Employee Well-being & Safety

Palm Beach State College takes the safety of its faculty and staff seriously. We have compiled important information, resources and documents regarding employee well-being and protection in one central location for easier access. If you have questions or need additional support, please contact Mikel Kline, Health & Safety Manager, at klinem@pbsc.edu.

Jump to:  Employee Exposure & Medical Records  |  Ergonomics for the Office  |  Job Hazard Analysis

 

Employee Exposure & Medical Records 

Access to Employee Exposure & Medical Records

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to inform employees upon their first entering into employment, and at least annually thereafter, of:

• The existence, location and availability of any employee medical and exposure records
• The person responsible for maintaining and providing access to records; and
• Each employee’s rights of access to the records.

Copies of the following records may be contained in your personnel file, which is maintained by and may be accessed through the Benefits Section in the Office of Human Resources, Safety & Risk:

• Accident/Incident Reports involving an accident or injury
• Workers’ Compensation claims and reports
• Physician reports related to Workers’ Compensation cases
• Drug and alcohol test reports
• HBV and other bloodborne pathogen test reports
• Other medical evaluation reports that may be sent to the College

Copies of the following records are maintained by and may be accessed through the Safety & Risk Management Department:

• Indoor air quality monitoring and testing reports
• Noise exposure reports
• Chemical exposure test reports

As an employee, you have the right of access to these records, i.e., you have the right and opportunity to examine and copy your medical and exposure records at no cost to you. Access must be provided to you in a reasonable manner and place. If you are not provided the material within 15 days after your request, the College must state the reason for the delay and the earliest date when the records will be made available. If no exposure records exist for you, the College must provide the records of other employees with job duties similar to yours. Access to these records does not require the written consent of the other employees. Such exposure records must indicate the identity, amount and nature of the toxic substances or harmful physical agents to which you have been exposed. Access to your medical records by other employees may be provided only with your specific written consent.

A copy of the OSHA rule (found at Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910, Section 1020) and its appendices may be accessed using the provided link. 

 

Ergonomics for the Office

Ergonomics is the science and practice of designing jobs and workplaces to match the capabilities and limitations of the human body. The focus of ergonomics is fitting the work to the worker, instead of making the worker fit the work. By following sound ergonomic principles, we are able to promote employee health by decreasing workplace exposure to the risk of ergonomic injury caused by awkward or static positions and repetitive stress.

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Ergonomic Injury

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If present, an ergonomic injury, also known as a musculoskeletal disorder, or MSD, will usually appear in the soft tissues of the body — the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, arteries and veins. Symptoms of an ergonomic injury can include: discomfort or pain; swelling; stiffness, tight muscles, loss of flexibility in a joint; unusual sensations — numbness, tingling, burning, heaviness, "pins and needles" or "falling asleep"-of the hands, arms, legs or feet; shooting or stabbing pains in arms or legs; weakness or clumsiness in hands and dropping things.  Having one or more of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have an injury, but if the symptoms are persistent or worsen, you should report them to your supervisor and request an ergonomic assessment by Safety and Risk Management.

Preventing Ergonomic Injury

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The key to preventing an office ergonomic injury is having a proper workstation setup. See the Healthy Workstation Guidelines by Humanscale for more information.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) website offers an eTool that allows an individual to conduct an ergonomic self-assessment to create a safe and comfortable computer workstation based on good ergonomic practices (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/index.html).

Another important measure to prevent ergonomic injury is to take microbreaks, e.g., by following the "20-20-20 Rule." Every 20 minutes, look up from your computer and look at something 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. Taking microbreaks does not decrease productivity and will help to prevent MSD's. You can also do other things to give yourself a break: Move your printer to an area that requires you to stand up and walk to get your printout. Stand up for telephone calls. Go to the restroom or get a cup of coffee/water. Alter your tasks — break up continuous computer time by checking telephone messages, reading reports, etc.

Stretching can help increase flexibility and loosen tight muscles that could contribute to an ergonomic injury. Try stretching while you take your microbreak. See the Musculoskeletal Exercises and Stretches for exercises and stretches that will help prevent ergonomic injury.

Ergonomic Assessment Process

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Employees who believe that they are in need of an ergonomic assessment should:

• Inform their supervisor that they wish to have such an assessment performed.
• The supervisor will then contact Safety and Risk Management with their request.
• Safety and Risk Management will schedule an assessment.
• After the assessment is complete, a report will be provided with the findings.
• If an assessment's recommendations include the procurement of workstation equipment (e.g., a task chair, keyboard tray, etc.), the department is responsible for the cost.
• If no funds are available for the purchase, funding can be requested from the department head, followed by the department dean and, finally, the campus Provost, as necessary.
• In the case of business services employees whose department's budget would not allow for the purchase, the department head should request funds from the Vice President of Finance & Administration. This approval chain for funding must be followed as part of the Ergonomic Assessment Process. Please do not contact your Provost or Vice President directly for funding requests. Your point of contact throughout the process should be your supervisor.

 

Job Hazard Analysis

A hazard is the potential for harm. In practical terms, a hazard often is associated with a condition or activity that,
if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness. Identifying hazards and eliminating or controlling them as
early as possible will help prevent injuries and illnesses. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury.

A job hazard analysis (JHA) is a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur.
It focuses on the relationship between the worker, the task, the tools and the work environment. Ideally, after you
identify uncontrolled hazards, you will take steps to eliminate or reduce them to an acceptable risk level. Learn More

Supervisors use JHAs as a training tool for new hires and old hands who may need a safety refresher. A JHA may need to be created or reassessed to accommodate any new job or after any incident involving the particular job, as well as any changes in equipment, operating procedures or environment that could affect occupational hazards.

To receive copies of JHAs associated with jobs performed at Palm Beach State College, please contact Mikel Kline, Health & Safety Manager, at klinem@pbsc.edu. Review each JHA so you are familiar with the steps necessary to complete the job, the potential hazards associated with the job and the measures and protective equipment you need to follow to complete the job without harming you and your coworkers. If you have suggestions to correct or improve any existing JHA, please contact Mikel Kline, Health & Safety Manager, at klinem@pbsc.edu.