DEHS: About Us

Environmental Compliance Division

The Environmental Compliance Division manages the University’s environmental protection programs. These responsibilities and programs include assessment of soil contamination, stormwater management, wastewater discharges, groundwater, underground/above-ground storage tanks, air emissions, chemical security, spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC) planning.

Environmental Compliance Website

Environmental Compliance Staff

Storm Water Management

The program is intended to implement the Board of Regents Policy on Sustainability and Energy Efficiency and the Administrative Policy on Environmental Management. These policies and the Administrative Procedure on Storm Water Compliance to meet the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.

Industrial Hygiene Division

The role of the Industrial Hygiene (IH) division is to protect the health and safety of students, staff and the research community at the University of Minnesota.  The IH staff evaluates hazards from the chemical, physical, biological and ergonomic stressors we may be exposed to in classrooms, in the workplace or in laboratories.  We do this through environmental monitoring and analytical methods to determine the extent of worker exposure and then employ engineering and work practices to control the potential health hazards.

Industrial Hygiene Website

Industrial Hygiene Staff

Laboratory & Research Safety Division

The role of the Laboratory and Research Safety program is to influence and facilitate continuous improvement in the area of safety performance in the research community.  We do this by developing management systems, tools, and metrics that drive the integration of safe work practices into normal university operations.

Laboratory & Research Safety Website

Laboratory & Research Safety Staff

Regulated Waste Division

The primary role of the Regulated Waste program is to pick up, transport, process, and dispose of chemical waste generated by the University of Minnesota in a safe, compliant, efficient, and customer-focused manner.

Regulated Waste Website

Regulated Waste Staff

Workplace Safety Division

The Workplace Safety Division is a work unit within the Office of Health, Safety, and Risk Management.  The role of the Workplace Safety Division is to foster a positive safety culture and facilitate continuous improvement in the area of occupational safety and health throughout the University community.  We do this by way of written occupational safety and health programs; safety training and educational opportunities; safety leadership; and integration of safe and healthful work practices into university operations as a normal course of work.

Workplace Safety Division areas of expertise include electrical safety, logout/tagout of energy sources, confined space entry, employee fall protection, hearing conservation, hazard communication, powered industrial trucks, agricultural and pesticide safety, as well as, other occupational safety and health related topics.

Workplace Safety Website

Workplace Safety Staff