What Department Safety Coordinators Need to Know

Some departments with multiple locations have more than one DSC. Contact ehsweb@ucsd.edu if you need help locating your DSC.

• Contact the EH&S Safety Training manager to designate a DSC for your department or work group.

Large departments and departments with multiple locations may need more than one DSC to be effective.

Be a health and safety resource for co-workers.

If you can't answer their questions, contact EH&S, (858) 534-3660, for assistance.

• Ensure the Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) requirements for departments are met.
  • Encourage every employee to attend IIPP training once.
  • Document training by keeping the completion certificate in department files.

• Use the Integrated Safety and Environmental Management 5-step process to incorporate safety and environmental best practices into all work activities.

• Prepare a department emergency action plan.
  • Read How to Develop a Department Emergency Action Plan for step-by-step instructions. This responsibility is described in the UC San Diego Emergency Operations Plan.
  • Contact EH&S Emergency Services, (858) 246-0695, for questions about emergency action plan development.

• Perform annual workplace inspections to identify and correct hazards in administrative workplaces (areas where hazardous materials are not used).
  • Use Injury & Illness Prevention Program forms to help you do inspections.
  • Read Fire Extinguisher Inspection Checklist.

Post safety information on bulletin boards or in break rooms.

All items are available by request from EH&S, (858) 534-3660.

• Post these items required by law:
  • Safety and Health Protection on the Job (English PDF) (Spanish PDF) – Describes job safety and health protection under the Cal/OSHA program.
  • Notice to Employees – Injuries Caused by Work (PDF) – Information about Workers' Compensation for California workers.
  • OSHA Form 300A: Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses – Statistics for campus, SIO, and outlying support areas (excludes UC San Diego Hospitals).
  • Access to Medical and Exposure Records (PDF) – Information about accessing occupational medical and exposure records, and safety data sheets (formerly called Material Safety Data Sheets) for substances used in the workplace.

• Post these other recommended items:
  • UC San Diego Emergency Guide – Emergency phone numbers and procedures
  • Lab Notes newsletter, safety news for the UC San Diego research community

You don't have to start from scratch.

• Read Safety Coordinator Resources for guidance.

Increase your DSC knowledge when you take DSC training.

Network with other DSCs in the class to find out how they meet the same kind of challenges you may encounter.

• See Safety Coordinator Resources for training options specifically for DSCs.

Department Safety Coordinators (DSCs) are different from Area Safety Coordinators (ASCs).

• Department Safety Coordinators represent all their co-workers, regardless of the kind of work performed. Every department should have at least one DSC. Large departments and departments with multiple locations may need more than one DSC to be effective.

• Area Safety Coordinators do not serve an entire department. An ASC is assigned to a specific facility where work with hazardous material occurs — typically a shop, studio, or research facility. Read What ASCs Need to Know.

Note: Some departments with higher risk workplaces employ a Department Safety Officer (DSO), a career safety professional.