Environmental Health & Safety

Health and safety is everyone's responsibility.

Did you know that both employees and employers have responsibilities for health & safety specifically described in Alberta legislation?

• MRU needs to take care to protect your health & safety, and resolve health & safety concerns in a timely manner. 
• You need to take care to protect your health & safety and those around you, cooperate with MRU to protect the health & safety all workers, and refrain from causing or participating in harassment or violence.

With these responsibilities, you also have three Worker's Rights in the workplace.

• The right to know about the hazards and controls in place at MRU.
• The right to participate in health and safety decisions at MRU.
• The right to refuse dangerous work at MRU.

Health and safety isn't important only at work. What you do at home can affect your work. Breaking bones if you fall off a ladder at home can mean students or your co-workers are affected by your injury or absence. Car accident? That too.

Here are some ways you can promote health and safety in the workplace.

• Lead by example.
• Take responsibility for your own and others' safety in the workplace.
• Participate in workplace hazard assessments, inspections, training and other safety initiatives.
• Report all unsafe acts, conditions and incidents (including close calls) within 24 hours to your direct supervisor and to EH&S via the Injury / Incident Report form.
• Correct hazards immediately if you are trained and it is safe to do so; otherwise report the hazard to EH&S, Facilities Management or Security Services to address.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment when a potential hazardous condition exists.
• Stay clear of contractor work zones.
• Practice good housekeeping and keep your work space clean, tidy and free of hazards.
• Know and understand emergency response and evacuation procedures.
• Ensure you have the appropriate safety training prior to performing hazardous tasks (e.g. WHMIS training when working with or near hazardous materials; fall protection training when working at heights).
• Avoid using handheld communication devices (e.g. cell phones, radios) when operating mobile equipment, vehicles or walking.
• Inspect all tools and equipment prior to use and ensure they are maintained as per manufacturer's specifications, including step stools.
• Ensure you are fit for duty (physically, mentally and emotionally) and are able to safety perform necessary work tasks. This includes being free from the influence of drugs (legal or illegal) and alcohol.

Whether you are a new or current MRU Faculty, Staff or Exempt employee, you can start learning about health and safety by completing the required safety training on D2L. If you cannot access D2L, please contact ehs@mtroyal.ca to be added.

• MRU Safety Orientation
• MRU WHMIS Training 2021

Now that you've completed the safety orientation training, and you know what hazards and controls are, you can review the two hazard assessments that MRU is required to provide you with. Once you've reviewed the hazard assessment, you can ask you supervisor any questions about what's contained in the hazard assessments, and then both of you can sign the document. (Why do we sign hazard assessments? See the end of the respective documents.)

• Position Hazard Assessment Signoff (to be completed annually)
• Psychological Hazard Assessment
• Driving Hazard Assessment
• Respiratory Illnesses Hazard Assessment Signoff (previously the 'COVID Hazard Assessment')

Once you've completed your training and hazard assessment signoff, please record your completion using this Google Form. 

Do you need more training?

If additional training is identified on your Position Hazard Assessment, you are required to complete one or more of the following courses. Please contact ehs@mtroyal.ca for addition to the EH&S Blackboard courses.

• Respiratory Protection (Blackboard course)
• Hearing Conservation (Blackboard course)
• Laboratory Safety or Biosafety Courses (contact labsafety@mtroyal.ca) 

All MRU management are required to complete the following training in addition to the employee training above. Please contact ehs@mtroyal.ca on how to access the Leadersdhip training in D2L.

To record your completed training please use this Google Form.

Mount Royal University is committed to providing, promoting and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment and supporting the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of all Employees. (Read the Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy.)

Harassment and violence are defined as workplace hazards in the current Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Act. The act outlines the responsibilities of employers to help prevent workplace harassment and violence and address incidents when they occur. 

At MRU, employee related harassment and bullying complaints are addressed by the Human Resources Department. (Workplace Violence and Harassment Incident Report Form)

Laboratory safety involves an awareness of the potential hazards and sources of danger that can exist within a laboratory setting.

It is important that employees and students understand the minimum requirements for working safely in a laboratory. Through safe work guidelines, safe work procedures and safety training, employees and students are given the knowledge and skills to recognize and manage lab hazards and mitigate the risks.

