Health and Safety Plan

Health and Safety Plan

Purpose:

This plan is intended to be an overall plan for insuring the health and safety of staff, students, and visitors to Verve College campuses. Many of the areas covered in this plan are addressed in much more detail as part of procedures maintained by Verve College in the Annual Campus Security Report and School Emergency Planning. This plan is intended to summarize those plans and procedures in a single document readily available to staff, students and visitors. Staff members are expected to be familiar with all policies, procedures, and plans applicable to their positions, and not just this document.

Emergency Assistance:

Verve College makes every effort to provide a safe, crime-free campus for our students. However, in the event a crime does occur, the students should do the following:

Dial 9-1-1 for any POLICE, FIRE, or MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Call quickly! Do not assume someone else has made the call. Try to provide the dispatcher with accurate, detailed information. Stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells you it is okay to hang up.

Call Verve College Administration

Any individual on the Verve College campus who is a victim of, or who observes, any criminal activity, should contact Administration. This will aid in providing timely warning notices to the campus and/or community, when appropriate. Reporting crimes will ensure inclusion in annual crime statistics.

Suspicious or inappropriate activities, conduct which is questionable for criminal activity, or non- emergency safety concerns occurring on-campus, should also be reported to Administration.

Safety Tip:

Students and employees are strongly urged to program into their mobile phones the direct telephone number for Verve College.

Tell a Campus Security Authority

Crimes or suspicious or inappropriate activities may also be reported to Campus Security Authorities, including the following:

 

Oak Brook Campus:
Campus Manager

630-705-9999

Chicago Extension:
Admissions Advisor

312-920-8822

Oak Brook Campus:
Administrative Coordinator

630-705-9999

 

Chicago Extension:
Admissions Advisor

312-920-8822

The primary reason Verve College encourages the reporting of all crimes is to protect the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – of its students, employees, and visitors. Any person who feels unsafe or threatened should be assured of the school’s commitment to provide the actions, assistance, support, and resources needed to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Access to First Aid:

First aid kits are available in the cafeteria/break room and in the nursing lab for use as needed. They are available for student or staff use to treat minor injuries or illnesses.

Hazard Assessment and Reduction:

The Campus Manager will conduct a periodic inspection of each campus to assist in maintaining a campus environment that is safe. The Camps Manager will provide maintain an inspection log to show any findings and what corrective measures were taken.

The property management conducts and annual fire and safety inspection by an inspector from the local police department. The property management shares any findings with Verve College and any findings are corrected. In addition, Verve College conducts its own fire and safety inspection by a Fire Marshall every three years. Any findings with Verve College and any findings are corrected.

Fire Extinguishers – Fire extinguishers are provided throughout each campus. Each fire extinguisher are inspected and tagged on an annual basis by a licensed fire extinguisher technician. Verve College staff and faculty receive training on how to operate a fire extinguisher annually.

Fire Alarms – Verve College campuses have a fire alarm system. The fire alarm systems are tested 2-3 times per year by property management.

Fire Sprinkler System – Verve College campuses are protected by a fire sprinkler system. The testing of the sprinkler system is conducted by property management.

Accident Reporting:

All accidents to a student, staff member, or visitor must be reported to the administrative office. The only exception is for minor injuries that are not expected to require any treatment beyond minor first aid such as a small scratch or cut. Administration will conduct an investigation as necessary.

Staff members shall always be aware that any on the job injury / illness that is a worker compensation case requires that the employee be treated only by a medical provider authorized by the district’s workmen’s compensation policy. Seeking treatment by a non-authorized provider may result in denial of coverage for your claim.

Basic Steps for Conducting an Investigation:

Secure the scene.

  • This is the beginning of your analysis. Your primary goal is to secure the scene as soon as possible in order to prevent further injuries, ensure the well-being of the affected individual, and to protect any critical physical clues from being spoiled.

Collect the facts.

  • Focus on finding the facts about the event. Remember to gather valid information without drawing conclusions or assigning blame. Document your observations. Take photos and check video surveillance if available. Interview employees and witnesses. Review relevant records, such as maintenance, training, policies, procedures, etc.

Develop the sequence of events.

