Department Safety Representatives

Department Safety Representatives (DSRs) serve a very important role with implementation of safety, health, and environmental programs on campus. DSRs assist the director, unit head, and/or department chairperson to meet their responsibilities for safety and compliance. Schools or Departments may choose one individual to serve as the DSR or one individual may be given responsibility for multiple departments, units, or facilities. If you do not see a DSR listed for your college, department, unit, or facility, please contact your department chairperson, director, or unit head and direct them to this webpage.

About the DSR Program:

Departmental Safety Representatives (DSRs) act as a liaison between their unit at Tulane and the OEHS.

DSR’s are key contributors to a unit’s environmental health and safety compliance.

DSRs are expected to attend quarterly meetings with OEHS and disseminate training and other pertinent information to their Unit. Each unit within Tulane should have at least one DSR. It is advised that larger units (units that cover multiple floors, buildings, or campuses) have multiple DSRs.

DSRs are subdivided into the following categories: offices, facilities (campus services, shops, art studios, etc.) and laboratories.

In the case of an emergency requiring immediate response, DSRs may be asked to participate. Refer to the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for your building(s) for more information.

Refer to the DSR Guide for more information. 

Duties of DSRs:

Expectations for Offices:

  • Participate in quarterly meetings with OEHS; meet or share meeting materials with Unit following the quarterly meeting; submit attendance records to OEHS.
  • Complete and/or communicate to Unit on completion of quarterly focus inspection forms; collect and provide copies to OEHS.
  • Report any unsafe conditions or practices to OEHS; report spills, indoor air quality complaints, chemical concerns, etc. to OEHS at oehs@tulane.edu.

Expectations for Facilities:

  • Participate in quarterly meetings with OEHS; meet or share meeting materials with Unit following the quarterly meeting; submit attendance records to OEHS.
  • Complete and/or communicate to Unit on completion of quarterly focus inspection forms; collect and provide copies to OEHS.
  • Report any unsafe conditions or practices to OEHS; report spills, indoor air quality complaints, chemical concerns, etc. to OEHS at oehs@tulane.edu.
  • Serve as liaison to employees within the Unit. Assist employees with development of chemical inventories; assist employees with submission of chemical management reporting guide; assist employees with the completion of PPE assessment forms; assist employees with collection of safety data sheets; assist with coordination of waste disposal with OEHS.
  • Communicate with OEHS on department activities that may require environmental health and safety involvement such as odor complaints, chemical disposal needs, renovations, etc.

Expectations for Laboratories:

  • Participate in quarterly meetings with OEHS; meet or share meeting materials with Unit following the quarterly meeting; submit attendance records to OEHS.
  • Complete and/or communicate to Unit on completion of quarterly focus inspection forms; collect and provide copies to OEHS.
  • Report any unsafe conditions or practices to OEHS; report spills, indoor air quality complaints, chemical concerns, etc. to OEHS at oehs@tulane.edu.
  • Assist employees with compilation of Laboratory Safety Paperwork; assist employees with door sign changes. 
  • Serve as liaison to employees within the Unit. Assist employees with development of chemical inventories; assist employees with submission of chemical management reporting guide; assist employees with the completion of PPE assessment forms; assist employees with collection of safety data sheets; assist with coordination of waste disposal with OEHS. 
  • Communicate with OEHS on department activities that may require environmental health and safety involvement such as odor complaints, chemical disposal needs, renovations, etc.

Training Documentation:

Training documentation forms should be submitted to OEHS by email at oehs@tulane.edu. Training can be provided in person or via email. The DSR can also train their Unit on any EHS topics that are pertinent to their Unit. Training recommendations are available on the OEHS website at https://risk.tulane.edu/ehs/training.

Training forms for individuals or groups are available below:

Quarterly Focus Inspections:

DSRs are expected to complete quarterly focus inspection forms (if applicable) or collect quarterly inspection forms from supervisors of their Unit. All forms must be submitted to OEHS on a quarterly basis.

Quarterly focus inspection forms are available by the type of work area. These include offices, general buildings, shops, laboratories, food services, vehicle repair shops, etc. Supervisors can also create a specific inspection form for their work area.

DSRs and/or supervisors within the Unit are expected to follow up with the responsible department on any areas of concern that are identified as part of the quarterly focus inspection. Copies of quarterly focus inspection forms must be submitted to OEHS upon completion. All forms must be maintained for a minimum of three years within the Unit.

