UNION-MANAGEMENT SAFETY COMMITTEE
June 2022 Meeting Minutes
The monthly meeting of the Union-Management Safety Committee was conducted on June 14th, 2022 by the Environmental Health and Safety department with the following individuals in attendance:
Kelly Duncan A Landscape Services
Stacy Emery VA Sindecuse Health Center
Justin Keech A Custodial Services
Connor Kirkpatrick A Maintenance Services
Devin LeDoux A Dining Services
Lindsey Myers VA Sindecuse Health Center
Mark Weiss A Environmental Health and Safety
Jake Woods A Environmental Health and Safety
In-Person Attendance: (A)
Virtual Attendance: (VA)
OLD BUSINESS
Jake Woods previously provided an update to the trip and fall concern involving a stormwater drain located near Rood Hall and Everett Tower. The drain is surrounded by stone aggregate and is in a depression relative to the surrounding walkway. A trip and fall risk is present due to the immediate and unprotected elevation change. Clara Davis previously performed an onsite survey and opened a dialogue regarding the situation with Laura Weber and the Disability Services for Students department. A recommendation of having additional aggregate brought in to help reduce the immediate elevation change was communicated to the Landscape Services leadership for creation of work order, LW-100339. A subsequent onsite meeting between Maintenance Services, Projects and Construction, and EHS resulted in a follow-up meeting with Landscape Services and the design contractor. Various mitigation actions were discussed and a decision to install additional aggregate of a darker color was determined to be the plan of action. Additional aggregate will help to lessen the elevation change and contrasting color stone will help to indicate a transition from sidewalk to the stormwater depression. Jake previously contacted Landscape Services management and was given the following update: “It is in the work order system. Waiting on estimate and funding source. Not sure the date of completion”.
Kelly Duncan provided an update to the concern involving concrete walkways and stairways that need repair due to damage and/or degradation. Kelly mentioned repairing and fixing of issues throughout campus is currently taking place and that she will wait until the completion to finalize the list. The list will then be reviewed by Landscape Services management for further action and the areas will also be added to the UMSC Damaged Concrete / Brick Areas on Campus list.
Jake Woods previously provided an update to the concern regarding abandoned bikes at the Western View Apartment complex. Kelly Duncan previously mentioned that there are a number of rusted and damaged bikes, some missing essential components such as tires, that have been locked to bike racks for multiple years. In the past, abandoned bikes left on-campus were periodically removed. Jake contacted DPS and brought the current situation to their attention. He was informed that old bicycles are collected from campus bike racks annually and that the next campus round up would be taking place approximately 3 weeks after the spring commencement. Due to COVID staffing shortages there may have been a longer time lapse than normal but they were on schedule for 2022; these efforts are managed by the Parking Services maintenance coordinator.
Stacy Emery provided an update to the discussion surrounding the University managed automated external defibrillators (AED). She previously commented that the new Student Center will have two units (one for each floor) and that they are of the same manufacturer (Philips) and model (HeartStart) that are located in campus facilities and utilized throughout the greater Kalamazoo county area. Stacy is helping to manage the University owned devices and inquired about whom she would need to contact to update the AED location map. Connor Kirkpatrick mentioned that Kevin Agema of Maintenance Services may be able to assist with updating the location maps. Stacy also mentioned that she is working with Paul Terzino on determining mounting locations for devices in the new Student Center. Device(s) in the Bernhard Center will continue to be utilized until the building is decommissioned (projected January/spring 2023). She also commented that the AED unit previously located at the GR-Beltline facility was relocated to Ellsworth Hall.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Mark Weiss provided an update to the campus safety concern involving the observance of an unknown person sitting at a table near an entrance of Lawson Ice Arena at 3:00 a.m. by a Custodial Services employee. The employee had arrived on-campus earlier than normal to clock-in and perform their daily duties. They then observed the unknown individual prior to exiting their personal vehicle. DPS was subsequently contacted and investigated the situation. During conversation it was mentioned to the employee that the unknown person fit the physical description of an individual who is known to DPS. Juanita Snell inquired if it would be possible for DPS to provide information on suspected or known dangerous or unwelcomed individuals. Mark Weiss investigated with DPS and was informed that there are issues with sharing some information due to the campus being considered an open campus. Committee members were encouraged to continue to contact DPS/911 if/when they observe suspicious persons or activities on campus.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Mark Weiss provided an update to the concern regarding the process of Student Affairs staff performing electrical system breaker resets at the Goldsworth Valley complexes. Ian Stamp previously mentioned these procedures include keeping a log-book of resets performed; information documented would be date, whom performed, cause of reset, etc. This information is reviewed periodically by Maintenance Services in order to determine trends that may indicate further repair is needed to the building’s electrical system. Jake Woods previously contacted the department of Student Affairs and was informed that the log-book is being used and kept up to date. Mark had recently conducted arc flash / breaker reset training with Maintenance Services STH personnel and will subsequently perform similar training with Student Affairs personnel during Resident Advisor orientation.