About the Safety Office

The Safety Office at the University of Waterloo is dedicated to:

  • Supporting the achievement of the University’s strategic goals through the delivery of effective, efficient, and comprehensive health, safety and environmental program services;
  • Facilitating successful endeavours by all members of the University community by providing advice on establishing the healthiest and safest work and educational environment reasonably attainable; and
  • Ensuring that persons accountable for University operations are fully and properly informed of the legal and regulatory health, safety and environmental compliance risks and requirements, and providing advice to those persons on those risks and requirements, all through a prudent use of resources and at costs reasonably consistent with those incurred by comparable institutions.

The Safety Office has the following functions:

  • Develop and review University of Waterloo's HSE programs.
  • Provide advice and assist departmental health and safety coordinators and committees.
  • Serves as a resource to HSE committees within the University of Waterloo.

Core health, safety and environment program areas include:

  • Health, safety and environment management system
  • Occupational health and safety
  • Health and safety committees
  • Training
  • Hygiene
  • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHIMS) for both students and employees
  • Research and teaching laboratories/studios
  • X-rays, lasers, radiation and biosafety
  • Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) - workers' compensation
  • First-aid, ergonomics and field work
  • Fire, emergency preparedness and emergency response
  • Environment and hazardous waste
  • Public safety and events
  • Personal safety
  • Dangerous and controlled goods transportation

Green office program

green office silver level logo

Learn more about the Green Office Program here.

Territorial acknowledgement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.