Quarterly focus inspection forms communicated in the most recent DSR meetings are as follows:

DSR Quarterly Meeting Materials:

DSR Meeting Topics, First Quarter 2024:

  • 2023 Injury Trends and Prevention Methods – Karen Douglas, OEHS
  • Pregnancy in Laboratory Workers – Anna Lander, OEHS 
  • New Administrative Policies – Julia Pellegrin, Enterprise Risk Services
  • General Emergency Response – Haylie Tucker, OEHS
  • Focus Inspections - Assets (Computers, Laptops, and Tablet) and General Emergency Response (due April 26, 2024) – Julia Pellegrin, Enterprise Risk Services and Haylie Tucker, OEHS
  • Introduction of new OEHS members Andrew Poland, EHS Specialist, and Tetyana Antoshchenko, Asst. Director of Research and Lab Safety; OEHS Hazardous Waste Job Opening – Pam Fatland, OEHS
  • OEHS Facilities and Construction Job Opening – Karen Douglas (OEHS)
  • The meeting materials are available in Box at: https://tulane.box.com/s/wbq8sxexll84wnxg3cxzl0qx25a5cun5 

DSR Appreciation Luncheon, Fourth Quarter 2023:

The DSR Appreciation Luncheon held 11/6/2023 as part of Compliance & Ethics Week replaced the fourth quarter DSR Meeting.  Please use the fourth quarter to focus on fire safety and training. 

  • Focus Inspection- Fire Safety (due 12/18/2023) and the PowerPoint to assist in completing the inspection are available at: https://tulane.box.com/s/ydnk0ihqu9dq50p3tjkdojmm8wo8ehoc.
  • Review and share the EHS Training website, https://oehs.tulane.edu/training, with your departments
  • These DSRs were presented awards at the luncheon:
    • Yvonne Patterson, Newcomb Tulane College- DSR Excellence Award
    • Rebecca Derbes, Biomedical Engineering- DSR Recognition Award
    • Hugh Alan Tucker, Center for Stem Cell Research & Regenerative Medicine- DSR Recognition Award

DSR Meeting Topics, Third Quarter 2023:

  • Ethics and Compliance Week – Stuart Freedman, Director of Compliance and Ethics, General Counsel
  • Three Most Common Injury Types (April-August 2023) and Prevention Methods – Karen Douglas, OEHS
  • Electrical Safety Reminder – Rachad Washington, OEHS
  • Lab Decommissioning – Haylie Tucker (OEHS)
  • SciShield Demo: How to Make Lab Door Signs – Anna Lander (OEHS)
  • Laser Eyewear and PPE – Tony Davila (OEHS)
  • Focus Inspection-Injury Prevention (due 11/17/2023) – Karen Douglas (OEHS)
  • The meeting materials are available in Box at: https://tulane.app.box.com/s/nzilnwpg5stcvg981d12u7qtxtbvvip5

DSR Meeting Topics, Second Quarter 2023:

  • Laser Safety Program – Tony Davila, OEHS
  • Office Safety/Slips, Trips, and Falls – Karen Douglas, OEHS 
  • Most Impactful Policies – Julia Pellegrin, Enterprise Risk Services
  • Heat Stress Program – Treva Johnson, OEHS
  • Weather/Hurricane Preparedness – Donald Veals, Enterprise Risk Services
  • Focus Inspections-Emergency Preparedness & Office Safety (due 7/21/2023) 
  • The meeting materials are available in Box at: https://tulane.box.com/s/5oirhah8niaxhgi259135i7qm6qi9bye 

DSR Meeting Topics, First Quarter 2023:

  • SciShield Update – Marcel Charbonnet, OEHS  
  • Electrical Cord Safety (Hazards of Daisy Chaining) – Ronald “Rocky” Martin, Campus Services 
  • DSR Safety Topics – Rachad Washington, OEHS 
  • Injury & Illness Reporting Data 2022 – Diane Surla and Julia Pellegrin, Enterprise Risk Services  
  • Focus Inspection-Electrical (due 4/28/2023) – Karen Douglas, OEHS
  • The meeting materials are available in Box at: https://tulane.box.com/s/6qmxivxw78d5ce2cpts1io1bxb4po6u6