INTRODUCTION/SCOPE
Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S or NMSU Safety Office ) provides this document to clarify and formalize the waste program, procedures, and intra-facility responsibilities for maintaining safe and efficient accumulation, handling, documentation, transport and disposal of all hazardous and non-hazardous waste generated by NMSU.
NMSU recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all campus activities involving hazardous materials and hazardous wastes are conducted in a manner that provides for the safety and security of employees, students, the general public and the environment. Furthermore, the university understands its obligation to conduct these operations in compliance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations.
Specific procedures have been developed in order for the University to fulfill these responsibilities and obligations. The guidelines detailed in this manual are designed to provide for the safe management of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes throughout NMSU.
EH&S provides this manual in an effort to achieve the following objectives:
- Protect the environment by using sound principles of handling, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
- Minimize the generation as well as the cost of handling and disposing of waste hazardous materials.
- Ensure a safe and healthful work environment for employees, students and visitors.
The proper management of hazardous chemicals and wastes at NMSU requires a partnership between the many groups involved. The specific functions and responsibilities of each are identified herein. Through the cooperative efforts of NMSU faculty and staff and the use of the guidelines presented in this manual, these objectives can be fully accomplished.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The management of hazardous chemical waste in a comprehensive university setting is complex. The specific functions and responsibilities are delegated to various university entities from the President to individual staff members:
Individual Employees
The success of the NMSU hazardous chemical management program requires that all laboratory/workplace personnel and other individuals who work with hazardous chemicals follow the guidelines presented in this manual. Individuals have a responsibility to:
- Collect all chemical wastes in accordance with established guidelines.
- Identify all spent, expired or surplus materials using the technical knowledge within the department.
- Package and label all chemicals in accordance with established guidelines.
- Consult with supervisors and/or EH&S regarding the safe handling and proper disposal of hazardous chemicals.
Supervisors
The primary responsibility of the supervisor, principal investigator, or instructor is to ensure that the policies and guidelines established in this manual are strictly followed by personnel under their supervision. Generally the supervisors have responsibility for oversight of the following:
- Chemical identification and labeling.
- Waste accumulation, logging, and handling.
- Minor spill clean-up.
- Housekeeping at the generation and accumulation areas.
- Ensuring that their reports are all properly trained.
Environmental, Health & Safety
EH&S is responsible for the development and implementation of proper management practices for all hazardous chemical wastes and hazardous materials at NMSU. To fulfill this responsibility, the following functions are coordinated by EH&S:
- Develop and implement policies with regard to hazardous waste and material management.
- Prepare applications for federal, state and local permits to properly generate and dispose of hazardous chemical waste and other applicable wastes.
- Help ensure that university policies and regulatory guidelines regarding the proper disposal of hazardous chemical waste are followed.
- Prepare, submit and maintain records, reports and manifests as required by regulation.
- Audit chemical management practices and disposal procedures for chemical waste materials.
- Operate government licensed hazardous waste handling and treatment facilities for NMSU.
- Develop and coordinate programs that minimize the generation of hazardous wastes.
New Mexico State University
Ultimately the President of NMSU and Board of Regents are responsible for all University environmental, health and safety issues. The responsibility for ensuring safe work practices and adherence to established policies and guidelines is delegated through the normal chain of authority within the university to the vice-presidents, deans, directors, department chairs, principal investigators, supervisors and ultimately each employee.
