Safety and Emergency Procedures

There are, on rare occasions, situations requiring action to protect persons or property. An emergency is defined as that which presents a clear and immediate danger to persons or the physical environment. In these situations normal procedures and requirements may be abbreviated or suspended so long as full justification and documentation are developed as soon as practicable. In cases when the Purchasing and Accounts Payable Office is unavailable for authorization and coordination, usually outside normal office hours, the Director of Physical Plant, the Director of Public Safety and the Director of Facilities may authorize emergency purchases of goods or services. Full written justification must be provided to support approvals, as applicable, by external agencies. In situations involving physical structures, a presidential certification is necessary to justify suspension of standing purchasing regulations and requirements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to maintain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS's) for all chemical products which contain potentially hazardous components.

The MSDS's, which contain important health and safety and emergency information, must be made readily available to employees.

MSDS's are required for all chemical products which contain potentially hazardous components.

• Examples of products for which MSDS's are required include:
  • laboratory chemicals
  • art supplies
  • cleaning materials
  • paints and varnishes
  • degreasers
  • lubricants
  • welding supplies
  • pesticides
  • adhesives

If an MSDS is requested for a product which is not hazardous under the OSHA regulations, the vendor must state that the product is exempt when declining the MSDS request. The requesting department must requesting MSDS's from vendors at the time of purchase, and forwarding them (or having the vendor send them directly) to the Environmental Health & Safety. Environmental Health & Safety Office will review the MSDS's, retain a copy in a master file, and forward the MSDS to appropriate campus personnel.

SUNY Cortland maintains an inventory of all State and Research Foundation-owned equipment through a University automated system. It is the responsibility of the University to record all additions, deletions, and changes in a timely and accurate manner and this responsibility is delegated to the Property Control Manager within the Business Office. The program requires, however, the ongoing cooperative efforts of Business Office departments for document processing and individual University departments for physical inventory verifications.

See Property Control Office for more information.