Environmental Health & Safety

Safety Policies

Safety: EHS offers a variety of programs and services to ensure that we all have a safe place to learn, live and work. Contact EHS to request any of the below programs.

1. Training
   • Asbestos Awareness
   • Bloodborne Pathogens
   • Confined Space
   • Defensive Driving 6 hour Insurance and Point Reduction Course
   • Fire Extinguisher
   • Forklift
   • Hazard Communication
   • Hazardous Waste
   • Laboratory Safety
   • Lockout Tagout
   • Personal Protective Equipment
   • Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure
   • Stormwater Management
     
      
    
2. Indoor Air Quality Assessments will be conducted where requested. Facilities is consulted and air monitoring is conducted when appropriate.
   
    
3. Ergonomic Evaluations are completed for employees who report a discomfort that may be attributed to their workstation.
   
    
4. Written Programs have been developed for the following topics:
   • Asbestos Safety Program
   • Chemical Hygiene Plan
   • Confined Space Entry
   • Bloodborne Pathogens
     • Exposure Control Plan
     • Procedures for Reporting Body Fluid
     • Housekeeping Procedures for Bloodborne Pathogens
      
   • Hazard Assesment
   • Hazard Communication Plan
     Indoor Air Quality Plan (PDF)
   • Lockout Tagout
   • Right to Know Brochure (PDF)

Stormwater Compliance

Introduction 

Ramapo College has established a variety of procedures to manage stormwater and protect the water quality in our streams. The College has addressed issues related to the quality of runoff in addition to the quantity. This page provides information about stormwater, describes Ramapo College initiatives and policies and procedures to protect stormwater, and provides links to stormwater resources.

 Ramapo College Stormwater Pamphlet (PDF)
 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is stormwater?
Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn't soak into the ground but runs off into waterways. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and through sloped lawns while picking up a variety of materials on its way. As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports soil, animal waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants. The quality of runoff is affected by a variety of factors and depends on the season, local meteorology, geography and upon activities which lie in the path of the flow.

Some of the effects that uncontrolled stormwater can have are:  

• Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen picked up from soils can promote the overgrowth of algae, deplete oxygen in the waterway and be harmful to other aquatic life.
• Toxic chemicals from automobiles, sediment from construction activities and careless application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers threaten the health of the receiving waterway and can kill fish and other aquatic life.
• Bacteria from animal waste and illicit connections to sewerage systems can make nearby lakes and bays unsafe for wading, swimming and the propagation of edible shellfish.
• According to an inventory conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), half of the impaired waterways are affected by urban/suburban and construction sources of stormwater runoff.

What pollutants are of most concern at Ramapo College?
Ramapo College's stormwater management plan has identified the following pollutants:

• Petroleum products: Runoff from streets and parking lots may contain petroleum products leaking from vehicles.
• Hazardous materials: The campus uses a variety of hazardous materials for teaching, and administrative support activities.
• Pesticides and fertilizer: The campus uses small amounts of pesticides and fertilizers for grounds maintenance activities.
• Sediment: Sediment may be present in runoff from disturbed areas. The most common sources are construction sites and paved surfaces.
• Litter: Litter may come from students, faculty, staff, or visitors. Runoff from precipitation events may cause litter to reach streams.

Where does stormwater in storm drains go? 
Storm drains convey runoff to nearby streams without any treatment whatsoever. None of this water goes through the wastewater treatment plant.

What You Can Do?
Here are some ways that you can contribute to pollution prevention and good housekeeping around campus:

Outdoor activities 

• Take note of nearby storm drains and take precautions to prevent any liquid or loose material from entering them.
• If your activity uses water, divert the runoff to a green or vegetated area.
• Sweep the area and pick up any loose material when your activity is completed, and don't wash anything down the drain.
• Never pour any liquids down outside drains, including beverages, liquid food wastes, grease, wash water or any other seemingly non-harmful liquid - remember these are not natural to our waterways.

Trash Disposal 

Dumpsters are a common source of pollutants, especially if they contain any liquid or semi-liquid wastes. Never place liquids into the regular trash or directly into a Dumpster! Instead, follow these guidelines for disposal of liquid waste:

• Liquids that will not have an adverse effect on the county water treatment plant, such as: liquid food waste, sewage, boiler blow downs, sump pump drainage, should be discharged to drains inside buildings.
• Chemicals and other liquid products that can be toxic should be collected and containerized for proper disposal. Call the Facilities Service Desk at ext. 7660 for a pick up if you have chemical waste products.

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What regulation deals with stormwater?
As result of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Phase II rules published in December 1999, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (Department) has developed the Municipal Stormwater Regulation Program. This program addresses pollutants entering our waters from certain storm drainage systems owned or operated by local, county, state, interstate, or federal government agencies.  USEPA regulations refer to these systems as “municipal separate storm sewer systems” (MS4s). As a result of USEPA’s new Phase II rules, the Department’s Municipal Stormwater Regulation Program has issued New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permits to Public Complexes and highway agencies, as well as municipalities throughout the state. Public Complexes include certain large public colleges, universities, office complexes, prisons and other correctional facilities, hospital complexes and military bases.

