University Safety and Security Committee (USSC)
State regulations require each state agency (including universities) to create health and safety committees to perform workplace inspections, review injury and illness records, make advisory recommendations to the administration, and perform other functions determined by the State Personnel Commission to be necessary for the effective implementation of the State Workplace Requirement Program.
The USSC is responsible for reviewing and approving each of the workplace safety committee’s recommended safety policy and procedures. Once approved, the recommendations are forwarded to the Chancellor for approval before implementation.
- Jonathan Pruitt
- Chair, Safety and Security Committee; Vice Chancellor, Finance and Operations
- Derek Kemp
- Assistant Chair, Safety and Security Committee; Associate Vice Chancellor, Campus Safety and Risk Management
- Lorraine Alexander
- Chair, Laboratory and Chemical Safety Committee; Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
- Linc Butler
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of Human Resources
- Winston Crisp (delegated to Chris Payne)
- Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs
- Doug Cyr
- Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee; Professor, Cell & Development Biology
- Beverly J. Errede
- Co-Chair, Radiation Safety Committee; Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
- Judy Faubert
- Assistant University Counsel
- Craig Fletcher
- Director, Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Matthew Hawkins
- Chair, Occupational Health and Clinical Safety Committee; HR Data & Reporting Manager
- David Kaufman
- Co-Chair, Radiation Safety Committee; Professor & Vice Chair, Research Development
- Mary Beth Koza
- Director, Environment, Health and Safety
- Terry Magnuson (delegated to Craig Fletcher)
- Vice Chancellor, Research & Economic Development
- Jeff McCracken
- Chair, Campus Personal Safety Committee; Director, Public Safety
- Chris Payne
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs
- Mitchell Picker
- Chair, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; Professor, Department of Psychology
- Paul Pogge
- Associate Athletics Director
- Michael Rolleri
- Chair, Hazards Management Committee; Associate Professor, Center for Dramatic Art
- Dalton Sawyer
- Business Resiliency Leader, UNC Health Care
- Anna Wu
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities Services
Committees
This committee focuses on the receipt, usage, storage, and disposal of chemicals along with the emerging issues of health and safety in the laboratory environment. The laboratory work environment consists of those work units that are subject to the OSHA Laboratory Standard and laboratory EHS issues not pertaining to biological safety or radiation safety. The Lab Safety Committee is responsible for reviewing safety and health policies and procedures, reviewing incidents involving work-related fatalities, injuries, illnesses or near misses related to laboratory and chemical safety, reviewing employee complaints regarding safety and health hazards, analyzing work injury and illness statistical records related to laboratory and chemical safety, conducting inspections of laboratories and worksites utilizing chemicals at least annually and in response to complaints regarding safety or health hazards, reviewing training records related to laboratory and chemical safety, conducting meetings at least once every three months, and maintaining written minutes of such meetings.
- Implement Safety Supervisors subcommittee recommendations: training, annual meeting, FAQ, and/or incentives. (Continue in 2018.)
- Examine historical injury data for cut/puncture and needle stick to target injury reduction and disseminate information using various modes of communication (updating trainings, safety fairs, posters, newsletters, etc.) (Continue in 2018 – look for other universities and how they have dealt with or decreased)
- LCSC definition of lab safety culture and logo. (Completed)
- Distribute lab safety info by providing opt-in as part of LSP certification so all researchers receive info.
- Participate in Lab Safety Fair, demos to address cut/puncture, vendors, Chem Safety class involvement.
- Lorraine Alexander
- Clinical Associate Professor, Epidemiology; Chair, Laboratory and Chemical Safety Committee
- Pat Boone
- Assistant Director, UNC Healthcare Environmental, Health and Safety
- Cathy Brennan
- Chemical Hygiene Officer, Environment, Health and Safety
- Nita Eskew
- Director of Undergraduate Labs, Chemistry
- Anthony Hackney
- Professor, Physiology and Nutrition, Exercise and Sport Science
- Michael Liang
- Graduate Student, Chemistry
- Rihe Liu
- Associate Professor, Medicinal Chemistry & Natural Products, Pharmacy
- Todd O’Buckley
- Research Specialist, Alcohol Studies Center
- Jim Potts
- Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer, Environment, Health and Safety
- Kathryn Reissner
- Assistant Professor, Psychology
The IBC is responsible for the oversight, administration, and review of UNC‐CH Lab policies and projects involving research with rDNA and hazardous biological materials that may pose safety, health, or environmental risks. To this end, the IBC assists and advises Principal Investigators and other researchers in meeting their responsibilities to ensure that the biological aspects of the research are conducted in a safe manner using established biosafety standards, principles and work authorization. Safe research includes worker safety, public health, agricultural and environmental protection, ethics, and compliance with applicable biosafety standards and UNC-CH policies.
