Environmental Health & Safety is excited to implement the new EHS Assistant (EHSA) system. To ensure it is a sustainable and useful tool, we are rolling it out in phases. During your phase, you will be contacted by EHS to attend an orientation and to receive access to the system. You will not be able to access the system before you attend the orientation. If you have questions, please contact EHS at EHSASupport@uab.edu.
Automatic External Defibrillators
Automatic External Defibrillators (AED’s) are placed around campus in various locations. Below is a current map of which buildings house AED’s. If you are interested in purchasing AED’s, please reach out to campus safety for guidance on the proper procedures for doing so and the maintenance requirements you should adhere to. Please note: currently each AED owner is solely responsible for maintaining their AED’s and servicing them as needed.
Fire Safety
Fire Exit Drills/Evacuation Planning
- Contact Campus Safety If you would like to schedule a fire exit drill. Departments may also be contacted by Campus Safety to ensure certain facilities are discussing emergency evacuation procedures or holding drills where needed.
- Depending upon the occupancy classification of the building, its intended use, and specific characteristics- campus safety will determine the emergency evacuation planning needs for your facility.
- Special note: Regarding all occupancy types, special consideration must be given to students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. In addition, aiding visitors will be critical as well. They will not be familiar with all the exit discharges and egress paths. Awareness of the needs of these individuals will help to facilitate easy egress.
Fire and Life Safety Inspections
Campus safety conducts fire and life safety inspections on all high-risk buildings on an annual basis. We encourage building administrators to walk with us as we conduct inspections. If your building does not fall under this category depending upon overall use and occupancy load, we are happy to schedule an inspection and walk your facility. Examples of high-risk buildings include (Dormitories, Assemblies, High-Rise Buildings, and areas where student activities and classes are held. Other facilities are inspected upon request, or if schedule permits. Please reach out to campus safety regarding any fire and life safety questions you may have.
Special Events
Campus safety is involved in planning for special events that occur on campus. Please reach out with any concerns, or requests for these services. Events should be screened for potential fire and life safety hazards and all emergency procedures discussed prior to the event.
The following manuals can be referenced for both fire safety and special event concerns:
Special Events
Below is an on-line based training for classification and use of fire extinguishers. If you would like more hands-on instruction, we can set up individual sessions with your department and bring our fire simulator to your location to have a more hands on approach to training. We are also happy to help answer any questions you may have concerning fire extinguisher use and fire safety. Please reach out to Campus Safety with any questions or concerns.
Fire Extinguisher Use
Occupational Safety
Campus safety conducts job tasks evaluations for all facilities groups upon request. In addition depending upon scope of work permits are issued by campus safety to internal groups. Training is also conducted routinely to ensure employee’s recognize and understand hazards. Please reach out as well if you would like specific training pertaining to these types of safety concerns beyond the scheduled training held throughout the year.
Some examples of safety hazards found in these types of work environments include:
- Confined Spaces
- Electrical Safety Issues
- Lock out/Tag out
- Fall Protection
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Tool Safety and Machine Guarding
- Aerial Lift Operations
- Forklift Operations
Many training modules and permits exist for these types of hazards; please make sure you consult with campus safety to determine your needs.
Workshops
Campus Safety also conducts inspections within workshop areas. Please reach out if you have any concerns, or would like to have an inspection conducted in your work space. Many of the same hazards can exist in these spaces, along with hazards specific to shop areas. It is especially important to schedule these inspections and conduct specific training within academic and research spaces, where students rotate on a semester basis and may not be familiar with the environment.
Below is a short video on what some of these hazards can present :
Contracted Construction Projects
Campus safety conducts site inspections concerning campus construction projects and works with UAB Planning, Design, and Construction to ensure contractors are abiding by safety standards.
The following are examples of typical responsibilities:
- Compliance and issuing of UAB permits applicable for construction and overall scope of work (These include permits for fire wall/smoke wall penetrations, hot-work, Interim Life Safety Measures, and associated permits.)
- Conducting plans review to evaluate potential life safety issues.
- Inspecting construction sites and maintaining UAB Interim Life Safety Measures during all phases of construction.
- Monitoring sites to ensure contractor is abiding by applicable OSHA standards and protecting UAB faculty, staff, students, and visitors from hazards.
The following manuals can be referenced for both general safety and shop safety concerns:
General Safe Work Practices
Shop Safety
Bomb Threats
Bomb threats are normally made over the telephone to an unsuspecting person and are primarily intended to disrupt and cause chaos. Historically, threats have strictly been threats, and usually that is all the caller intends.
Making a false bomb threat is a federal offense and punishable under U.S. Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 40, section 844(e), with a penalty of up to ten years in prison, $250,000 fine, or both. This penalty also applies to juvenile offenders.
When a bomb threat is called in, record all the pertinent information using the bomb threat checklist.
- Do not hang up the telephone. This is extremely important in conducting an investigation and in possibly locating the caller.
- Be calm, be courteous and listen. Do not interrupt the initial message of the caller. If possible, notify your supervisor immediately by a pre-arranged signal while the caller is on the line.
- ALWAYS CALL UAB POLICE. NEVER ASSUME THE CALL IS A HOAX.
- Call 911 from any UAB telephone. If you use a cell phone, dial 934-3535.
- Do not advise anyone else of the threat except for your immediate supervisor.
- Stay calm and wait for the arrival of the Police. They will consider the facts and conduct a complete investigation.
If you find a potential device, or are advised of a potential location of a device, immediately call the UAB Police. Don't touch or move the device.
If you suspect a letter bomb, follow the same procedure for finding a possible or real device.