  • Review and accurately arrange the gathered information to determine the order of events. Constructing an accurate timeline may be critical to an effective analysis. Document what happened before, during and after the event. Arrange this information to accurately determine the order of events.

Determine potential causal factors.

  • Every accident / incident is caused by a set of contributing factors. These factors represent the surface or root causes that led to the event. The goal is to identify these by analyzing how or why each consecutive event happened.

Recommend or implement corrective measures.

  • Your recommendations should be relevant and concise.
  • Identify, either independently or as part of a collaborative effort, and describe:
    • The recommended corrective measure(s),
    • who will be responsible for implementation, and
    • the anticipated completion date.
  • Follow up to ensure that:
    • The corrective measures are implemented within the appropriate time frame, and
    • incorporated into the appropriate policy, procedure, or safety program in order to prevent future occurrences.

Communicate the outcomes of the investigation.

  • Train your employees on what changes will be / have been implemented.
  • Share your experience with peers so they, too, may enjoy a safer and more productive work environment

Employee Safety Training:

Verve College conducts annual training and dissemination of information in the following topics:

  • Fire and Safety / Fire Extinguisher Training
  • First Aid
  • Tornadoes Preparedness and Response
  • Workplace Violence
  • Accident Prevention
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention

In addition, all employees have access to the Annual Campus Security Report and the School Emergency Planning. Both documents are updated annually.

Student Safety Training:

Instructors are expected to provide program specific safety training as a component of their curriculum. In all cases, students shall receive task specific safety training before engaging in any hazardous activities. Students shall not operate any equipment or perform any hazardous activity or task for which they have not received the appropriate safety training.

Communicable Disease / Illness Prevention:

Employees – Instructional staff who participate in clinical have to maintain documentation of current immune status for various diseases to comply with clinical facility requirements. Documentation includes but is not limited to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis B, and Tuberculosis. Clinical faculty are also required to maintain professional liability insurance. In accordance with Federal guidelines, employees are required to have their own medical insurance coverage.

Students – Students are not provided health insurance through Verve College and in accordance with Federal guidelines are required to have their own medical insurance coverage. In addition, all of Verve College’s students in the Practical Nursing Program are required to obtain and maintain professional liability insurance.

Vaccinations – students who seek enrollment in the Practical Nurse program must have and maintain documented current immune status for various diseases through vaccination or immune level testing. Documentation includes but is not limited to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis B, and Tuberculosis

Pre-program medical clearance – The Practical Nurse program requires as a pre-requisite to program entry that the student obtain a medical clearance from a health care provider indicating that they are free of communicable diseases and are medically able to function in the role they are seeking to be trained in. Physical exams submitted must be within 1 year. Any exam older than 1 year will not be accepted.

Response to Emergency Incidents:

Verve College maintains a School Emergency Planning binder that addresses actions to be taken by students, staff, administration and crisis management team members in response to an emergency or crisis event occurring on or impacting Verve College campuses. The School Emergency Planning is reviewed and updated at least annually, and amended throughout the year as needed. It contains personal contact information for staff members and safety plans. All staff members, full time and part time, have access to the document and are required to be familiar with the procedures contained in that plan. The School Emergency Planning binder can be found in the reception, resource room, and administrative office of Verve College’s Oak Brook Main Campus. It can also be found in the break room and administrative office of our Chicago Extension.

This section of the “Health and Safety Plan” contains the procedures that are applicable to students and the public who are impacted or aware of an emergency event on campus.

For additional information, please refer to the School Emergency Planning which covers the following topics:

  • Introduction
  • Life Threatening Injuries
  • Non-Life Threatening Injuries
  • Bomb Threat
  • Heat Wave Safety
  • Fire Prevention & Safety
  • Tornado Safety
  • Power Outage Safety
  • Thunderstorm Safety
  • Flu Safety
  • CPR
  • Emotional Health
  • Severe Weather
  • Lockdown Emergency Plan
  • Evacuation Plan
  • Evacuation of Persons with Disabilities
  • Workplace/Campus Violence
  • Additional Resources

Evaluation:

Verve College’s Health and Safety Plan is reviewed and revised annually incorporating input form employees and students.

Availability of Plan:

The Health and Safety Plan is distributed to employees annually. It is also available to students online via Verve College’s website.