Health and Safety Policies

Smoking

Florida State College at Jacksonville is committed to providing students, employees, faculty, and visitors a safe, clean, green, and healthy environment. The benefits of a tobacco-free campus include reduced exposure to the health hazards of smoking, improved health of students, employees, and visitors, and decreased maintenance costs. Further, the United States Surgeon General has stated that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Breathing secondhand smoke for even a short time can be harmful and set processes in motion such as cancer, heart disease, and/or respiratory conditions.

Effective March 1, 2013, the College expanded current policies to become a completely tobacco and smoke free environment by prohibiting the use of all tobacco products, including but not limited to electronic cigarette devices, vapor devices, and electronic devices not approved by the FDA for tobacco cessation therapy, on all of its campuses, satellite locations, administrative offices, and offsite facilities, including parking lots. The purpose of this administrative procedure is to define and delineate the actions to be taken and the responsibilities of College employees, students, vendors and contractors, guests, and visitors and members of the public in meeting the spirit, intent, and letter of the Board’s policy. In furtherance of this policy, the College actively promotes smoking cessation assistance and prevention services to students, faculty, and employees who wish to stop using tobacco products. Assistance to students, faculty, and employees to overcome addiction to tobacco products and information regarding cessation programs is available through the various College sponsored programs and community partners. Enforcement of this policy will depend on the cooperation of all faculty, staff, and students not only to comply with this policy but also to encourage others to comply with this policy in order to promote a healthy environment in which to work and learn. It is the responsibility of the College community, including visitors, to observe this policy. All administrators, deans, directors, department chairs, and supervisors will communicate this policy to everyone within their areas of responsibility. This procedure will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to ensure policy compliance.

Health Services

Florida State College at Jacksonville may partner with community health services for event resources as well as awareness of services that are available to students. Students should not rely on these services for all of their healthcare needs and are encouraged to maintain healthcare insurance at their own expense.

Emergencies and First Aid

The Campus Security Office should be contacted in situations requiring the rendering of first aid. In the case of emergencies involving students who have no physician on record, whose physician cannot be contacted, or whose families do not reside in this area, students will be transported to the emergency room of a nearby hospital by private means of transportation of their choice or by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue. Expenses incurred are the responsibility of students.

Reporting Traffic Crashes/Accident Reporting

Any traffic crash occurring on campus should be reported immediately to a security officer. Any traffic crash that occurs while traveling in a college vehicle resulting in injury or death of another, or property damage in any amount, must be immediately reported to campus security as well as local law enforcement for investigation and completion of a traffic crash report. In the event of life threatening situations on campus or while operating a college vehicle, dial 911 and provide the nature of the emergency, the location, and pertinent information that will help prepare responders.

Occupational Education Safety

Students enrolling in associate in science programs are required to supply their own personal protective safety equipment, hand tools and tool belt or box by the third week of class. Personal protective safety equipment shall comply with applicable industry standards and hand tools should be of an industrial grade.

At the beginning of each term, faculty will provide students with shop safety rules and a list of required personal protective safety equipment and hand tool requirements and their approximate costs. Obtaining required equipment and observing prescribed safety rules are mandatory for continued enrollment in industrial education programs.