Each university will have an emergency evacuation plan set up by the environmental health and safety department to help with the orderly evacuation of the buildings in case of an emergency. Safety training is an important aspect of the evacuation plan, to prevent injury and panic. All members of the university community are familiarized with assembly areas, should there be a need for evacuation, and detailed steps on how to get there fast and without any injury or property damage.
Having a comprehensive hazard reporting system in place for the university allows any potential threats to be quickly identified, reported and investigated. This can prevent any further damage or injury from taking place. Many universities have a comprehensive online hazard report system that allows students to quickly inform the department of environmental health and safety about possible problems.
Safety guidelines are a set of rules conveyed to the members of the university community by the department of environmental health and safety. These guidelines are put in place to maximize the safety of people and property on the campus. It is the duty of every member of the university community to familiarize themselves with the safety guidelines and to adhere to them at all times. The university's safety guidelines are usually either available online or printed and handed to respective staff members.
Chemical waste is sometimes a harmful by-product of the research and experiments conducted at universities, and the environmental health and safety department is there to ensure that it is managed properly. The department of environmental health and safety often distributes a waste management guide that clearly outlines the proper way to handle these materials. This guide covers any type of harmful waste product and the university policy regarding the handling of it. The department would also provide containers for the hazardous waste and appoint trained staff to handle the waste correctly.