Environmental, Health, & Safety

Fire and Life Safety

South Texas College Fire and Life Safety is responsible for developing and implementing communication with local emergency response teams. Fire and Life Safety establishes procedures that all students, faculty, staff, and guests must follow in order to comply with local laws and regulations from different municipalities, such as the City of McAllen Fire Department, the City of Pharr Fire Department, the Rio Grande City Fire Department, and the City of Weslaco Fire Department. It is EHS Fire and Life Safety’s responsibility to protect everyone on South Texas College premises by developing effective fire marshal inspections and providing fire protection equipment that is operable when necessary.

Documents

• Fire and Life Safety Plan
• STC Fire & Life Safety Quick Reference

External Links

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• City of McAllen Fire Department
• City of Pharr Fire Department
• Rio Grande City Fire Department
• City of Weslaco Fire Department

Laboratory Safety

South Texas College Laboratory Safety supports EHS’s mission by providing guidance to ensure compliance is met with rules, regulations, and safe best practices applicable for teaching laboratories when handling biological and chemical materials. EHS strives to maintain a safe working environment in all laboratories. Laboratory Safety provides support with training and other information to assist laboratory personnel in providing a safe and healthy working environment.

Documents

• Hazardous Materials Relocation Request Form

Risk Management

Services

Insurance:

• Manage all insurance and issues that may expose the College District to litigation or insurance claims, including and not limited to identifying, evaluating, controlling, and minimizing the College's exposure to loss or damage due to physical assets, fidelity losses, and losses arising out of liability claims.
• Manage all automobile, liability, fire, and property insurance damage claims including, communications with staff, attorneys, claims reviews, and investigations.
• Prepare insurance reports and communicate risk and insurance information as needed.
• Maintain insurance and related records.

Risk Assessment:

• Facilitate and provide trainings on departmental risk assessments which involve identifying, assessing, controlling, and monitoring risks through the development and implementation of mitigation plans and risk strategies.

Insurance Policies

Risk Management manages the following insurance policies for South Texas College:

• Property/Flood - provides protection against most risks to property such as fire, theft, flood and some weather damage.
• Crime - insurance to manage the loss exposures resulting from criminal acts such as robbery, burglary and other forms of theft.
• General Liability - protects the College from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims.
• Auto - insurance for cars, trucks and other road vehicles. Provides financial protection against physical damage and/or bodily injury resulting from traffic collisions and against liability that could also arise.
• Legal Liability - aka “Errors and Omissions Insurance.” Coverage focuses specifically on the lawsuits that stem from the College’s professional services.  
• Worker’s Compensation - provides medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs to employees who are injured or become ill “in the course and scope” of their job (administered by Human Resources).
• International – provides protection to College employees, vehicles and equipment traveling abroad. Excludes kidnapping and extortion coverage.
• Cyber - protects businesses and individual users from Internet-based risks, and more generally, from risks relating to information technology infrastructure and activities.
• Student Insurance
  • Voluntary Student Accident Insurance - secondary insurance that covers South Texas College students. In the event that the student does not have primary coverage, the Voluntary Student Accident Insurance becomes the primary insurance. Available for students to purchase and covers students while on College grounds and during any College-sanctioned times and events.
  • Student / Faculty Medical Professional Liability Insurance – (aka malpractice insurance) a type of professional liability insurance which protects students and faculty in the Nursing & Allied Health Program from liability associated with wrongful practices resulting in bodily injury, medical expenses and property damage, as well as the cost of defending lawsuits related to such claims.
  • Student Accident Insurance – Workforce Training Programs – same as above, but specific to the Workforce Training Programs at South Texas College.
  • Student Accident Insurance – Business, Public Safety & Technology Programs  - same as above, but specific to the Business, Public Safety & Technology Programs at South Texas College.

Certificates of Insurance:

• There are many circumstances that may require the need to provide evidence of appropriate and adequate insurance coverage associated with various risk exposures. The document providing such proof is called a Certificate of Insurance (COI). A COI documents the coverage in effect on the date of issuance.
• Incoming Certificates of Insurance - In some cases, South Texas College requires others (outside the College) to provide evidence of insurance coverage to the College. This is known as an "Incoming COI." Vendors and other third parties conducting business with the College may be required to provide evidence of coverage to the College. The requesting party should request that South Texas College be listed as “additional insured.”​​​​​​​
• Outgoing Certificates of Insurance - ​​​​​​​In other cases, South Texas College is required to provide evidence of coverage to others (outside the College).  This is known as an "Outgoing COI." Upon valid request, Risk Management will provide appropriate documentation of insurance coverage.  For questions or assistance with an outgoing Certificate of Insurance, contact Ken Lyons, Risk Manager at 956-872-6744 or klyons_0202@southtexascollege.edu .
  For the issuance of outgoing COIs, Risk Management requires:
  • The NAME and ADDRESS of the intended certificate holder
  • A brief description of the intended activity and/or agreement giving rise to the COI request
  • A copy of the relevant contract or agreement
  • The type of insurance and limits to be documented, i.e. general liability, automobile liability, property, etc. (generally noted in the relevant contract/agreement)
  • Any special conditions or requirements (generally noted in the relevant contract/agreement)

Documents

• Department Risk Assessment Procedures
• Risk Assessment Form
• Risk Assessment Instructions and Scoring Matrix
• Deparmental Continuity of Operations Plan

Training Coordination

The EHS program ensures that South Texas College employees receive appropriate safety training prior to performing their work activities. EHS collaborates with our insurance carrier to provide access to online safety trainings to South Texas College faculty and staff. There are over forty different safety trainings offered to South Texas College employees.

Documents

• Risk Assessment Training
• COOP Example