Potential Safety Hazards on Campus

In the operation of a state-of-the-art university like HKUST, many potential safety hazards may be encountered. On the academic side, a variety of dangerous materials are used in connection with various teaching and research efforts. These include materials which are irritants, sensitizers, flammable, toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, radioactive or infectious. Furthermore, various types of equipment involve the use or generation of high electrical power, high pressure, intense laser beams, X-ray beams, non-ionizing radiation, etc.

On the operational side, our facility team works in all kinds of environments, ranging from underground confined spaces to great heights. Chemicals used for cleaning, pest control, maintenance of the swimming pool and deionized water plant, etc, can inflict serious injury if not handled property. In the workshops there are potentially dangerous machining equipment and hand tools.

Engineering Controls

While there is a number of potentially dangerous operations and materials on campus, that is not to say that our campus is an unsafe place for study and work. These concerns have been identified and addressed as early as in the designing stage of our campus.

As a result, many safety features have been incorporated into our facility. Examples include automatic fire detection and suppression systems, local exhaust systems for hazardous operations, emergency ventilation systems, toxic gases monitoring systems, etc. These engineering control systems are essentially "automatic", requiring little routine human effort for day-to-day operation.

Administrative Controls

Providing engineering control systems is only one element of a comprehensive safety program. To have a successful program, we must all share responsibilities and actively participate in this effort. Consequently, an administrative scheme has been established to address safety and environmental matters. This scheme, together with our safety and environmental protection policies and procedures, has been published in the HKUST Safety and Environmental Protection Manual.

The Safety Manual was developed under the guidance of the Environmental Health and Safety Committee, which was appointed by the VC/P to oversee HKUST's safety and environmental effort. Most faculty members have been provided copies of this document. It is also available on the CD net of our on-line library information system (see the related article in this issue).

Responsibilities

As summarized in the policy chapter of the Safety Manual, safety responsibilities have been defined for various categories of HKUST personnel:

Top Management has the major roles of establishing the safety policy and assuring proper allocation of resources to implement the program.

Line management is responsible for implementing these policies and procedures which include raising and evaluating safety concerns during the planning stage of operations. Furthermore, line management should make sure that the procurement, handling, use, storage and disposal of hazardous materials follow protocols specified in the Safety Manual.

Front line supervisors should make certain that employees and students have sufficient training prior to assigning them to a potentially dangerous operation. This training should include not only the technical details of the task but also the potential hazards involved and the knowledge necessary to perform the job safely including appropriate emergency response. Periodic audits by management should be conducted to ascertain that proper procedures are being followed.

Employees and students are responsible for learning about the potential hazards related to their assignment. Furthermore, they must follow established procedures and implement the controls required for the safe conduct of their work. When in doubt, they should bring the issues to the attention of their supervisors an to SEPO.

SEPO works with the campus community to provide guidance, support, training and exposure assessment. In addition, SEPO conducts periodic audits of all facilities for safety compliance.

To end this article, we would like to quote Professor Thomas Stelson, the recently retired PVC/RD, who stated in a directive to personnel in the R&D Branch: " Safety is everyone’s responsibility SEPO is organized to help us. The leadership to achieve a safe and healthy environment must come from each of you and can never be delegated to SEPO or anyone else. We must each become experts in our own areas and set a good example for students, coworkers, visitors and regulatory experts Your continued cooperation on this important matter is appreciated."

_{(This article has been taken from May, 1994 issue of SafetyWise)}

One definition of "pest" is "troublesome person or thing.” It is possible for an otherwise desirable person or thing to become a “pest” within certain context. For instance, mushrooms are often a welcome addition to a meal, and yet if they are growing our home or in our lawn we might consider them a "pest".

Pesticides are compounds which kill pests. The term is a kind of umbrella term encompassing a variety of “pest” killer such as:

1. Insecticides - insect killers
2. Fungicides - fungus/mold killers
3. Herbicides.- plant (weed) killers
4. Algicides - algae killers
5. Acaricides - mite and tick killers
6. Rodenticides - rodent killers
7. Bactericides - bacteria killers
8. Nematocides - nematode killers

Pest populations fluctuate, usually in synchrony with seasonal changes. For instance most insect pest populations increase and are more active during the active growing periods for plants (spring and summer) when food sources are abundant and the weather is warmer and more conducive to reproduction. For this reason, members of the campus community may notice more pesticide usage during the warmer months of the year as compared to the colder months when many insects are dormant or at least present in fewer numbers.

