Date
April 4, 2007

MEMBERS PRESENT: Katrina Doolittle, David Shearer, Jaime Marrujo, Jose Gamon, Linda Perez, Rene Yoder, Tom Reichardt, and Greg Block

GUEST: Lisa Warren

The regular Safety Committee Meeting in Zuhl Library Conference Room #225 was called to order at 3:35 P.M. by Katrina Doolittle, Chair.

Minutes from May 24, 2006 were unanimously approved with the following correction; spelling of Jaime Chavez’s name to be corrected.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Indoor Quality Act and Smoking Policy

a. David Shearer stated New Mexico Legislature passed the smoking ban known as the Dee Johnson Indoor Air Act to take effect June 15, 2007. The bill bans smoking in most indoor workplaces as well as entrances and exists to those building. The exception where smoking could continue is tobacco stores, cigar bars, etc…, the Indoor Air Act can be viewed on EH&S website. David explained the fines and said that Police could enforce up to $500 in fines per person.

b. Linda Perez asked if they can put up no smoking signs on building. Katrina Doolittle stated that any signs that need to be posted on smoking are the responsibility of Facilities Services under the Way Finding Policy of Planning & Construction. The signs will be standardized throughout campus and the first building to see this change is Zuhl Library.

c. David asked about the smoking policy with regard to the Greek Complex as implementation of the policy was delayed in that facility. Greg Block stated that the building is now non-smoking and that no smoking signs were posted inside and outside the building.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Revision of NMSU Policy Manual by Lisa Warren.

a. Katrina distributed a copy of sections 2.25-Emergencies, 2.30-Fire and Emergency Services and 2.53-(University) Police from the NMSU Policy Manual and briefly discussed these sections. She stated that when the current policy was established when NMSU was owner of the Primate Research Laboratory and the policy was drafted specifically in response to those types of concerns. Katrina stated that policy revisions should be more global in nature.

b. Lisa Warren distributed a NMSU Policy Manual outline and a suggested guide for the new policies to members present. Lisa stated that one of her goals in rewriting the policy is to group policies by subject matter and to use a box template preceding each section or policy to indicate the administering entity and pertinent cross references. She would like to get policies from other manuals like; police, graduate school, etc… and incorporate them into the NMSU Policy Manual to have them all in one place. Lisa stated that the manual needs to have plenty of information but not too much that it overwhelms or makes the manual an immense book where finding information would be time consuming.

c. Lisa’s recommendation for the Emergency Preparedness section is for it to be completely rewritten. She said that the current language should be read and only pertinent information be used. Katrina stated that many factors need to be considered in the rewrite, for instance; who is incident command in a medical, fire or chemical emergency. She stated that the way the policy is written now, Police is in charge of every emergency which is not the way we operate. Katrina asked for a subcommittee to work on rewriting the Emergency Preparedness section of the Policy Manual. David Shearer volunteered to chair the committee, Jose Gamon and Jaime Marrujo volunteered to help. Lisa Warren and Katrina Doolittle volunteered to act as resource for the subcommittee. Katrina asked “what is the time line for a draft to be submitted for review?” It was decided to have a draft in 6 weeks and distribute to University Safety Committee by e-mail.

2.Vehicles on the International Mall

a. Katrina composed a letter April 4, 2007 to Ben Woods on vehicular traffic on International Mall and provided copies of the letter to committee members present. The letter was in response to safety concerns from the President of the Mesilla Valley Chapter of the National Federation for the Blind (MVCNFB) and previous concerns voiced by others and the University Safety Committee. The MVCNFB President was concerned for blind individuals walking through the I-Mall, not detecting the maintenance vehicles parked on the main sidewalks and/or work materials protruding from the vehicle. The letter offered recommendations, from the University Safety Committee, which applies to all units that operate University vehicles on non-roadway areas and for improving and creating a safer environment for all pedestrians.

b. Katrina asked if anyone had noticed if the traffic had minimized from the last meeting when the I-Mall traffic was discussed. Greg Block stated that it has not lessened and that from his office window he can still see employee’s sitting in the vehicles parked on the grass over lunch for convenience.

c. Lisa Warren stated NMSU Policy Manual Section 3.35 restricts driving on non-road areas unless specifically authorized by VP for Human & Physical Resources. Contractors are subject to the provisions of this policy. Access for emergency vehicles is excluded from this policy.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:35 P.M.

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