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The Bulldog - For the SWOSU Family

Stop Work Authority (SWA) Policy

It is the primary importance of Southwestern Oklahoma State University to maintain a safe and secure work environment against any risk or exposure to personal harm, property damage or adverse effects to the environment.

Management must establish and support clear expectations to exercise SWA, create a culture whereSWA is exercised freely and hold those accountable that chose not to comply with established SWA policies.

As such, it is the duty and the right to everyone employed by SWOSU to exercise a stop work policy whenever any employee, members of the public, or the local environment are at risk.

  1. STOP WORK shall be applied if any situation arises due to an unsafe action or behavior or omission or non-action of any party involved in the operation, and if such situation were permitted to continue, may potentially lead to the occurrence of a hazardous incident.
  2. Any person regardless of position, seniority or discipline has the right and duty to apply the STOP WORK policy in his/her opinion or judgment, such activity is deemed to be a potential incident.
  3. There shall be no blame or fault put on any employee that calls for a STOP WORK order even if, upon investigation, the STOP WORK was deemed unnecessary. The STOP WORK order must be applied in good faith.
  4. Timing is a critical factor. There should not be any delay in calling for a STOP WORK order if the need arises.

No work will resume until all STOP WORK issues and concerns have been adequately addressed with all concerned and a supervisor agrees that it is safe to resume work.