Workplace Safety Statement (WSS)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to submit a Workplace Safety Statement for Duke Students?

  Maybe. If the Duke Student is ENROLLED, OESO does not need to review a Workplace Safety Statement for their activities. However, during periods when the student is NOT enrolled, a Workplace Safety Statement is needed. This answer applies to Duke Students who are under age 18 as well as those over age 18. 

• Do I need to submit a Workplace Safety Statement for NCSSM Students?

  YES. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) has a mentorship program registered through Duke Youth Protection, and they will register “program staff” for the required youth protection training and background check. However, NCSSM is not aware of the specific project you plan to have a student perform, or the hazards associated with that project. It is the responsibility of the PI (or Responsible Employee) and Direct Supervisor to submit the Workplace Safety Statement for OESO review, and to assure that the minor takes the appropriate safety training.

• Do I need to submit a separate Workplace Safety Statement for each individual visitor?

  No. Each Workplace Safety Statement can cover multiple adults OR multiple minors who will be supervised by the same Direct Supervisor and Principal Investigator (or Responsible Employee) and who will perform the specific set of activities (using the specific types of hazards) that you list on the form. Once a Workplace Safety Statement is approved by OESO, the PI/Responsible employee and the Direct Supervisor, you can use the roster form (Duke.is/wss-roster) to add additional names. The roster addition form can be used multiple times while the Workplace Safety Statement is valid (up to 3 years from the initial date of OESO approval). 

• How often do Workplace Safety Statements need to be renewed?

  The Workplace Safety Statement will need to be renewed at least every three years OR if there is a change in the Principal Investigator (or Responsible Employee) or Direct Supervisor, OR if there is a change in the project that introduces additional hazards.

• Do I need to include all of the chemical(s) that the minor(s) or adult non-employee(s) will use, or only the chemicals that are particularly hazardous?

  For minor(s): Please list all of the chemicals or chemical products the minor(s) will be handling (or could potentially be exposed to). Alternatively, you may upload a GHS Lookup Tool that includes these chemicals, and/or the full chemical inventory for the space(s) in which they will be working.

   

  For adult non-employee(s): Please provide a list of all particularly hazardous substances (PHS) the visitor will be using (or could potentially be exposed to), as well as any other chemicals or chemical products they’ll be handling in quantities over 100 mL at a time. Alternatively, you may upload a GHS Lookup Tool that includes these chemicals, and/or the full chemical inventory for the space(s) in which they will be working.

• How can I check the status of a Workplace Safety Statement that has been submitted?

  After submitting the Workplace Safety Statement, the submitter, the PI/Responsible Employee, and the Direct Supervisor listed on the form will receive an automated email from Kuali Notifications, which will contain a link that allows them to view, acknowledge, or modify the submitted form accordingly.

   

  As per the Minors in Work Areas & Adult Non-Employees in Work Areas policies, Workplace Safety Statement forms should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the arrival of minor(s), or at least two weeks prior to the arrival of adult non-employee(s).

   

  If the form has been pending for longer than these durations, the most likely causes are: 1) The PI/Responsible Employee and/or the Direct Supervisor need(s) to provide their initial acknowledgement of the submitted form within Kuali (they should have received an automated email from “Kuali Notifications”), or 2) The PI/Responsible Employee and/or the Direct Supervisor need(s) to address concerns described in the initial OESO review.

   

  Before contacting OESO, please ensure all necessary personnel have provided the initial acknowledgement and addressed any concerns causing OESO approval to be “pending”. Links to complete the necessary actions are provided in automated emails sent from “Kuali Notifications”.