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Environmental Health and Safety
The University of Mississippi

Responsibilities and Authority

The Department of  Environmental Health and Safety is responsible to the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi for compliance with and enforcement of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations; Mississippi Hazardous Waste Management (MHWM) regulations; Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) regulations and Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) radiological regulations on UM’s Oxford campus. Specific responsibilities and authority are delineated under the items listed below.

A. Biological-Chemical:

  1. Responsibility for control and disposal of all hazardous biological and chemical substances.
  2. Authority to inspect all areas of the campus for violations of federal and state laws governing the safe use and disposal of all hazardous materials.
  3. Authority to implement controls for the use and disposal of all hazardous materials.
  4. Responsibility for providing safety information concerning hazardous materials to all university personnel.

B. Radiological:

Responsibility for the duties assigned in the university’s Radiation Safety Manual, 1995 revised edition, and subsequent regulations imposed by MSDH under its broad license to the university.

C. Enforcement Authority:

  1. The Department of Health and Safety will have the authority to enforce compliance with the regulations referenced in the university’s Biological, Chemical, Occupational and Radiological safety manuals and other applicable safety regulations for all segments of the Oxford campus.
  2. In the event of major noncompliance, action will be taken only after consultation with the Chancellor’s Office, unless there is an immediate danger to the health of personnel or an immediate danger to university property.
  3. Remedial actions required by this office may be appealed to the chancellor for a final decision.
  4. The chancellor of the university will have final authority and responsibility in these areas.

D. Emergency Authority:

In the event of an emergency, the health and safety officer, and in his absence the radiological safety coordinator, has the authority to commit any and all university resources necessary to carry out the university’s contingency plan.

E. Exceptions to Regulations:

The health and safety officer of the Department of Health and Safety is the only person delegated by the chancellor to make exceptions to the regulations and procedures given in the university’s safety manuals.

F. Responsibility for Safety Hazards:

Due to the highly specialized nature of activities involving the use of biological, chemical and radiological hazards, the legal responsibility for the safety and well-being of all personnel in contact with these hazards lies with the immediate supervisor, department head and the administrative officers at the various university levels.