Plenary Session for Prevention Assistants
On Monday, November 20, 2023,UM of Montpellier held its plenary meeting for prevention coordinators. This meeting fosters dialogue among prevention stakeholders atUM ofUM strengthens a network that is essential to the effective operation of our prevention program.
At the university, each unit, department, and division has its own prevention coordinator. There are a total of 215 such coordinators reporting to their respective unit directors, including 170 UM staff members UM 45 staff members from partner organizations (CNRS, Inserm, the School of Chemistry, IRD, UPVM, etc.).
An Indispensable Role
From the storage of hazardous materials in the laboratory to the provision of disinfectant supplies, as well as issues related to workstation layout and recurring elevator malfunctions, the responsibilities of occupational safety assistants are varied and depend heavily on the organizations where they are employed. As the primary points of contact for staff members, they also make recommendations to improve working conditions, anticipate potential obstacles and hazards, and provide solutions.
Conversations with Experts
During this plenary session, all 215 employees had the opportunity to listen to and engage in dialogue with a number of experts, including: Valérie Bultel, secretary of the specialized training program on health, safety, and working conditions (F3SCT); Colonel Roland Huon, safety and security advisor atUM Estelle Seidowsky, occupational health physician atUM Ali Caliskan from Asecos, a company specializing in the manufacture of fire-resistant safety cabinets for the storage of flammable products and gas cylinders.
The afternoons were devoted to tours: the Jardin des Plantes with Head Gardener Emmanuel Spicq, and the historic medical building with Caroline Ducourau, Director of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage, and Marie-Angéline Pinail, Curator of Collections.