When 9-1-1 is called on the Seattle campus, UW Police and Seattle Fire Department emergency vehicles will use designated fire lanes to get to the scene of the emergency quickly. It is critical that campus fire lanes are kept clear at all times to avoid emergency responders losing time getting to someone who needs help.
The UW community can help save a life by knowing where automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are located in University buildings before a sudden cardiac arrest occurs. PulsePoint provides a map of AED locations and a free app that allows smartphone users to easily find AEDs at UW locations.
University personnel have the following options for getting rid of hazardous materials and potentially contaminated supplies and equipment.
Note: Not all options are available for all items.
Faculty, staff, students and visitors who may have difficulty exiting during a building evacuation are encouraged to consider these options in advance of spending time at a University location to prepare for building emergencies and evacuations, including fire drills.
Individuals who have a mobility, visual, auditory, or other condition (temporary or permanent) that may make evacuation difficult are encouraged to:
Seattle Fire Department launched an initiative to avoid “false” (preventable) alarms.
Preventable alarms include:
University units and departments that establish hybrid work schedules need to ensure adequate coverage for evacuation wardens in the event of an emergency that requires evacuation. Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) recommends University units and departments train as many evacuation wardens as possible within their work areas to ensure there is at least one warden on site at all times during normal business hours.
Follow the guidance in the Fire Extinguisher Safety Focus Sheet to prepare to use a fire extinguisher safely.
Updated April 10, 2023
EH&S is offering a Low Voltage Electrical Safety training course which is required for University electricians, welders, and other personnel who are assigned to work with (or near) exposed electrical circuits operating at 50 to 600 volts to ground in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 296-24 Part L).
Office privacy pods or booths help meet the need for small, private spaces in larger open areas; however, pods could present a new set of hazards that should be considered prior to installation. Review the Office Privacy Pod Safety Focus Sheet when considering selection and placement.
An unqualified electrical worker may reset a breaker if they are trained to do so, and the cause of the trip was an overloaded circuit. Follow the guidance in the Electrical Safety: Resetting Circuit Breakers Focus Sheet when resetting a circuit breaker.