At HKUST there are basically two types of pest control programs in place. One program deals with the grounds or landscaping and . involves control of plant pests such as weeds, fungi, insects, etc. This program is under the direction of Jack Chan within the Estate Management section of EMO. The other program addresses more "domestic" pests such as cockroaches, rodents, etc. and is under " the direction of Paul Chan, also in the EM section of EMO.

SEPO is committed to playing an active role in protecting the health and safety of the campus community and environment. In this regard, SEPO has initiated a pesticide training, review and permitting program.

TRAINING:

SEPO provides periodic health and safety training to HKUST staff as well as contractors’ employees. This training addresses health hazards of pesticides and proper procedures as well as personal protective equipment for handling pesticides.

REVIEW:

The review aspect looks at the toxicity of pesticides with an eye to using low toxicity materials, and recommending substitutes when practical. Both EMO sections are requited to submit to SEPO technical information on any and all materials which are being used at HKUST. Certain high toxicity pesticides have been excluded from the “approved list" for use on campus (e.g. paraquat and diazinon). SEPO has encouraged the use of pyrethrin-based insecticides as much as possible on the campus, both on the' grounds and in buildings. Pyrethrins are naturally occurring pesticides which are derived from African Daisies. In addition to the emphasis oh low mammalian toxicity, the quantities of pesticide used are usually diluted from 300 to 1 000 times. While an odor from the pesticides may be detectable, in some cases the compounds used have very distinctive smells with very low odor thresholds. This means that they can be smelled at very low concentrations (e.g. well below established health & safety guidelines). Mercaptans which are used as leak warning indicators in natural gas aresimilartothissituationinthattheyaredetectable at very low concentrations where there is no health hazard, but warn against the risk of a gas leak.

PERMITTING:

The permitting process requires the implementation of certain precautions including, prior notification, posting and isolating the treatment area, use of personal protective equipment, and spraying during early morning or late afternoon hours to avoid high pedestrian traffic times. When a specific pesticide application permit has been issued, the application is limited to a certain time frame (e.g. 6 a.m. - to 7:30 a.m.) so that if ft is not completed during that time period the work must be terminated and resumed at the approved time.

The grounds-keeping staff routinely inspect the campus flora for pest infestations. There is a committee of three including Mr. Chan, the Landscaping Officer, as. well as a staff member who. is specifically trained in plant disease recognition and control. This committee reviews pest problems and plans and implements treatment strategies and finally submits a permit application to SEPO for review, comment and finally approval. Most of the spraying of pesticides on campus is. performed by outside contractors, using HKUST pesticide stock and under the supervision of the grounds-keeping staff. SEPO staff monitor the various pesticide applications, including periodic air sampling to evaluate personnel exposure. Mr. Chan's philosophy of pest management is to keep the use of chemicals to a minimum and it is his opinion that an ecological balance between plants, pests and pest predators will be achieved at HKUST as the campus flora mature. The ideal situation is when there is a balance between the food source, plant pests and the beneficial insects which prey on the plant pests. The non-ideal situation is when there is an imbalance and an infestation occurs threatening to significantly damage or destroy plant stocks. It is the goal of the grounds-keepers at HKUST to limit the spraying of insecticides to this latter situation.

Remarks:

A. Crackdown is applied by spraying. This method is the most efficient for knocking down insect infestations. ft targets cockroaches, aft, Mm, carpet beetles and other insects in the specific am.

B. Lanirat bait is in granular for rodents only.

C. Maxforce bait station is affixed to watts or sideboards. Maxforce bait gel is applied to hidden gap. This bait is used to affect kills in colonies and clusters through a delayed effect.

Usage of method of application is subject to the actual requirement and environmental situation. For the internal common areas, spraying is conducted while canteen & kiosk areas are treated with baits.

SEPO works to maintain good cooperation with the grounds-keeping management in their efforts at maintaining a beautiful campus and protecting the ten million 'dollar landscaping investment.

Concerning indoor pest control, SEPO continues to cooperate with the housing staff of the EM section of EMO in the effort to phase out the use of pesticide sprays for ants and cockroaches and replace them with child-resistant, long-term baits. Replacing sprays with baits eliminates residual odors in treated areas in addition to eliminating personnel exposure during application with its associated health risk. Some of the "domestic" pesticide treatment programs are considered preventive maintenance and therefore regularly scheduled and issued blanket permits. The EM section has developed a pest control strategy with the goal to minimize spraying, use baits as much as possible and respond to occupant pest problems upon request. A copy of their program schedule is included for the reference of members of the campus community.

SEPO is committed to working . together with members of the campus community toward the continued improvement of the health & safety effort at HKUST so that any input concerning the pesticide program is welcome and encouraged.

