Introduction

The administration of the American University of Beirut considers the safety of the students, faculty, staff, and the general public to be of paramount importance. While each of us should consider safety a personal responsibility, administrators, faculty, managers, and supervisors at all levels should be mindful of and responsible for the safety and protection of their operations, those they supervise, and university property. Every person is urged to lend full cooperation to ensure that university activities occur in a safe manner and in a safe environment.

Statement of Safety and Risk Management Policy

The administration of the American University of Beirut is committed to the provision and maintenance of a safe and healthful university environment for its faculty, students, staff, and the general public. For this reason, the Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management Center (EHS&RM) was established as the authority having jurisdiction to develop and implement a safety and risk management program for the University, including the medical center and farm. This program includes the following responsibilities and authorities:

1.     Planning, developing, and implementing an environmental health, safety, and risk management program, including but not limited to:

                    a.        Hazardous material/waste management, including medical wastes

                    b.       Radiation safety and radioactive materials/waste management

                    c.        Environmental protection/pollution prevention

                    d.       Industrial hygiene, occupational health, and sanitation

                    e.        Asbestos management

                    f.        Fire prevention and protection, and code compliance

                    g.       Facility and laboratory safety

                    h.       General campus premises safety, accident prevention, and safety training

                     i.         Risk management and insurance program

                     j.         Emergency preparedness and response

2.      Managing the university hazardous material/waste program and reviewing and approving protocols for research and teaching activities involving hazardous materials, equipment, and operations.

3.      Managing the university radiation safety and radioactive material/waste program. The University Radiation Safety Committee, in accordance with Lebanese law and regulations equivalent to US NRC requirements, governs the American University of Beirut program. All users of ionizing radiation must be properly trained before licensing by the University Radiation Safety Committee. Work with sources of ionizing radiation cannot be initiated until written authorization is issued specifically permitting such work.

4.      Suspending activities and operations and closing university areas when and where imminently dangerous or seriously unsafe conditions exist or persist, or when a situation or action could lead to dangerous conditions or result in endangering the health and safety of personnel, the public, the environment, or university operations or property. When a facility or activity is closed or suspended for health and safety reasons, faculty, staff, and students must comply with the conditions of closure or suspension.

5.      Ensuring that university operations comply with Lebanese and/or US national, safety, and environmental regulations, and building code requirements and standards. This includes establishing safety training programs and conducting safety surveys inspections and tests as may be required by laws and regulations. Reviewing and approving (by signature) plans, specifications, and shop drawings with respect to health, fire safety, and asbestos issues, for new buildings, renovations remodeling, or construction activities involving a change in the use, function, form, or space. These reviews are coordinated with physical plant and facilities planning and design unit to assure that safety and health needs and code requirements are incorporated into the early stages of project designs.

6.       Reviewing contracts to assure the protection of university interests. This is coordinated with university attorneys and other agencies, as may be needed.

7.      Reviewing and approving requests for university events and activities, making necessary safety inspections and surveys, and entering any area of the campus at any time for safety, health, environmental protection, and loss prevention purposes.

8.      Acting in an advisory capacity to faculty, staff and students in matters pertaining to safety, risk management, and acting as liaison between the American University of Beirut and regulatory and other agencies in matters pertaining to safety, protection of the environment, university property, and insurance issues. It should be emphasized that the responsibility for safety and property protection by faculty, staff, and students is in no way reduced by the activities of the EHS&RM and safety committees established by the University.

9.    The EHS&RM team can be reached at extension 2360 to discuss safety matters and to assist in developing and maintaining departmental safety and risk management programs.