What is Ramapo College doing about stormwater?
Ramapo College coordinates stormwater activities with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP). In April of 2004, the College submitted a stormwater permit application to the NJ DEP of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). This plan formalized coordination of stormwater management activities.  The College has established a variety of policies and plans which include stormwater considerations.  In addition, the College has completed the below initiatives.

Ramapo College Initiatives 

Ramapo College Policies and Procedures: 

• Pet Waste (PDF)
• Good Housekeeping (PDF)
• Wildlife Feeding (PDF)
• Illicit Connections (PDF)
• Vehicle Maintenance (PDF)
• Vehicle Fueling (PDF)
• Litter (PDF)
• Improper Disposal of Waste (PDF)
• Recycling Guidelines  (PDF)

Educational Materials: 

• Ramapo College Stormwater Brochure (PDF)
• Groundwater (PDF)
• Nonpoint Source Pollution (PDF)
• Backyard Composting (PDF)
• Using Leaf Compost (PDF)
• What is a watershed (PDF)
• Yard Trimmings Management (PDF)
• Home Composting (PDF)
• Grass Clippings (PDF)
• Worm Composting (PDF)
• Stormwater (PDF)
• EPA: After the Storm (PDF)

Links: 

• NJ DEP: Public Complex Stormwater Regulation 
• Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Program 

Material Safety Data Sheets 

Ramapo College utilizes an online Material Safety Data Sheet / Safety Data Sheet System.  MSDS Online is our vendor and the online databse can be accessed by clicking on this link:  MSDS/SDS Search.

Office of Facilities Management 

Electrical 

 Grounds 

HVAC
 

Taylor Test Kit MSDS's (link to website)  

Locksmith 

• WD 40 (PDF)

Automotive
 

Plumbing 

Storage 

Housekeeping 

 Print Shop 

• Nekoosa Padding Adhesive (PDF)
• Har Padding Compund (PDF)

Contemporary Arts  

• Scenery Shop (PDF file with all MSDSs) 
• Sculpture Studio (PDF file with all MSDSs) 

Sustainability Center 

• D256 (pdf)
• DIN 1 (pdf)
• DIN 7 (pdf)
• DIN 13 (pdf) 

Outside Contractors 

• Cristi Cleaning (pdf) 

External Resource Links:

• NJ Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets 
• Ohio State University MSDS Search (One of the best MSDS databases with over 180,000 MSDSs) 
• Database Sorted by Manufacturer 
• JT Baker Catalog 
• Sigma Aldrich Catalog 
• Fisher Scientific Catalog 

Links and Resources

Campus Emergency Policies and Procedures

http://ww2.ramapo.edu/ehs/index.aspx 

(see disclaimer below)

Federal Agencies

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
http://www.osha.gov 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
http://www.fema.gov 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Spanish
http://www.fema.gov/spanish/index_spa.shtm 

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA )
http://www.nfpa.org/index.asp?cookie_test=1 

Environmental Protections Association
http://www.epa.gov/ 

US Department of Homeland Security
http://www.ready.gov/ 

NJ State Agencies

NJ Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health
http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/ 

NJ Division of Fire Safety
http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dfs/ 

NJ Department of Environmental Protection
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/index.html 

NJ Office of Emergency Management
http://www.state.nj.us/njoem/ 

The best place to get a Material Safety Data Sheet is from the original manufacturer, but the following links may help you as well:

SIRI MSDS Index http://hazard.com/msds/ 

Cornell MSDS Search http://msds.ehs.cornell.edu/ 

JT Baker MSDS Site http://www.jtbaker.com/asp/catalog.asp 

Seton Compliance Resource Center http://www.setonresourcecenter.com/MSDSs/comply1.htm 

MSDS frequently asked Questions http://www.ilpi.com/msds/faq/index.html 

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets (English)
http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/rtkhsfs.htm 

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets (Spanish)
http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/newspanish.htm 

Committees

Below are several campus committees concerned with campus health and safety.

1.  Health and Safety Committee: meets monthly and consists of members of various areas of campus 

•  Safety Committee Charter (PDF)

2.  Accident Review Committee: meets monthly to review all employee work related accidents

3.  Summer Events Inspection Committee: inspects every summer camp at least one time and provides written recommendations to each camp.

The Ramapo College Campus Health and Safety Committee serves as an advisory committee to the Cabinet. The committee is concerned with safety, health and environmental protection. From its meetings, recommendations are made for addressing hazards and improving safety. The committee meets at least once a month to review safety related incidents and concerns. Safety inspections of campus facilities are held on a quarterly basis. Recommendations resulting from employee concerns, incident reviews, and safety inspections are directed to the Cabinet. The goal of the committee is to achieve continuous health and safety performance improvement by fully integrating health and safety philosophy and practices into all campus activities, operations, planning and design.