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Connor Kirkpatrick provided an update to the concern involving construction equipment and supplies that are causing an obstruction on the loading dock of the Dalton Center. Marcy Lynn previously mentioned that a project in the area is nearing completion and that the materials in question may be related to the efforts. Juanita stated that the materials in question were still present on the loading dock as of 5/6/22. Connor investigated and found that the materials (rolled up dance floor from Dalton rather than construction related) had been removed from the loading dock.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Juanita Snell previously provided an update to the recent situation that occurred at Read Fieldhouse regarding concerns of doors being left open that were expressed by an elevator repair contractor. The contractor was working in the vicinity of Custodial Services personnel who had left a door open, to help facilitate ventilation, to a room where dusty work activities were being performed. Juanita further investigated the concern and found that a large amount of dust discharged from a vacuum that was performing a non-routine task. The dust release subsequently triggered an alarm and the door was propped opened to help mitigate the airborne particulates. Circumstances were made known to the elevator repair contractor and it was agreed that it is safe and useful to have the door open during these specific cleaning duties.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Jake Woods previously provided an update to the concern involving a possibly malfunctioning electronic access alarm located on an exterior door at the loading dock of Floyd Hall. Previous discussions seemed to indicate that the alarm delay is set for too short of a duration or a related component is damaged / not working properly. The loud alarm activates during normal entry, regardless if the door is closed immediately after an individual pass through the threshold. Jake brought the issue to the attention of DPS and a subsequent inspection of the door in question was performed. Additional feedback received included that that all of the doors in question were in “card only” state, meaning that they require a valid card from outside in order to enter. If the door appears unlocked then it’s either not closing properly or the electronic lock is malfunctioning. For all card access doors, there is a motion sensor on the inside that will also temporarily deactivate the sounder so that people are always allowed to exit without an alarm going off.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
Jake Woods previously provided an update to the vehicular traffic concerns that were observed since the initiation of the Stadium Drive repaving project. It was previously mentioned that vehicles have been seen making illicit U-turns causing disruption, driving dangerously on the Oliver St. hill, and speeding on Ring Rd. Jake contacted WMU-DPS and made known the vehicular/traffic safety concerns. Comments received back included asking officers to provide additional patrol in areas of concern and consideration of housing slow moving vehicles on main campus to limit on road travel due to the extended length of time committed to the repaving project with an understanding that it may not be fully feasible due to Landscape Services offices / gas pumps being located at the Campus Services Building complex.
COMPLETED/CLOSED
PROJECT LIST
Expected dates of closure for projects dated 2/10/09 and 10/31/16 were updated due to ongoing/extended construction of the new Student Center.
NEW BUSINESS
Kelly Duncan introduced a safety concern involving damaged walking surface bricks located near the lower level entry of the Dalton Center underneath the raised bridge entry. Jake Woods will investigate, contact Landscape Services with observations, and provide a follow up.
Justin Keech introduced a safety concern involving slippery and possibly damaged expansion joint caulking located on the walking surface of Parking Structure #2 (Miller Auditorium). Jake Woods will investigate, make the issue known to Parking Services, and provide a follow up.
SAFETY HAPPENINGS
Connor Kirkpatrick mentioned that the Maintenance Services electrician tradespeople have been scheduled to attend 2-day arc flash and code update training. The training will take place on October 17/18, 2022 and be conducted by Morris-Applebey.
Connor Kirkpatrick expressed appreciation to Custodial Services and EHS for response efforts related to the recent flooding of the Maintenance Services region shops located in Goldsworth Valley #1. He also mentioned that flood prevention solutions and remediation of root cause are being investigated.
Mark Weiss reminded committee members of being aware and mindful of heat related illnesses. The human body is normally able to regulate its temperature through sweating, until it is exposed to more heat than it can handle. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can escalate rapidly, leading to delirium, organ damage and even death. In 2019, 884 people died and 2,061 were injured in the U.S. from exposure to excessive heat. Further information can be found at: Surviving the Hot Weather - National Safety Council (nsc.org) / https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/heat and Heat Stress Plan | Environmental Health and Safety | Western Michigan University (wmich.edu) / https://wmich.edu/ehs/policies/heat-stress.
Connor Kirkpatrick expressed appreciation to EHS for coordinating a recent asbestos abatement at Ellsworth Hall that helped to facilitate safe repairs to a leaking and shut down domestic water supply line.
Jake Woods mentioned that the National Safety Council (NSC) recognizes June as National Safety Month. Week #1 emphasizes musculoskeletal disorders, week #2- workplace impairment, week #3- injury prevention, and week #4- slips, trips, and falls. Further information can be found at: National Safety Month - National Safety Council (nsc.org) or (https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/get-involved/national-safety-month).
The next UMSC meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 12th, 2022 in the shared conference room located on the ground floor of the E.W. Building at 10:00 a.m.; an invitation to attend via video conferencing platform (WebEx) will also be sent out with these minutes. Please send a substitute representative if you are unable to attend.
Published: 7/6/2022