What Department Safety Coordinators Need to Know

Learn about the responsibilities of a Department Safety Coordinator.

Department Safety Coordinators (DSC) are appointed by their departments to facilitate the flow of health and safety information and programs from Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) into the UCSD workplace.

Established in 1990, the first of its kind in the UC system, the program has succeeded in its primary goal of helping to better inform UCSD personnel about job-related safety risks. Continued success depends upon the individual efforts of our network of DSCs.

Find your DSC on this list, alphabetized by department. Some departments with multiple locations have more than one DSC.

Click on a topic for more information:

• Responsibilities
• Resources to help you do the job
• DSC Training
• DSC Certificate Program
• DSCs vs. ASCs

Responsibilities of a DSC

• 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 UCSD's 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.
  • Note: This responsibility is described in the UCSD Emergency Operations Plan.
  • Contact Continuity & Emergency Services (CES), (858) 534-1064, for questions about emergency action plan development and business continuity.

• 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 required and recommended 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 (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 UCSD Hospitals).
    • Access to Medical and Exposure Records (PDF) – Information about accessing occupational medical and exposure records, and material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for substances used in the workplace.
  • Post these other recommended items:
    • UCSD Emergency Guide – Emergency phone numbers and procedures
    • IIPP class schedule
    • Safety Briefs and Lab Notes newsletters

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Resources to help you do the job

You don't have to start from scratch.

• Read Safety Coordinator Resources for guidance.

DSC Training

Increase your DSC knowledge when you take Enrollment Central DSC training. Network with other DSCs in the class to find out how they're meeting the same kind of challenges you may encounter.

• Attend DSC training through Enrollment Central:
  • New DSC Orientation –Introduces new and continuing DSCs to all areas of EH&S: contacts, resources, policies, hazardous material business plan, emergency preparedness, and safety specialties.
  • DSC Training – A semi-annual training opportunity to provide attendees with a clear understanding of the role of the DSC, professional development, and a collegial atmosphere that encourages the sharing of workplace health and safety challenges and successes.

• DSC Certificate Program: Receive institutional recognition when you earn the DSC Certificate through Staff Education and Development.
  • See Staff Education and Development Certificate Programs for more information.

DSC vs. ASC

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

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

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

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Safety

Safety Coordinator Resources

• Department Safety Coordinators
• Department Safety Coordinators Responsibilities
• Area Safety Coordinators