- Continue the review of the IBC policies and procedures for compliance and efficiency. (Completed)
- Work with UNC-CH IT to improve the IBC form submittal and approval process. (Completed)
- Perform a comprehensive IBC self-assessment using the “Self-Assessment Tool for Institutional Biosafety Committees and Programs of Oversight of Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Research” provided by the NIH.
- Doug Cyr
- Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee; Professor, Cell & Development Biology
- Victoria Baxter
- Assistant Professor, Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Sandra Bradshaw
- Laboratory Manager, Orange Water & Sewer Authority
- Peggy Cotter
- Professor, Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology
- Garry Coulson
- Biological Safety Officer, Environment, Health and Safety
- Aravinda Desilva
- Professor, Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology
- Craig Fletcher
- Director, Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Mary Beth Koza
- Director, Environment, Health and Safety
- Stanley M. Lemon
- Professor, Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology
- Ann Matthysse
- Professor, Biology
- Barry McLamb
- Emergency Management Coordinator, Town of Chapel Hill
- Judith Nielsen
- Professor, Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Barbara Savoldo
- Research Professor, Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology
- Amy Sims
- Research Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
This committee focuses on Occupational Health services for University personnel and the emerging issues of health and safety for employees working in the clinic environment. The clinic work environment is primarily characterized by activities involving patient contact and exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. The clinical work environment frequently has additional health and safety requirements imposed by accreditation organizations, such as the Joint Commission.
- Reduction of OSHA recordable incidents through education, out-reach and training. (Ongoing)
- Increase awareness of reporting of incident and the reporting process. (Ongoing)
- Standardize the EHS/UEOHC on-boarding of HC Faculty. (Ongoing)
- Decease noncompliance of New Employee Orientation training for HC employees. (Removed)
- Improve onboarding of clinical employees across all professional schools within the University.
- Reduction of OSHA recordable by 10 percent through education, outreach and training in select schools.
- Review training requirements for New Employee Orientation–Clinic, identifying areas of improvement.
- James Hawkins
- HR Date/Reporting Manager, Medicine Administration; Chair, Occupational Health and Clinical Safety Committee
- Deb Bergman
- Worker’s Compensation/Clinical Hygienist, Environment, Health and Safety
- Faith Burks
- Human Resources, School of Nursing
- Benny Burton, Sr.
- Facility Maintenance Technician, Facilities Services, Building Services
- Mary Crabtree
- Workplace Safety Manager, Environment, Health and Safety
- Abby Fisher
- Business Manager, Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Martin Folliard
- Director of Risk Management and Compliance, School of Dentistry
- Cheryl Henderson
- Nurse Manager, Family Medicine
- James Hill
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation, Medical Director-UEOHC
- Ryan Meehan
- Environment of Care Manager, Campus Health Services
- Jennifer Rees
- Nurse Supervisor, TraCS Institute
- John Sledge
- Human Resources, Pediatrics
- Annetta Streater
- Director of Patient Relations, Clinical Affairs
- Charlene Womble
- Administrative Specialist, School of Nursing
The mission of the Clinical Exposure Subcommittee is to identify and address clinical occupational hazards that undergraduate and professional students are exposed to as part of their clinical training. This subcommittee reports to the Occupational Health and Clinical Safety Committee.
