Campus Chemical Safety and Assurance Project: Ensuring safe, compliant spaces across campus

A new initiative launched this spring, the Campus Chemical and Safety Assurance (CCASA) Project, aims to develop a sustainable framework to provide a safe* environment for Western’s campuses and communities through regular safety inspections.   

University policy POL-U5950.01 Health Safety and Environmental Protection, outlines Western’s commitment to health, safety, and environmental protection by ensuring compliance with existing laws and regulations, assigning responsibilities to departments and individuals, and supporting safe practices through the department of Environmental Health and Safety. 

The project team, a broad-based team comprised of faculty and staff from affected areas, with oversight from the steering committee, will draft a standard and procedure to support the existing policy and ensure ongoing compliance through internal controls, training, monitoring, reporting, and escalation protocols. Members of the project team and steering committee were selected based on their experience and expertise working in and managing spaces on campus that contain chemicals and other hazards. 

The membership of these groups are comprised of deans, professors, department safety coordinators, an operations manager, lab technicians, and staff from Risk, Ethics, Safety and Resilience (RESR) and Facilities Development & Operations (FDO).  

PROJECT GOALS AND SCOPE  

This project aims to: 

• Create a framework to support safe chemical management and campus safety 
• Develop, document, and implement a standardized safety inspection process and timeline through a university policy, standard and procedure that includes defined roles and responsibilities  
• Align with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, as well as university policies, and universal best practices for safety and compliance reporting.  

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT  

Stakeholder collaboration is essential to the success of this project. Feedback from those who manage, work, or teach in departments that contain affected spaces (labs, shops, studios) will be solicited in October 2025. 

Beginning in Winter Quarter 2026, a pilot program to test and solicit user feedback on the new process will be initiated in a small number of identified departments.  Following the completion of the pilot program and any adjustments, it is anticipated that phased implementation will occur in 2026. 

PROJECT TIMELINE 

PROJECT SPONSOR AND TEAM  

This initiative is sponsored by Darin Rasmussen, assistant vice president for Risk, Ethics, Safety, and Resilience (RESR) and is supported by Brad Johnson, provost and executive vice president; and Joyce Lopes, vice president for Business and Financial Affairs.  

The membership of both the steering committee and project team were carefully selected to reflect a broad range of campus perspectives and to ensure the resulting framework is both effective and sustainable.  

Check out the Campus Chemical and Safety Assurance Project Charter for a full list of steering committee and project team members.  

Stay tuned for more updates as the Campus Chemical and Safety Assurance Project moves forward. 

Questions? Contact Samara Aboav at aboavs@wwu.edu. 

*For this project, “safe” and “safety” include chemical safety, hazardous and universal waste management, proper personal protective equipment, electrical safety, fire safety, and hazard communication.