(This article has been taken from February, 96 issue of SafetyWise)

Through our interaction with members of our campus community, SEPO staff members have come across a wide range of attitudes towards safety management. Here are some sample conversations which reflect varying attitudes on safety and safety management at HKUST:

“We require all our students to conduct a risk assessment of their projects so that they can get into a habit of thinking and managing safety.”

“Our responsibility is not only to teach the students how to do things but also how to do them safely. Our goal is to enable them to bring this knowledge to the community and to help improve Hong Kong’s poor safety performance.”

“I am surprised that HKUST has such stringent safety requirements. One of the reasons for me to come to Hong Kong is to get away from the overly demanding US safety requirements.”

“We do not need to co-operate with SEPO, they will only bring trouble. Don’t tell them anything about our operations.”

“SEPO personnel are not to enter my lab unless they first notify me. I do not want them to snoop around in my area without my presence.”

“People need to exercise common sense when it comes to safety issues. If they get hurt, it is their own fault for not exercising common sense. How can supervisors be responsible for their stupidity?”

“Safety requirements are fine as long as they do not impact my operation or slow down the progress of my work.”

“We take safety very seriously and we make sure all our employees understand that safety is a ‘must do’ in our unit. We hold safety meetings regularly and employees are reminded of safety requirements. They will be given a warning if they don’t follow safety procedures the first time. They will be fired if they repeat the same offense.”

At an international arena such as HKUST, perhaps it is not uncommon to find this great range in safety attitude. However, for our safety management programme to work, we must ensure that all members are aware of their safety responsibilities and will fulfil their duties. It is our expectation that regardless of personal opinions, everyone will comply with established safety policies and procedures. Furthermore, laws in Hong Kong now hold supervisors responsible for accidents if they are found negligent in fulfilling their safety management responsibilities which include ensuring that workers are informed of the hazards of the job and are given sufficient information and training on how to perform the task safely. Penalties of violation can include fines and jail sentences.

It is unlikely that a safety culture can be established over night. Given sufficient effort, it will evolve over time. For a young institution like HKUST, all of us must press on together to further establish this culture. Everyone of us should be mindful of the advantages of complying with safety requirements and be appreciative of the disadvantages of non-compliance which may include various tangible losses of health, life, property, and the intangible losses of reputation and opportunities; as well as the incurring of legal liability and the infliction of psychological harm. We must all join effort to reach a stage when each of us will consider safety as a second nature in everything we do and that safety becomes an integral part of all functions at HKUST. This is not an impossible dream; organizations such as DOW and Dupont which conduct excellent technical work also have excellent safety record. It takes strong commitment and dedicated effort from all involved.

Judging from some of the above-listed comments, we need to continue to convert the attitudes of some of our colleagues so that they, too, will support and implement our safety programme whole-heartedly and will work hand-in-hand with us to achieve the common goal of maintaining a safe work and study environment.

When asked about who is responsible for safety at HKUST, members of the campus community came up with a variety of answers which point to the President, Vice-presidents, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, faculty members, supervisors, staff and students. However, the most frequently mentioned answer is "HSEO".

While we are happy that the campus community recognizes HSEO's involvement in ensuring safety at UST, the truth of the matter is that everyone of us has a particular role to play to ensure safety and that HSEOdoes not and cannot have the primary responsibility to implement safe work requirements. HSEO's roles actually include the provision of administrative and technical re-sources to help in assessing risk and the planning of safe operations and facilities, to monitor for compliance through inspections and exposure assessment, to provide general safety training, to liaise with government officials on licensing issues, to provide selected services such as certification of hazards control equipment, radiation cleanliness swipe tests, hazardous waste management, etc. On the other hand, senior management is responsible to ensure that safety matters are addressed properly on the policy level, and that sufficient resources are allocated for safety programmes.

In fact it is the first line supervisors, such as principal investigators and project supervisors, who have the primary responsibility to ensure safety at work. First line supervisors have the authority to determine how the operations are to be conducted and they have the responsibility to identify the hazards, assess the risks and to arrange for safety control measures. They are also responsible for informing those under their supervision about the nature of the hazard and for providing job-specific hands-on safety training to ensure that proper safety measures will be employed. Further-more, they are expected to monitor the performance of their sub-ordinates to ensure proper implementation of safety control measures. If first line supervisors encounter problems in fulfilling their safety responsibilities, they should seek assistance from their own supervisors. Employees and students are expected to bear the responsibilities of following safety directives.

In summary, while everyone has a role to play in ensuring safety, the primary responsibility of implementing safe work requirements falls upon those who supervise operations and those who actually perform these operations.