- Meg Beal
- Physician’s Assistant Program
- Susan Beck
- Allied Health Sciences
- Jennie Brame
- Dental Ecology
- Alan Brown
- AHEC
- Michelle Camarena
- Campus Health Services
- Thevy Chai
- Campus Health Services
- Ann Chelminski
- Campus Health Services
- Andrew Clapper
- Pharmacy
- Kayla Conley
- Allied Health Sciences
- Susan Coppola
- Occupational Therapy
- Georgette Dent
- Medicine
- Marty Folliard
- Dentistry
- Melody Gibson
- Campus Health Services
- James Hill
- Medicine
- Jane Kerwin
- Nursing
- Mary Beth Koza
- Environment, Health and Safety
- Carol Kozel
- Campus Health Services
- Bernice Mayo
- Medicine
- Dana McCarty
- Physical Therapy
- Kathy Moore
- Nursing
- Martha Mundy
- Audiology
- Andrew Murrell
- Nursing
- Joy Renner
- Radiologic Science
- Wendy Ross
- Allied Health Sciences
- John Schimmelfing
- Campus Health Services
- Judy Schmidt
- Rehab & Mental Health Counseling
- Hannah Siburt
- Audiology
- Elizabeth Steadman
- Medicine
- Laine Stewart
- Allied Health Sciences
- Annetta Streater
- Dentistry
- Mercedes Tolbert
- Pharmacy (Asheville)
- Sandra Void
- Laboratory Science
- Jessica Ward
- Nursing
- David Weber
- UNC Hospitals
- Tracy Williams
- Dentistry
- Peggy Wilmoth
- Nursing
- Brad Wingo
- Pharmacy
This committee focuses on the emerging issues of health and safety for employees working in the office, support services, and industrial, maintenance/construction work environments. The support services work environment consists of activities that are conducted outside of the office environment, usually involve public contact and may involve hazardous materials. These environments can include the Department of Public Safety, Department of Environment, Health and Safety, Material Support, and Housekeeping. The industrial, maintenance and construction work environment consists of those work units whose primary activities are performed at various locations around campus and at fixed locations, using industrial-type machines and equipment. These units include Facilities Services, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC Shops, Grounds, Athletics, Finley Golf Course operations, and Electronics Office Service Center and some academic shops.
- Successfully implemented safety suggestion boxes throughout the campus community. (Completed)
- Promote continuous awareness on the importance of proper PPE use.
- Increase awareness on ways to prevent slips, trips and falls with handouts and at UNC safety fairs.
- Michael Rolleri
- Chair, Hazards Management Committee; Associate Professor of Dramatic Art
- Brad Barnes
- Energy Services
- Robin Bennington
- Risk Management Services
- Christine Bhirdo
- Assistant Operations Director, Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Mary Crabtree
- Workplace Safety Manager, Environment, Health and Safety
- Lisa Daley
- Human Resources Manager, Energy Services
- Todd Going
- Life Safety Services
- Richie Grimsley
- Athletics
- Deborah Hawkins
- Transportation and Parking
- Mary Beth Koza
- Director, Environment, Health and Safety
- Tonya Miller
- Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Phillip Spangler
- Law School
- Neah Tucker
- Environment, Health and Safety
- Shawn Womack
- Housekeeping Services
The Radiation Safety Committee is responsible for establishing policies governing the procurement, use, storage and disposal of radioactive materials and radiation-producing devices. The Committee includes individuals experienced in the use or application of radioactive materials and radiation devices and provides a peer review of these uses among researchers at the University. The Committee meets at least quarterly to review reports on the receipt and disposal of radioactive materials/radiation-producing devices, and to act on applications for authorization to use these sources. The Committee, along with its Chairman, is appointed by the Chancellor. It makes an annual report of activities to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.
- Monitor the design and startup of a new FDA-approved clean room at the Cyclotron facility for the production of human-use radiopharmaceuticals. (In process)
- Develop and apply for a Manufacturing and Distribution license for use at the Cyclotron facility. (In process)
- Monitor upgrade of RMS systems for irradiator facilities. (Completed)
- Acquire a Manufacturing & Distribution License for Cyclotron facility.
- Renew radioactive materials license for UNC-Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute.
- Train UNC-CH police officers and UNCH Police officers on the use of personal radiation detectors.
- David Kaufman
- Co-Chair, Radiation Safety Committee; Professor & Vice Chair for Research Development
- Beverly Errede
- Co-Chair, Radiation Safety Committee; Professor, Biochemistry & Biophysics
- Louise M. Ball
- Professor, Environmental Science & Engineering
- Marija Ivanovic
- Clinical Associate Professor, Radiology
- Mary Beth Koza
- Director, Environment, Health and Safety
- Jian Liu
- Associate Professor, Medicinal Chemistry/Natural Products
- Jeff Sekelsky
- Associate Professor, Biology
- Roger Sit
- University Radiation Safety Officer, Environment, Health and Safety
- Rita Tamayo
- Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Immunology
- Mahesh Varia
- Professor, Vice Chair Department of Radiation Oncology
- Hong Yuan
- Director, BRIC Small Animal Imaging Facility