Online survey gathers feedback on campus safety

The state of Washington is conducting its annual safety survey for higher education institutions. This voluntary but valuable online survey is presented by the state Office of Risk Management, which is part of the Department of Enterprise Services. The survey is designed to capture safety information about our higher education workplaces in an easy-to-understand and brief format.

The terms "safety hazard" and "hazard" are used frequently in this survey. The terms refer to any type of recognized hazard in the workplace that could potentially cause death, injury or illness to a worker. Examples of hazards include, but are not limited to, improperly labeled chemicals, sharp edges, tripping hazards, inadequate safety training, removed machine safety guards, materials not properly stored, fumes, locations with a risk of falling from a height, and poor safety culture.

The results of this survey will be used by each higher education institution to improve their respective safety programs and collectively to look for ways to improve workplaces for all state employees. The survey will be open from now until the close of business on Nov. 28, 2014.

Western strongly encourages faculty and staff to take a few minutes to complete this online survey. The information that you provide is anonymous and will be used to improve safety at Western and state-wide.

If you have any questions, please call Sue Sullivan at 360-650-6512 or Paul Mueller at 360-650-3065.