Dear OSU Colleagues,
The safety of faculty, staff and students is a top university priority and contributes to excellence in teaching, research, and outreach and engagement. OSU is committed to a culture of safety by offering programs that emphasize workplace safety, accident and injury prevention, and wellness. As well, the university seeks to advance a safe work and learning environment by complying with applicable safety and environmental laws and regulations.
All members of the university community have a responsibility to contribute to safety, as detailed in the University Health and Safety Policy.
To enhance workplace safety within the university, a Workplace Safety Culture Task Force created in 2021 evaluated OSU workplace programs, policies and procedures; reviewed national best practices; and developed 11 recommendations that align with best practices included within the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ A Guide to Implementing a Safety Culture in Our Universities.
The task force’s first recommendation is to perform an employee safety perception survey to provide all employees an opportunity to express observations and concerns related to safety in their respective work environments. All employees are encouraged to complete the survey when it is distributed during winter term. Planning for the implementation of other task force recommendations is underway along with a review of the university’s fieldwork safety program.
The university’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety will host a virtual event on Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. to introduce the Workplace Safety Task Force’s recommendations. The event also will provide an opportunity for OSU community members to share examples of how they have encouraged a culture of safety in their unit. Additional information about the event and a registration link will be provided soon.
As always, please contact Environmental Health and Safety to report a safety concern or request consultation and guidance on specific hazards in your workplace. We thank all faculty and staff for their efforts to proactively and collaboratively contribute to safety in their workplace and advance OSU’s overall culture of safety.
Sincerely,
Jayathi Y. Murthy
President
Edward Feser
Provost and Executive Vice President