Environmental Health & Safety

Report a Work Related Injury or Illness

Kearney Research & Extension Center's Environmental Health and Safety Department is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all of staff, visitors and members of the public. We are also dedicated and committed to minimizing the impact of our operations on the environment, both locally and on a global aspect.

We believe that the foundation of a successful Environmental Health and Safety Department program depends on creating an understanding and awareness within our staff of the importance of these programs.

The main focus of the Kearney Research & Extension Center's Environmental Health and Safety Department can be broken down into:

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Workplace Safety

Everyone is responsible for safety. Principal Investigators and Supervisors are responsible for conducting hazard assessments of their laboratories and work areas.

Principal Investigators and Supervisors are the baseline for the establishment of safe work practices and procedures within their areas. The assurance of proper safety training within each department would rest within the Principal

Investigators and/or Supervisors.

Staff and students are responsible for learning about and implementing safe working procedures.

Staff and students are also responsible for promptly reporting unsafe conditions to the supervisor.

Safety Training

Regulations require employers to provide training to their employees in Health and Safety. The KREC EHS department provides a comprehensive training program that is available to all staff associated with the Center, rarely with a charge.

Training enables staff to acquire the skills and knowledge that, with experience, makes them competent in the health and safety aspects of their work.

The EHS department provides information, instruction and training to provide a safe place to work. Certain courses lead to nationally recognized certification, examples are, the 10-hour OSHA Outreach Training Program, EPA, Workers Protection Standards (WPS), American Heart Association CPR and AED courses.

Safety Training courses are generally held each month. Courses are also tailored to meet the requirements of individual departments or specific tasks ranging from Forklift Driver Certification to basic hand tools. Participation from all UC Research Extension Centers are welcomed to attend. To see more go to: Safety Training

Fire Safety and Prevention

Everyone is responsible for fire safety. EHS services in this area include: building inspections along with training in our Fire Prevention Plan and Emergency Action Plan. The KREC EH&S department conducts annual Building Evacuation drills and fire extinguisher training.

Contact EHS if you have any questions or desire consultative assistance about fire safety, electrical safety and other fire related issues

Hazardous Materials: EHS collects and manages the disposal of unwanted hazardous waste materials. Go here for: KARE Guidelines for Chemical Waste Storage, Packaging, Labeling,

Laboratory Safety: Laboratories can present many hazards. Training of personnel and proper handling of these hazards can prevent accidents in the lab environment. Environmental Health and Safety conducts annual safety inspections of all laboratories on the Center to ensure safety and compliance with State and Local regulations, and University policies. Each laboratory is required to write and update a Chemical Hygiene plan which provides specific information on the hazards and chemicals in their lab. A Generic Chemical Hygiene Plan has been developed to assist each lab with the development of their lab's plan. The plan can be downloaded at: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/5810/34335.doc

Farming Operations

Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. These include musculoskeletal injuries sustained through overexertion and/or poor task

ergonomics. Accidents involving farm equipment, as well as exposure from applying chemicals. Heat and sun exposure is another major concern in agriculture

Pesticide Programs

Pesticide Storage

Pesticide Application Restricted Entry Interval

Minimizing Pesticide Drift

Agricultural Crop Destruction Procedures

Pesticide Application Notification Procedures

Workers Protection Standards

ANR Safety Notes , Over 100 Safety Notes that can be used for "tail-gate" training

Safety Presentations. Downloadable PowerPoint presentations, Videos and training aids.

EH&S Links

EHS Policies, Procedures and Programs

EHS-Related Policies and Procedures

Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)

Chemical Hygiene

Fire Prevention Plan

Emergency Action Plan

KARE Guidelines for Chemical Waste Storage, Packaging, Labeling,

For more information contact:

Marvin Flores
Title: Safety Coordinator
Email: marvinflores@ucanr.edu

Phone: (559) 646-6013