The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and each of its associated technical colleges and work units are committed to healthy, safe and secure workplaces and/or educational settings for all employees, students, volunteers, visitors, vendors and contractors. Each technical college or work unit shall develop, review and submit, at least annually to the System Office, those plans and procedures which are essential to respond to matters of natural and man-made hazards; public health; occupational and environmental safety as well as security. These plans and procedures shall be established with the goals of mitigating risk to individuals and physical resources as well as of maintaining compliance with national, state and local regulations. The Commissioner is directed to develop procedures necessary to implement the provisions of this policy.
The following procedures a designated to support efforts in the areas of Emergency Preparedness, Health, Safety and Security:
An Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) is developed to mitigate the damage of potential events that could endanger the ability of a technical college or a work unit to function. An EOP includes measures that provide for the safety of employees, students, volunteers, visitors, vendors and contractors as well as property and facilities. It also includes provisions to assess the severity of an incident and implement steps to eliminate the problem.
A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) ensures the maintenance of critical operations when confronted with adverse events such as natural disasters, technology failures, human errors, or terrorism. The objectives of a BCP plan are to minimize loss to the organization, continue to serve customers, and maintain administrative operations. Each technical college or work unit has an obligation to protect and provide for employees, students, volunteers, visitors, vendors and contractors in the event of a major interruption to the mission or operation. This obligation also extends to those of each operating unit.
An Exposure Control Plan (ECP) is developed by technical colleges and work units to eliminate or minimize exposure to bloodborne and airborne pathogens in recognition of OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030, “Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens” as well as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) “Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Health-Care Facilities, 2005.”
A Hazard Communication Program Plan (HCPP) is established to inform employees and students of the hazardous properties of chemicals with which they work or study, of safe handling procedures and of measures to take to protect employees and students from these chemicals. In addition, an HCPP will inform employees of the contents of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communications Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200 (along with the Georgia Public Employee Hazardous Chemical Protection and Right to Know Act of 1988 O.C.G.A. §45-22-1 to §45-22-12 as well as the Georgia Public Employee Hazardous Chemicals Protection and Right to Know Rules, 300-3-19-01 et seq.)
Several processes are included in the support of security efforts to the TCSG technical colleges and work units. These processes include, but are not limited to, reporting to the U.S. Department of Education regarding the Annual Security Report (ASR) (frequently referred to as the “Clery Report”), maintaining appropriate emergency response notifications with particular processes associated with the safety and security of student housing.