CU-Boulder Guiding Principles for Safety
Total Learning Environment - Campus Strategic Plan
The CU-Boulder strategic plan includes a key goal in support of the "Total Learning Environment" objective of the University, specifically to promote a "Safe Environment."
Goal
That goal has been articulated as follows: "Individuals must feel safe and secure in performing their individual and group responsibilities if they are to stay focused and effective. Administrative departments are integral in providing a safe working and learning environment that minimizes harmful and distracting exposure to crime, safety hazards, and environmental risks. Our effectiveness in providing a safe environment is dependent on our ability to involve faculty, staff, and students to help identify risks and to assist administrative departments in developing plans and programs to help minimize or eliminate these risks."
Values and Guiding Principles
In order to help create a safe environment where risks are properly managed, we believe the following values and guiding principles are fundamental:
- Individual, departmental and community action partnerships are needed.
- Safety related risk identification, assessment and management are of the highest priority.
- Safety risk elimination, reduction, avoidance and mitigation are also of highest priority.
- Policies and programs related to safety will be comprehensive, coordinated and integrated with quality and maximum effectiveness as primary objectives.
- A timely and effectively coordinated response to actual safety related incidents is a primary objective.
- Conditions or incidents that occur where safety is in question or has in fact been compromised will be thoroughly investigated and reviewed with remediation as a primary objective.
- Safety will always be a primary consideration in institutional and budgetary planning, policy formulation, and programming.
- Proactive prevention of safety risks is a fundamental guiding principle in planning, policy formulation, programming and service delivery.
Safety Related Services, Programs and Activities
The following services, programs and activities are cited as illustrative of the CU-Boulder Campus commitment to providing for and promoting a safe environment. They are manifestations of the values and guiding principles set forth previously. While the general categories and specific examples are not intended to be all inclusive, they are representative of a significant and comprehensive commitment to safety by the Boulder Campus. While specific units may have primary responsibility for providing services in support of some of these safety efforts, it is important to recognize that collaboration and cooperation is essential to the successful delivery of these services. The responsibility to support "safe environment" objectives is truly a collective responsibility and requires coordinated input, action and commitment by all members and at all levels within the community including faculty, staff, students, administrators, program managers, technical experts, and others.
General Safety Categories
Services, programs and activities are provided in the following general categories:
- Personal Safety
- Occupational Safety (Risk Management, Ergonomics, Industrial Hygiene, etc.)
- Environmental Safety
- Traffic/Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety
- Laboratory Safety (Hazardous Waste Management and Radiation Safety, etc.)
- Property Safety/Security
- Building Safety (Code Compliance, Fire Safety, Asbestos Management, Building Security, etc.)
- Event Related Safety and Security
- Situation Management (Incident Command System, First Responders, Crisis Teams, etc.)
Specific Safety Services
More specific services, programs, and activities intended to address a safe campus environment include:
- Round-the-clock emergency response capabilities including police and security preventive patrols.
- Extensive prevention programs addressing both personal safety and physical security. (See Ralphie's Guide to Student Life for a detailed listing of programs.)
- Committee on Personal Safety - (COPS) - Representative group, (including parents), that addresses current safety issues, promotes safety, and acts as an advisory group to the administration on safety concerns.
- Victims Assistance - Coordinated services to victims is a high priority.
- Facilities - Attention to safety principles through the interpretation and application of building codes when maintaining, renovating or building new facilities.
- Occupational Safety - Continuous review of all on-the-job-injuries is conducted for the purpose of identifying prevention, training and other mitigation efforts.
- Ergonomics - Work site evaluations are conducted for the purpose of maximizing ergonomic related safety.
- Lab Safety - Safety training and lab inspections are conducted for the purpose of maximizing lab safety. A "train-the trainer" and lab liaison/proctor system is utilized to maximize safety and regulatory compliance.
- Radiation Safety Committee - Promotes training and safety practices associated with the use of radioactive isotopes in teaching and research.
- Hazardous Materials Advisory Board - Promotes training and safety practices associated with the use of chemicals and hazardous materials in teaching and research.
- Traffic Safety - Extensive programs and services related to traffic safety are provided addressing motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety. These are both educational and enforcement oriented.
- Pre-employment Background Investigation Services - Promotes safe hiring practices, especially in positions of significant trust. (Intended to avoid negligent hire decisions.)
- Sexual Harassment Training - Specific issue prevention and risk reduction training program.
- Emergency Preparedness - Disaster and emergency preparedness planning including "first response," mitigation and recovery efforts.
- Alcohol Permitting - Specific issue compliance and risk reduction program.
Again, these specific examples are not intended to be all inclusive, but rather examples of key services, programs and activities which address and promote campus safety. For more details concerning any of these efforts and others, contact the Department's of Public Safety, Risk Management, and/or Facilities Management.
