Student Health & Safety Information

Student Accident / Injury

Full and most current information can be found at: https://hrs.wsu.edu/managers/incident-report/

In accordance with SPPM 2.24.1 (Reporting Accidental Injuries and Work-Related Illnesses), University faculty, staff, volunteers, and students are to promptly report all accidental injuries and work-related illnesses to their supervisor for evaluation and possible investigation.

  • Students must immediately report all classroom injuries to their instructor or supervisor and seek medical treatment, if needed.
  • The instructor/supervisor will complete and submit an Incident Report within 24 hours.
    • NOTE: Major incidents resulting in serious injury (e.g. fracture or amputation), in patient hospitalization or death are to be reported immediately, per SPPM 2.24.1.
  • The Incident Report gets routed to Human Resource Services (HRS).
  • HRS will review and forward a copy of the report to the college’s Dean.
  • For injuries occurring at a clinical agency, that agency’s incident report form may also be required.

Reportable Incidents Consist Of:

  • Injury: Any wound or damage to the body resulting from an instantaneous event. Examples include; cuts, bruises, contusions, chipped teeth, amputations, insect bites, electrocutions, burns sprains, and sprain injuries to muscles, joints, and connective tissues resulting from a slip, trip, or fall.
  • Illness: A condition resulting from chronic exposure to the work and/or academic environment. Examples include: musculoskeletal disorders (e.g. tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome), skin disorders, respiratory conditions, and noise-induced hearing loss.

Supervisor Completes Two Reports:

  1. Online Incident Report – and if any of the following, must also complete #2
    1. The employee receives medical treatment.
    1. The employee is unable to work the next full or subsequent shift(s) as a result of the injury or illness
    1. Events and conditions involving a near miss or minor accident indicate that most likely injury or illness would have been serious.
  2. Supervisor’s Accident Investigation Report

Employee/Witness Completes One Report:

  1. Witness/Injured Person Statement (optional)

Safety

Safety at WSU is regulated by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) through the WSU’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office. A safe and healthy working environment at WSU is to be maintained at all times. It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with safety policies and to follow safe procedures.

Departmental policies and procedures regarding safety are detailed in the WSU Safety Policies and Procedures Manual (SPPM) available at the Office of Procedures, Records, and Forms.

Lab-specific policies and procedures are detailed in the Laboratory Safety Manual located in each lab. Information regarding physical and health hazards, entry routes, permissible exposure limits and precautions or controls for safe use, including emergency first aid procedures, and the name, address and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer or supplier for all chemicals is available on Safety Data Sheets (SDS) located in each individual lab in which the chemicals are used. EHS is also responsible for laboratory and workplace safety, public health and environmental issues, hazardous materials, and wastes (except radioactive materials), and training. All disposals of hazardous chemical wastes must be made through EHS.

All students are advised to register their emergency contact information for the Crisis Communication System (CCS) from their myWSU portal. Providing multiple contact methods will help ensure students receive notifications in a timely manner. Student information will NOT be used for any other purpose.

Washington State University is committed to maintaining a safe environment for its faculty, staff, and students. Safety is the responsibility of every member of the campus community and individuals should know the appropriate actions to take when an emergency arises. As part of this commitment, the University has prepared a Campus Safety Plan for each campus. These plans include a listing of university policies, procedures, statistics, and information relating to campus safety, emergency management, and the health and welfare of the campus community.

Bloodborne Pathogens

Emergency Response

Contact 911 and Campus Security in the event of an emergency.  Campus-specific emergency management details can be found at:

For more information contact the WSU Pullman Office of Emergency Management

Other Student Safety Resources

  • EH&S Fact Sheets
  • WSU’s Environmental Health & Safety
  • Washington Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511 (24/7)
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Spokane Sexual Assault Center: A 24-hour rape crisis line. 509-624-7273 (RAPE)
  • Student Care Network (Spokane and Yakima) – If Faculty or Staff are concerned about a student, please fill out the Student Care Referral Form
  • Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services Benton and Franklin Counties (509) 582-9841 (24-hr crisis line)
Policy TitleStudent Health & Safety Information
Policy Inception Date06/2022
Policy Applicable PartyCollege of Nursing Students
Date of Last Change07/2023
Responsible Party, Level I (to create and review)Center for Student Excellence
Responsible Party, Level II (to approve)CON Faculty
Responsible Party, Level III (to implement)Center for Student Excellence