Risk Management

Identifying, Assessing, and Mitigating Risks: Essential Strategies for Safety and Compliance in the School of Medicine

In the School of Medicine’s Basic Sciences, comprehensive risk management is essential to ensure a safe, compliant, research and effective learning environment. While everyone plays a role in maintaining safety, our office holds the primary responsibility for overseeing the overall Risk Management strategy, including all aspects that fall under the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office. By taking a leadership role, we can ensure that risks are proactively managed and mitigated, with collaboration across all departments to create a culture of safety.

The Role of Our Office in Risk Management

Our office is primarily responsible for the overarching Risk Management framework, which includes identifying, assessing, and addressing risks across various areas, such as:

• Laboratory Safety: Safe handling of chemicals, biological materials, and equipment.
• Environmental and Health Safety (EHS): Ensuring that proper safety protocols are in place for both research and teaching spaces.
• Compliance and Liability: Managing both individual and institutional risks related to research and education.

While we lead these efforts, we collaborate closely with the EHS office to address specific safety concerns related to workplace hazards, environmental risks, and regulatory compliance.

Proactive Risk Identification and Assessment

Our office takes the lead in conducting comprehensive risk assessments, but it is critical that faculty remain engaged and vigilant in recognizing potential hazards within their own areas. Faculty play an essential role by:

1. Identifying Risks: Faculty should be proactive in spotting hazards such as unsafe actions, faulty equipment, or chemical and biological dangers within their labs and classrooms, and report these to our office for further review.
2. Collaborating with EHS: While we manage overall risk assessments, faculty should work with EHS to ensure that their specific labs or teaching spaces meet safety standards and are regularly reviewed for compliance.
3. Contributing to Risk Mitigation: Our office, alongside EHS, develops safety protocols, but faculty must follow these procedures and take part in developing safer practices in their research and teaching areas.

Compliance and the Critical Role of EHS

Our office holds responsibility for ensuring Basic Sciences compliance with all safety regulations, but the EHS office is tasked with the implementation of specific protocols. Faculty members should:

• Adhere to Safety Regulations: Faculty should stay informed on the latest safety practices and ensure that these are incorporated into their classrooms, labs, and research activities.
• Report Safety Concerns: Any incidents or concerns should be reported to our office, which will collaborate with EHS for prompt resolution.

Fostering a Culture of Safety and Compliance

Our office is committed to maintaining a strong safety culture within the School of Medicine. While we provide leadership in risk management, faculty are essential in reinforcing this culture by:

• Supporting Training and Education: Faculty should promote and participate in safety training and lab onboarding programs for both students and staff.
• Encouraging Open Communication: Faculty should maintain ongoing communication with our office and EHS to ensure any safety concerns are addressed quickly and effectively.

Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Risk Management

Our office works with EHS to implement technological tools that help streamline risk management efforts. Faculty should support these initiatives by:

• Engaging with Digital Systems: Utilize tools to track safety compliance and monitor lab conditions.
• Maintaining Equipment Safety: Follow protocols established by our office and EHS for regular equipment maintenance and risk assessment.
• Collaborating Through Technology: Use platforms to share data, safety reports, and risk assessments across departments and with EHS.

In conclusion, while everyone in the School of Medicine’s Basic Sciences plays a role in managing risks, our office is responsible for overseeing the overall Risk Management strategy and all activities under the Environmental Health and Safety office. Faculty members must remain engaged in recognizing and reporting risks, working in partnership with our office to maintain a safe, compliant, and continuously improving environment for research and education.

Vanderbilt University

University Policies: Policies related to student safety, employee safety, performance management process, leaves of absence, time off and benefits.

Incident Reporting Procedures: How students, faculty, and staff can report incidents or potential risks (e.g., accidents, discrimination, cyber threats).

Emergency Preparedness:  The VandySafe APP can be downloaded to your cellular device to stay connected and safe; it contains all the information you need to have on campus.