EH&S has developed a new Accident Prevention Plan (APP) for University of Washington employees with the exception of employees working at UW Medicine UW Medical Center or Harborview. This document replaces the template for Departmental Health and Safety Plans, and covers general health and safety information applicable to all employees. All employers in Washington State are required to have an APP that details the occupational hazards present in their work environment and how their employees are protected from these hazards.
The new APP greatly reduces the administrative burden associated with customizing department-specific health and safety plans for departments with minimal exposure to hazards in the work environment. Departments with hazards that extend beyond what is covered in the APP are still required to maintain documentation that addresses how their employees are protected from these additional hazards. This documentation can be maintained separately from the APP or as an addendum to the APP.
The APP will be kept as a PDF document on the EH&S website. The plan will be updated on a yearly basis by EH&S and the official University health and safety committees. Departments should compare their current Departmental Health and Safety Plan to the new APP and continue to maintain department-specific information not covered in the new APP.
To highlight the new APP, EH&S developed an introductory health and safety video with the assistance of UW Video. This new video covers important health and safety information topics within the APP. All new employees to the University of Washington should view this video to learn general health and safety information such as:
- Topics covered in a new employee safety orientation
- Resources available to address health and safety concerns
- How to report a work-related injury, illness, near miss or hazardous condition
- Roles and responsibilities related to health and safety at the UW
Any questions or proposed improvements to the APP should be directed to EH&S at ehsdept@uw.edu or 206.543.7262.