Please contact Stuart Elle, Laboratory Safety and University Biosafety Specialist, at labsafety@mtroyal.ca or 403.440.7793 for inquiries about laboratory safety. You can also visit the EHS Lab Safety webpage. 

Lab Safety Training

Access the Laboratory Safety Manual (This is a living document that will be periodically updated. MRU employees are permitted and encouraged to leave comments and questions within this Google Doc. Only accessible with MRU email account.)

Please review your Position Hazard Assessment for additional training requirements and recommendations, or contact the Laboratory Safety and University Biosafety Specialist (labsafety@mtroyal.ca) with questions about your safety training.

Use this Google Form to record your completed lab safety training.

Chemical Inventory

MRU uses Chematix to manage the laboratory chemical inventory. Please contact Dr. David Bird for access to Chematix.

Biological Safety Training

Access the Biosafety Manual (This is a living document that will be periodically updated. MRU employees are permitted and encouraged to leave comments and questions within this Google Doc. Only accessible with MRU email account.)

Biohazardous Waste - Guide to Disposal Methods (View Only Google Sheet)

Canadian Biosafety and Biosecurity Services and Guidelines

• Canadian Biosafety Standard (3rd Edition)
• Canadian Biosafety Handbook (2nd Edition)

Please contact the Laboratory Safety and University Biosafety Specialist at labsafety@mtroyal.ca or 403.440.7793 for inquiries about Materials Transfer Agreements.

Radiation Safety

• Ionizing radiation (i.e. NORMs, sealed sources)
• Non-ionizing radiation (i.e. ultraviolet, infrared)
• Laser radiation (i.e. spectrometry, experimental physics) 

Please contact the Laboratory Safety and University Biosafety Specialist at labsafety@mtroyal.ca or 403.440.7793 for inquiries about radiation safety.

The Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOHSC) is a group of Employer and Employee representatives working to together to identify and solve health and safety issues and concerns across Mount Royal University. JOHSC can make recommendations to President's Executive Council.

Safety Advisory Groups are Faculty/Departments focused groups of Employer and Employee representatives that act as an accessible contact for employees with health and safety concerns, and a two-way conduit for information and concerns between the JOHSC and the Faculty/Departments.

Contact us: EHS@mtroyal.ca | 403.440.6038

Who is my department's Health and Safety representative? 

Our services include, but are not limited to:

Mount Royal University uses third party contractors to provide a wide variety of services to the campus community. Contract work impacts the safety of employees, students, and visitors as well as that of contract workers.

To ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all, contractors must follow MRU safety requirements when working on site. The documents below outline requirements and expectations:

• Safety Program: Third Party Contractors - outlines the requirements and responsibilities to consider when hiring contractors. 
• Contractor Online Safety Orientation - links to the online safety orientation for contractors (Google Chrome works best), review the slides and submit the Contractor Orientation Acknowledgement form. 
• Review the Contractor Environment, Health and Safety Manual.
• Contractor Safety Orientation - Daily Checklist - orientation highlights for contractors to review as part of daily tailgate meetings.
• Emergency Response at MRU - procedures for responding to various types of campus emergencies
• Campus Maps:
  • Smoking and Muster Points
  • Parking Map
  • Building Maps
• Safety Program: Hot Work Management - outlines expectations for performing hot work at MRU.
• How to Access Hot Work Training - outlines how to access hot work training through FM Global.
• Safe Work Procedure: Health & Safety SIgnage - Information and pictograms related to required PPE & hazards within the space.

• COVID-19 Pandemic Guidelines & Procedures
• EH&S Management System Manual
• Fire Drills at Mount Royal
• Safe Work Programs
• Safe Work Procedures
• Safe Work Guidelines
• EH&S Forms
• Alberta OHS Legislation & Resources

• Roxton Disinfectant Wipes (blue buckets)
• Purell Advanced Antiseptic (small hand sanitizer bottles)
• Oxivir TB Disinfectant (electrostatic sprayers)
• Oxivir TB Wipes
• Microsan Encore (wall mounted hand sanitizer)
• Chemfax Handsan Sanitizer (liquid hand sanitizer)
• Forsythe Gel Hand Sanitizer (gel hand sanitizer)
• Ethanol-base Hand Sanitizer (liquid hand sanitizer)