Environmental, Health, Safety & Risk
South Texas College (College) is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all employees, students, and visitors. The College meets this obligation by complying with Board Policy CG Safety Program and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to environmental, health, and safety. The Environmental, Health, Safety & Risk (EHS&R) Department serves the college by providing recommendations, information, and training to promote best safe practices and regulatory compliance. EHS&R is comprised of: Environmental and Occupational Safety, Fire and Life Safety, Laboratory Safety, Risk Management and Training Coordination.
Contact
Pecan Campus, Bldg. E, Rm. 101A
Phone: 956-872- 3718
Email: ehs@southtexascollege.edu
Fax: 956-872-3464
Campus safety information and incident reporting:
Campus Safety
- Environmental Safety
- Occupational Safety
- Fire and Life Safety
- Laboratory Safety
- Training Coordination
- Risk Management
Environmental Safety
EHS&R Environmental Safety provides support by ensuring compliance is met with entities that enforce environmental and occupational laws and regulations. The Environmental Safety program works to maintain compliance with federal and state regulations set by the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ), which target the handling, storage and removal of all hazardous and universal waste. EHS&R works to provide waste disposal services of regulated materials generated from campus operations and teaching laboratories.
Documents
Occupational Safety
The Occupational Safety program strives to provide safe working conditions for all students, faculty, staff, and guests through recognition, evaluation, and control of hazardous conditions. To achieve this, EHS&R complies with the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Hazard Communication Act, Indoor Air Quality Standards, and Incident Reporting Process.
Documents
Fire and Life Safety
The EHS&R Fire and Life Safety program 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/or 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&R Fire and Life Safety’s responsibility to protect everyone on South Texas College premises by developing and implementing effective fire marshal inspections, providing guidance, and enforcing compliance of the International Fire Code (IFC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as adopted by the local municipality.
Laboratory Safety
The EHS&R Laboratory Safety program supports EHS&R’s mission by providing guidance to ensure compliance is met with rules, regulations, and best safe practices applicable for teaching laboratories when handling biological and chemical materials. EHS&R strives to maintain a safe working environment in all laboratories by providing support with training and other information pertaining to the operations of the laboratories. In addition, EHS&R provides technical inspections of all life safety equipment in the laboratories.
Training Coordination
The EHS&R Training Coordination program ensures that South Texas College employees receive appropriate safety trainings prior to performing their work activities. EHS&R collaborates with other departments to provide available trainings to the College community via the TASB VectorSolutions Training portal as well as in-person trainings. For specific safety skills training, please contact EHS&R at ehs@southtexascollege.edu or call 956-872-2074.
Trainings
Employees can receive appropriate safety instruction through the Training Coordination Program.
Risk Management
Risk Management is responsible for 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. Risk Management performs the following services for the college:
- Insurance
- Claims – Automobile, liability, fire, flood, property damage, etc.
- RFP – Annual renewal of all college insurance policies including property, crime, general liability, auto, legal liability, worker’s compensation, international, cyber and student Insurance.
- Records – Maintain all insurance and related records; prepare insurance reports and communicate risk and insurance information as needed.
- Certificates – Proof of insurance provided as needed.
- Risk Assessments – Risk Management is responsible for facilitating the annual departmental risk assessments. Risk Management also provides trainings on departmental risk assessments which involve identifying, assessing, controlling and monitoring risks through the development and implementation of mitigation plans and risk strategies.
- Business Continuity – Risk Management works with various members of the college community to promote business continuity efforts, exercises and plans.
