Annual Occupational Safety Review Process

The facility contact should prepare the paperwork needed prior to the review and become familiar with the Safety Training Requirements and Safety Review Checklist.  Reference information and forms are included at the end of this webpage under Documents or Resources, respectively.

If the facility representative has questions about how to complete any of the requirements, they may contact EHS for assistance prior to the visit.

Safety Training Requirements – Employees should receive training on any known hazard present in the workplace. EHS training courses are offered online through Iowa Courses Online (ICON) and can be accessed at any time. For a list of courses click on this link:  Safety Training Course Guide - What course should I take?

There are two methods to track training completion which are described below.

1. Compliances and Qualifications System (CQ):  This system allows departments to electronically track whether their employees have completed their assigned safety training courses.  CQ will also send email notifications when employees have training due within the next 30 days or are past due.  Departments can also run their own reports to see the status of their employee’s training completion.  Departments must work with their HR Representative to set up CQ.
2. Training Needs Assessment (TNA):  Prior to the time of the annual review, EHS staff will send you a Training Needs Assessment that you should fill out and return to EHS. The assessment will identify each staff member in the facility and the required course(s), based on their work activities. If the assessment is returned to EHS before the annual review meeting, you will be sent a Training Deficiency Report that lists anyone behind on training completion.

• Site-Specific Forms, as applicable.
  • The TNA will also list which courses have any Site-Specific forms associated with them.  You should have these completed and available at the time of your review.  Site-specific forms are available within the ICON training course or below, under Resources.

Safety Review Checklist

1. Pre-Review Checklist – This checklist contains links to the most common documents needed during the review.  You should have copies of these from previous reviews in your personal safety folder.  You need to review and date these annually to make sure they are accurate and up to date.
2. Occupational Safety Review Questions and Recommendations - Please familiarize yourself with this document so you will be able to answer these questions and prepare ahead of time.  It is updated annually and any changes from the prior year are in red font.
   1. The questions that EHS staff will ask you are listed under the “Category” column on the left-hand side of the page.  In all probability, not all of the questions will apply to your location, but for those that do you will know exactly what will be asked.
   2. The “Recommendation” column on the right-hand side lists what you need to do to ensure you are compliant in this category.  It also has links to documents and programs that you can download to complete prior to your scheduled review.

Some life safety issues must be addressed within 24 hours. The facility contact must e-mail their EHS contact with proof (photograph, scan, invoice, etc.) of how they resolved the problem by the end of the following business day.

• If the facility does not respond within 24 hours, an e-mail reminder will be sent to the facility contact, the Departmental Executive Officer (DEO), and the EHS Director.

A report of the facility review will be sent to the facility contact, and copied to their supervisor, within two business days. The report will detail any safety/regulatory concerns and will provide recommendations for corrective actions.

• Any photographs taken during the review will be available to the facility contact, if applicable.
• The report will identify any repeat concerns that were not resolved in prior years.

If no concerns were identified or remain following the review, no further action is needed. If corrective actions are required, EHS staff will schedule a follow-up visit for 30 days after the report is sent, and the facility must address all noted concerns within that time frame. The facility contact can send proof of completion to their EHS contact at any time during those thirty days. 

• Options for proof include scans (e.g., completed HazCom cover page), photographs (e.g., eyewash that has been unblocked), invoice/receipt of a needed purchase, copy of an e-mail (e.g., cc EHS staff on an e-mail to EHS Environmental Programs staff for peroxide testing), etc. 

At the end of each calendar year, EHS will compile a report that lists the concern(s) that were noted during the safety review; the report will detail each facility contact and associated concerns. The report will also note whether the item was corrected or remained outstanding after the 30-day period. This report will be sent by the EHS Director to the DEO(s), the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the Campus Safety Committee. 

A facility can generally expect one unannounced FSR per year. Occupational Safety staff conducts FSRs approximately at the midpoint between one annual facility safety review and the next. The EHS staff may conduct additional FSRs if multiple issues of concern are found or if requested to do so by the facility.

A report of the Facility Safety Rounds will be sent to the facility contact person on file with EHS within two business days. The report will detail any safety/regulatory concerns observed at the time of the walkthrough and will provide appropriate corrective actions. Any outstanding concerns must be addressed within one month.

• Any photographs taken during the review will be available to the facility.
• The report will identify any repeat concerns that were not resolved in prior FSRs.

If no deficiencies were noted or remain following the walkthrough, no further actions are needed. If any corrective actions are required, communication will also include the scheduled 30-day follow-up meeting. If applicable, the facility contact can send proof of completion to EHS staff at any time during those thirty days.

• Options for proof include photographs (e.g., eyewash that has been unblocked), invoice/receipt of a needed purchase, copy of an e-mail (e.g., cc their EHS contact on an e-mail to EHS Environmental Programs staff for peroxide testing), etc.

Thirty days later the EHS staff member will return to the facility, if necessary, to verify the concerns were addressed.

• If all concerns were resolved before the follow-up meeting (by sending proof of completion to EHS), the follow-up meeting will be canceled.

After the follow-up meeting, EHS staff will send a final report to the designated facility contact.

• If all concerns were addressed, a Satisfactory letter will be sent, and no further actions are needed.
• If concerns remain outstanding, a Deficiency letter will be sent within one business day. The report will reiterate any safety/regulatory concerns and will provide appropriate corrective actions. The report will be copied to the EHS Director, Occupational Safety Manager, Departmental Administrator, and Departmental Executive Officer (DEO).