Mission and Organization, Center for Environmental Health and Safety

The Center for Environmental Health and Safety (CEHS) was formed in July, 1992 to coordinate all activities associated with environmental regulatory compliance for Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  The Director of the Center reports to the Executive Director of Administration. There is a Safety Oversight Advisory Committee that addresses not only campus-wide issues, but also defines the responsibility between the Center and Plant and Service Operations. The Center has four sections: Environmental Compliance, Laboratory and Hazardous Waste, Occupational Health and Safety and Radiological Safety.

 The Environmental Compliance Section was created to assist the University in the many air permitting requirements related to the University’s Central Steam Plant and other areas falling under the realm of the SIUC Clean Air Act permit.  Water permitting issues relating to EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System are also handled in this section. The wet chemistry lab, assigned to the Center, is included in this section and it assists in compliance with various land and water pollution control activities (i.e. drinking water, lake monitoring).

 The Laboratory and Hazardous Waste Section handles the management and disposal of all biological and chemical materials used in teaching, research and service activities of the University and coordinates laboratory health and safety for the campus.  This section acts on directives from three oversight committees.  The Institutional Biosafety Committee reviews and monitors academic research activities involving biological materials.  The Biological Oversight Advisory Committee acts as general biological oversight for the campus, including compliance with the bloodborne pathogen standard.  The Chemical Oversight Advisory Committee acts as general chemical oversight for the campus, which includes both safe use and disposal of chemicals.

 The Occupational Health and Safety Section has the responsibility of monitoring and providing guidance on the proper training of employees and students in safe procedures appropriate to teaching, research, and service activities of the University.  It is also responsible for monitoring and advising the University with respect to safety requirements for facilities in which students and employees carry out these activities. This section cooperates with other units of the University and the community, both local and regional, in developing and implementing emergency preparedness plans.

 The Radiological Safety Section (RSS) is responsible for the proper management and disposal of all radioactive materials utilized in teaching and research activities for the University. Responsibility of the RSS is accomplished by a safety program and enforcement of all directives of the Radiological Control Committee and provisions and terms of a Non-Medical Radiological Material license issued by the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety.

 Overall, the Center has as its mission to monitor environmental laws emanating from Federal and State governments, to determine their potential impact on the University and on specific units of the University, to advise the University and appropriate units of these impacts and how to best address them, and to monitor the implementation of compliance efforts. The purpose of this mission is to ensure that University employees and students have a safe working environment and that activities carried out by the University do no harm to the environment.