The University strives to provide safe and healthy working conditions, and observes all safety laws. Because safety is everyone's responsibility, employees are expected to do everything reasonable and necessary to maintain a safe work environment. All student, faculty, and staff are required to cooperate with the university police and security personnel to promote a secure environment.
You are responsible for becoming familiar with and observing all safety rules and procedures included in this manual and any other rules determined by your supervisor.
If you have specific questions or wish to notify the university of a safety concern, please contact the Director of Operations, Safety, and Environment or the Human Resources Department, chief of police and security 7302
FIRES AND EMERGENCIES
In case of emergency , call 911, you should vacate the building immediately. Personnel trained in handling emergencies will be dispatched to handle the emergency.
Exits and fire extinguishers are located throughout each facility. As an employee, you are responsible for identifying the location of the nearest fire extinguisher and the nearest exit to your place of work and supplies prior to an actual emergency.
Exits and areas around fire extinguishers must be kept clear at all times.
ACCIDENTS OR INJURY
No matter how insignificant an on-the-job injury may seem when it occurs, notify your supervisor and the Human Resources Department immediately. You should report all injuries before leaving work on the day of the injury. This report is required by law and serves to protect your rights under the Worker's Compensation Act.
LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES
The university is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees, including those who have life-threatening illness. It is equally committed to providing a safe work environment for all of its employees, and, consequently the university has adopted a Policy on Communicable Diseases, which is reproduced below.
The University strives to keep all information regarding an employee’s personal health status private. All employees are expected to treat each other with compassion and understanding, and to respect each other.
The Human Resources Department has written information available on life-threatening illnesses. Also, at your request, Human Resources will assist in finding education programs about life-threatening illnesses.
POLICY ON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Aids Related Complex (ARC)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Wittenberg University has a commitment to dealing fairly with all faculty, students, administrative staff, and hourly staff members. This policy represents a commitment to strive to protect all people of the Wittenberg community from the risk of exposure to the AIDS virus on the campus. In addition, the policy intends to preserve and protect the rights of faculty, staff, and students who either have been exposed to the AIDS virus or have AIDS, against discriminatory or unfair treatment in all personnel or academic decisions.
Wittenberg University, as a church-related school in partnership with its supporting synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, respects and defends the Church's position that discrimination in any form is destructive of God's good gift of personhood. In the Christian perspective, the communicable diseases, AIDS, ARC, and HIV will not be used as a means of exploitation to dehumanize the faculty, students, and staff involved. As an expression of the same concern for the well-being of the individual, Wittenberg University will also strive to protect all the members of the campus community from the risk of unsafe exposure to these communicable diseases.
Guidelines
Communicable disease-related diagnostic information reported to the university will be treated as confidential, privileged information. Faculty, student, and staff confidentiality will be protected to the best of our ability.
Faculty and staff who have AIDS, positive HIV, or ARC antibody test results should follow recommendations prescribed by the Public Health Services to obtain proper protection for themselves and reduce risk to others. The Director of Human Resources is available for consultation regarding such matters and can make available Public Health Service Guidelines.
Students who have AIDS, positive HIV, or ARC antibody test results are encouraged to inform a member of the professional staff at the Student Health Center and the Associate Vice president for Student Development to follow recommendations prescribed by the Public Health Services to obtain proper protection for themselves to reduce risk to others.
The major focus for protecting all members of the Wittenberg community from the AIDS infection will be to educate all personnel and students on the causes of AIDS, methods for avoiding contracting AIDS, symptoms related to AIDS, and what to do if AIDS is contracted.
Reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis by the associate vice president for Human Resources
or the Assosiciate vic presidnt of Student Development in consultation with health officials.
The HIV antibody test will not be used for employment-related decisions.
The HIV antibody test will not be used for student-related decisions.
A complaint of discrimination or harassment brought by an AIDS-infected individual shall be handled under University guidelines for complaints of discrimination against the disabled..
Where appropriate and applicable, the Student Health Center will follow established guidelines and state law to prevent the transmission of HIV in health care settings.
In most cases, the University will not advocate isolation of AIDS-infected persons from casual interaction with others in the work/academic environment. The general community will not be advised of the presence of persons who had AIDS, ARC, or positive HIV antibody test results. Persons infected with the AIDS virus will be encouraged to inform all individuals who need to know of the infection. The University will take all reasonable steps to follow up with the infected person to assure that such interested individuals have been informed.
All contract services will be expected to adhere to the policy and guidelines established on communicable diseases by Wittenberg University and to follow all guidelines and recommendations promulgated by the Center for Disease Control and the Ohio Department of Health.
Wittenberg University will review and, where appropriate, apply federal, state, and local laws and guidelines.