All Hillcrest employees and outside contractors are responsible for complying with the procedures for Hazardous Materials and Waste Management. It is recognized that the obligations and responsibilities associated with the management of hazardous materials are both shared and department specific. The leadership of Hillcrest Educational Centers and of each Hillcrest campus accepts the ultimate responsibility for:
• The effectiveness of the program.
• Annual review and improvement of the program.
• Providing the resources necessary to insure a safe environment of care.

Hillcrest’s Director of Quality Assurance and the Environment of Care Committees at each Hillcrest campus are responsible for the implementation and coordination of this program. The Environment of Care Committees will insure that the hazardous materials and waste program is evaluated annually as to its effectiveness and that adjustments and improvements are made to the program as needed.

The Director of Quality Assurance ensures that each campus conducts hazardous surveillance, that departmental, campus and organization wide hazardous materials procedures are developed and implemented, that orientation and continuing education are conducted, and that each campus Environment of Care Committee attends effectively to hazardous materials/waste issues, including the actions and procedures (e.g., clean up, reporting, investigation) associated with an accidental release of hazardous materials.

Housekeeping, Maintenance and Nursing Department Heads and Supervisors are responsible for the development and implementation of the hazardous materials and waste management procedures in their respective department. They:
• Establish criteria consistent with applicable law and regulation to identify, evaluate, and inventory hazardous materials and waste used or generated.
• Establish and manage the procedures for staff in their department on a material-by-material basis.
• Ensure that all employees who work with or near hazardous substances know the proper procedures in the case of an accidental release.
• Establish and manage the procedures, reporting and investigating any accidental release and/or exposure of a hazardous substance.