supervision are aware of their responsibilities.
2-00-55 Employees
Employees at all levels throughout the agency are responsible for:
- Complying with such occupational health and safety standards, rules, regulations, and orders issued by the Department of HHS, the head of an OPDIV, PHS Agency, Regional Office, or Centers for Disease Control as are applicable to an employee's action and conduct;
- Promptly advising their supervisor regarding all work related incidents resulting in personal injury, illness and/or property damage;
- Promptly report to their supervisor or appropriate Health and Safety manager any unsafe or unhealthful conditions in the work environment;
- Taking all necessary and appropriate safety precautions to protect themselves, other personnel and the environment.
2-00-61 Health and Safety Advisory Board
A. Purpose
To review policy and provide recommendations and advice to the Director, CDC, and Administrator, ATSDR, on health and safety policy and to provide institutional oversight of a comprehensive health and safety program for CDC/ATSDR.
B. Specific Functions
- Recommend policy related to occupational health and safety issues.
- Review existing health and safety policies.
- Review health and safety resource requirements and recommend priorities for allocation.
- Provide oversight of the development of policy and health and safety documents.
- Monitor quality and progress of the Health and Safety Program.
C. Membership
The CDC/ATSDR Health and Safety Advisory Board consists of:
- C/I/O Director or his/her designee who has authority to represent the organization. An alternate, with full authority, should be designated to ensure representation of the C/I/O at meetings.
- Associate Director for Science, OD, and the Director, HRMO, will serve as ex officio members.
D. Chairman and Executive Secretary
The Chairman and Vice-chairman will be elected from the membership for 1-year terms. The vice-chair will assume the responsibilities of the chair the next year. The Director, OHS, will serve as Executive Secretary (ex officio).
E. Meetings and General Operations
Meetings, scheduled by the Executive Secretary, will be held at least once per quarter. Agenda items may be submitted to the Executive Secretary by any member. Agenda items will be distributed by the Executive Secretary to members at least 1 week before the next scheduled meeting. Minutes will be distributed to members and alternates. Board recommendations will be forwarded to the Director, CDC, for appropriate action.
2-00-62 Occupational Health and Safety Committee
A. Purpose
To provide recommendations and advice to the Director, Office of Health and Safety, on CDC and ATSDR occupational and environmental health and safety conditions and practices, and to provide a forum for information exchange.
B. Specific Functions
- Provide recommendations to the Director, Office of Health and Safety and/or the Health and Safety Advisory Board regarding health and safety issues.
- Identify unsafe work practices and conditions and suggest appropriate remedies.
- Ensure that employees and others (visitors, contractors, etc., as applicable) are informed about safety policies, training programs, injury risks and causation, and other health and safety-related matters.
- Maintain an open channel of communication between employees and management concerning occupational and environmental health and safety matters;
- Provide a means by which employees can utilize their knowledge of workplace operations to advise management in the improvement of policies, condition, and practices;
- Assure quality of the Health and Safety Program.
C. Membership
The Occupational Health and Safety Committee consists of:
- Chairman of C/I/O Health and Safety Committee or designee.* An alternate should be designated to ensure representation at all meetings.
- Union representation, where applicable and in accordance with union general agreements.
- Representation of persons with disabilities.
- The Physical Security Activity Chief, Clinic Medical Director, and a labor relations representative from the Human Resources Management Office serve as ex officio members.
*It is envisioned that the C/I/O representative would be from the Division or sub-Division level. The C/I/O representative to the Advisory Board should be the C/I/O Director or his/her designee from the C/I/O Office of the Director level.
D. Chairman and Executive Secretary
The Chairman and Vice-chairman will be elected from the membership for 1-year terms. The vice-chair will assume the responsibilities of the chair the next year.
The Deputy Director, Office of Health and Safety, serves as Executive Secretary.
E. Meetings and General Operations
Meetings, scheduled by the Executive Secretary, will be held at least once per quarter. Agenda items may be submitted to the Executive Secretary by any member and will be distributed to members at least 1 week before the next scheduled meeting. Issues to be brought before the committee for discussion must be broad in scope or be those referred by the respective C/I/O Health and Safety Committee that have not been or cannot be resolved at the C/I/O level. Committee recommendations will be forwarded to the Director, Office of Health and Safety, who may in turn refer them to the Health and Safety Advisory Board for clarification of policy issues or to the Director, CDC for appropriate action. Minutes will be distributed to members and alternates.
2-00-63 Center/Institute/Office Health and Safety Committees/Safety Liaison
A. Purpose
To provide recommendations and advice to the Director, C/I/O, on C/I/O occupational and environmental health and safety matters.
B. Specific Functions
- Encourage feedback from all levels of employees within the C/I/O with regard to problems, ideas, and solutions related to safety.
- Provide recommendations to the C/I/O Director and the Occupational Health and Safety Committee regarding health and safety issues.
- Inform employees (co-workers) about new safety policies, training programs, injury risks and causation, and other safety-related matters.
- Identify unsafe work practices and conditions and suggest appropriate remedies.
- Assist the C/I/O Director in the development and updating of standard operating procedures.
- Assist with regular safety surveys, where possible.
C. Membership
A management and nonmanagement member (or supervisor and non-supervisor) from each Division, where applicable. Where employees in a bargaining unit are in the division, the appropriate union will be given the opportunity to send one or more representatives to each meeting.
D. Chairman and General Operations
The Chairman, Vice-chairman, and Executive Secretary will be elected from the membership for 1-year terms. The vice-chair will assume the responsibilities of the chair the next year. The Chairman serves as the representative to the CDC/ATSDR Occupational Health and Safety Committee provided he/she does not represent the C/I/O on the Health and Safety Advisory Board. Agenda items may be submitted to the Executive Secretary by any member and will be distributed to members at least 1 week before the next scheduled meeting. Issues to be brought before the committee for discussion must be broad in scope or be those referred by the respective lower level committee (i.e. division, branch) or appropriate management official that have not been or cannot be resolved by the management at that level. Minutes will be distributed to members. Committee recommendations will be forwarded to C/I/O management officials or to the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, as appropriate.
2-00-64 Additional Committees within the C/I/O
It is recommended that C/I/Os with other than office staff also organize safety committees at the branch, laboratory, activity, or facility levels, where appropriate. Bargaining unit representation should be included.
Health and Safety Manual Contents
Office of Health and Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
1600 Clifton Road N.E., Mail Stop F05 Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA
Last Modified: 1/2/97
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