Supervisor's Safety Responsibilities

A UMD supervisor is defined as any individual employed by the University who has other employees, (including students, teaching assistants and researchers) reporting to him/her. Research laboratory supervisors are often referred to as Principal Investigators.

Every supervisor has at least three responsibilities with which Environmental Safety, Sustainability and Risk can provide assistance. These responsibilities are employee training, provision of personal protective equipment and accident & injury reporting.

• Employee Training - Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that each new employee, whether temporary or permanent, receives appropriate safety training at the start of employment. Supervisors of laboratory employees should use the Laboratory Personnel Safety Checklist as an outline for training new laboratory personnel. This form, once completed and signed, should be maintained in the employee's personnel file and a copy sent to the departmental Compliance Officer. All other supervisors should use the New/Transfer Safety Orientation Review Sheet to document training of new employees. This form, once completed and signed, should be maintained in the employee's personnel file.

  Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their employees receive the necessary safety training based on the work that their employees perform. Our Training Schedule will assist you in scheduling your employee's training.

   

• Personal Protective Equipment - OSHA requires each supervisor assess the hazards of the work area to determine the type of protective equipment needed and to provide training on its use. This review must be documented. The Personal Protective Equipment Plan includes detailed information to assist in selecting the proper protective equipment.

   

• Accident and Injury Reporting - It is the supervisor's responsibility to report all accidents or injuries that occur to their employees while at work. Each supervisor must ensure that any employee who is injured while at work completes and signs the Employee's Report of Work-Related Injury Form. Additionally, the supervisor must receive the employee form, Accident Witness Statement Form (if the accident was witnessed by another person), and fill out a corresponding Supervisor's Report of Work-Related Injury Form. The injury information must also be called in to IWIF at 1-888-410-1400 within 24 hours of the occurrence of the injury. The completed Supervisor's Report of Work-Related Injury Form should be signed by the supervisor and sent with all of the above signed forms to the Workers' Compensation Office located in the Seneca Building. Injury forms will be provided at the Health Center or can be found online at https://essr.umd.edu.

In summary, supervisors have the following responsibilities. 1) use the Laboratory Personnel Safety Checklist or New/Transfer Safety Orientation Review Sheet to train your employees when they begin employment. 2) Determine your employee's training needs. 3) Have your employees register for the required training. 4) Complete a Hazard Assessment to document your employees Personal Protective Equipment needs. 5) If an employee has an Accident or Injury, make sure you report it.