Girardot branch certified in Occupational Safety and Health

Thus, on Thursday, March 16, at the Girardot headquarters, in the presence of Director Miguel Ángel Ávila, the Occupational Health and Safety team, and the environmental system representative, the measure was announced.

Therefore, Revista Generación Siglo XXI interviewed Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto, leader of the Occupational Safety and Health System, to talk about this achievement and its implications.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: What is the importance of this certification?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: This certification confirms that UCundinamarca meets all the standards set by ISO 45001:2018, which addresses occupational health and safety in companies. To achieve this, we had to monitor workers' health conditions, conduct medical examinations, report and follow up on workplace accidents, and provide training, among other things.

With this, Girardot is the only campus that complies with all three standards: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001. All of this strengthens both academic and professional aspects, thanks also to the management of our director, Miguel Ángel Ávila, and the coordinator of the entire system, Dr. Olga Perilla Salamanca.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: When did this certification work in the ISO 45001 standard begin?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: We've been working on this process since 2021, encompassing the entire adaptation process, information gathering, and training for the entire team and staff. ICINTEC scheduled a visit on March 16th to monitor and audit all the processes in question and verify compliance with the standard.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: How long is this certification valid for?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: The certification is valid for one year, and after six months they will visit us again to verify compliance with the objectives and everything that was stated in the documents.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: What was the most complex thing to accomplish in this whole certification process?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: The most difficult part of this whole process is raising awareness among the entire educational community. It's a complex organizational culture effort, but it was achieved, and that was evident in their visit.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: How has the Girardot branch dealt with risk and safety situations at work, when they have arisen?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: In this case, the most frequent accidents involve students who, for example, are participating in physical activity and sprain an ankle or get a scrape. When these types of incidents occur, we activate the emergency brigade, which follows a protocol to provide first aid and, if necessary, send the student to a specialist for ambulance transport. So far, we haven't had any serious incidents at the university.

Generation 21st Century Magazine: Finally, what message do you send to the university community regarding this topic?

Juan Nicolás Lugo Prieto: The message we give them is to encourage self-care and raise awareness about workplace safety and health. Life comes first.

More news from the Girardot branch at the News Agency