What Kind of Safety News and Tips Does KU-EHS Publish?

Updated

KU-EHS publishes a running "KU-EHS News" feed of seasonal safety tips and preparedness reminders aimed at the KU campus community. Based on the site's own news excerpts, the topics mix national awareness campaigns with practical, everyday hazard advice — from emergency preparedness to workplace housekeeping, electrical safety around water, and amusement park safety. The tips draw on guidance from outside authorities such as FEMA, OSHA, and NFPA, and they are written to help readers "become an environmentally responsible and safe Jayhawk."

What the KU-EHS News feed covers

The KU-EHS News section is the main place these items appear. The site's excerpts show a monthly or seasonal cadence, with each post built around a single safety theme.

Tip / News item Theme Outside source cited
September Safety Tip: National Preparedness Month Emergency preparedness FEMA's Ready Campaign
Special Edition: Safe Workplace Housekeeping Workplace organization and hazard reduction OSHA
August Safety Tip: Electrical Safety Around Water Electrical hazards in/near water (pools, hot tubs, boats, marinas) NFPA and ESFI
July Safety Tip: Top 10 Amusement Park Safety Tips Recreation safety Expert from Ryerson University

A few patterns stand out:

  • Seasonal timing. Tips are tied to the calendar — preparedness in September, water-related electrical safety in summer, amusement parks in July.
  • National campaigns as anchors. Several posts hook onto an established awareness month or campaign (for example, National Preparedness Month) rather than starting from scratch.
  • Authority-backed advice. The content references FEMA, OSHA, NFPA, and ESFI, so the tips reflect recognized safety standards rather than only internal opinion.
  • Everyday applicability. Topics like housekeeping and electrical safety around water are relevant to both campus work and personal life, not just lab or facilities staff.

What the excerpts say about specific topics

National Preparedness Month (September). The post notes that FEMA's Ready Campaign has run since 2004 to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies, and frames the month as a time to "take small steps to make a big difference." The stated theme that year was "Americans Stand Ready."

Safe Workplace Housekeeping. Citing OSHA, the post explains that good housekeeping means a workplace is "kept in an organized, uncluttered, and hazard-free condition," and links that to healthier workers, higher morale, and increased productivity.

Electrical Safety Around Water (August). Written with NFPA and ESFI, this tip flags hazards in swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, on board boats, and around marinas and launch ramps — including electric shock drowning (ESD), which occurs when marina or onboard electrical systems leak current into the water.

Amusement Park Safety (July). A list-style tip ("Top 10") attributed to an expert at Ryerson University, aimed at making a day at the park both fun and safe.

How to use the feed

If you want current safety guidance rather than a one-time read:

  1. Go to the KU-EHS site and open the KU-EHS News section.
  2. Scan the most recent monthly or seasonal tip for the topic that matches your situation (workplace, water, recreation, emergency prep).
  3. Follow the cited source (FEMA, OSHA, NFPA, ESFI) if you need the full standard or campaign materials behind the tip.
  4. Check back monthly, since the feed follows a seasonal schedule.

The site also links to related KU resources — KU Alert, KU Police Department, KU Emergency Management, and the KU EHS emergency contact — plus a way to report a safety concern, unsafe situation, or emergency. Those are separate from the news feed but sit alongside it for anyone who needs to act rather than just read.