Risk Management

UAF Risk Management

The Risk Manager’s goal is to assist and support faculty, staff, and students in identifying and mitigating the risks associated with work at the University and to protect the University from loss.

Insurance Coverage & Claims

The University of Alaska is self-insured for major types of coverage (auto, liability, property, workers’ compensation, etc.) through a pool of funds maintained by the System Office of Risk Services. Throughout the year, claims are paid from the risk pool, which is replenished annually by assessments to each MAU based on various exposure bases (property values, number of employees and vehicles, etc.) and claims history.

For a list of covered and excluded items, click here.

Filing a claim

All claims can now be filed through Origami. Click HERE, then click on the Online Incident Reporting box.

Submit the following documents to the Risk Manager:

Once received, the RM will review for insurance needs based on the agreement and route to SW Risk Services for processing and issuance of the COI.

If insurance is required from your organization or your visiting performer, we will ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) with the following stipulations:

  1. The University of Alaska Fairbanks listed as Certificate Holder
    • Under the Certificate Holder:
      University of Alaska Fairbanks
      C/O UAF Risk Management
      PO Box 758145
      Fairbanks, AK 99775-8145

  2. The University of Alaska shall be listed as Additional Insured in the ‘description of operations’ or as a separate endorsement; whichever is required of your insurer.

  3. The contracting agent's insurance shall be primary and the University of Alaska shall be non-contributory.

  4. The UAF department, UAF group or UAF facility that is being covered through the COI and Contract should be indicated under the ‘description of operations/locations/vehicles’ section.

  5. A Contractual Agreement signed by the organization or performer to support the Certificate of Insurance – this can be the Short Form Contract or the Facility Use Agreement

Student accident insurance coverage is available, upon request, to University of Alaska students by direct application for coverage through the System Office of Risk Services for this type of coverage.

Coverage is only available for University of Alaska programs that are:

  • University scheduled;
  • University sponsored; and
  • University supervised (by UA staff member)

For activities outside of this description see Event Insurance tab.

For claims, fill out the Student Accident Claim Form. It is recommended that you fax related claims documents directly to the carrier rather than mail, as claims MUST be submitted within 20 days of the accident.

For events using UA facilities:

Typically, outside entities utilizing UA facilities are required to carry insurance covering that use whereas affiliated entities using UA facilities are covered by the University's self-insurance or student accident insurance. If your group doesn't already carry liability insurance, this coverage can be purchased, at cost to the user, through the University.

Click here for additional information and purchasing instructions.

Click here for Sports Camps insurance.

If you are not sure which type of insurance is necessary for your event or activity, consult with the Risk Manager.

There are additional insurance requirements for events involving minors. Please consult the Protection of Minors Program page for more information.

Workers’ Compensation is a state-mandated program that provides benefits to employees who suffer injuries or occupational disease in the course and scope of employment.

The University of Alaska is self-insured for Workers’ Compensation benefits and claims are handled in-house by System Office of Risk Services claims adjusters in accordance with Title 23 of the Alaska Statutes and Title 8 in the Alaska Administrative Code.

For a certificate of our worker's compensation self-insured status for disbursement of display, click here.

To begin the claims process or report an unsafe condition, click here.

Driving

Driving University Vehicles or on University Business

The driver must meet the following qualifications:

  • Must have a minimum of 3 years licensed driving experience
  • Be in compliance with licensing and insurance requirements
  • Have not been convicted within the last three years for:
    • Two or more moving violations
    • Two or more at fault accidents
    • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
    • A pattern of moving violations or reckless driving behavior which is demonstrated by the accumulation of more than five points1 against their drivers’ license
  • Must complete Driver’s Safety Training on EHSRM website

For employees under the following circumstances:

  • Driving on UA business is required by the official job description
  • A UA vehicle has been assigned for their use
  • A rental vehicle is being secured using UA funding
  • Where a CDL license is required for UA work
  • Drivers who will be required to drive for a period exceeding 14 (fourteen) consecutive days
  • For long distance travel (greater than 50 miles one way)
  • Drivers who will transport groups, students, minors, and/or other non-UA affiliated persons

Submit the following form annually:

UA-Affiliated Driver Authorization Form for Single Sign-On (SSO)

Prior to completing the UA-Affiliated Driver Authorization form, please have the following documentation prepared: 

  • A photocopy of driver's license- front and back
  • Proof of UAF Driver's Safety Training with a 100% score (a screenshot saved in an uploadable format)
  • DMV records for all states having resided in the last 3 years: these can usually be requested online through DMV website, must include record from state which driver is currently licensed in. 
    • New hires whose background checks contained an MVR records check can get a note of confirmation to upload for their first year in lieu of their DMV records.
    • UA employees can obtain their Alaska DMV records at no cost to the department. Please contact the Risk Manager for the form. 

For employees for whom driving on UA business is only occassionally required and who utilize personal vehicles  in the local area for those tasks:

There are no requirements to complete at this time. However, driving a personal vehicle for business purposes is undertaken at your own risk as UAF does not provide insurance coverage for employees driving their own vehicles. You must maintain private auto insurance on personal vehicles used for business purposes. 

(Note: the policies and guidelines regarding driving are currently being reviewed by the System Office of Risk Services and EHSRM stakeholders, and are subject to change.)

If the driver does not meet the basic qualifications for Authorized Driver status (i.e. less than 3 years of driving experience, etc.) contact Risk Manager.

All cited requirements are in accordance with the UA Transportation Safety Guide and applicable UAF, UA, and BoR policies and regulations.

The student driver must meet the following qualifications:

  • Must have a minimum of 3 years licensed driving experience
  • Be in compliance with licensing and insurance requirements
  • Have not been convicted within the last three years for:
    • Two or more moving violations
    • Two or more at fault accidents
    • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
    • A pattern of moving violations or reckless driving behavior which is demonstrated by the accumulation of more than five points1 against their drivers’ license
  • Must complete Driver’s Safety Training on EHSRM website 

Submit the following documents to the Risk Manager or department designee:

If the driver does not meet the basic qualifications for Authorized Driver status (i.e. less than 3 years of driving experience, etc.) contact Risk Manager.

All cited requirements are in accordance with the UA Transportation Safety Guide and applicable UAF, UA, and BoR policies and regulations.

The volunteer driver must meet the following qualifications:

  • Must have a minimum of 3 years licensed driving experience
  • Be in compliance with licensing and insurance requirements
  • Have not been convicted within the last three years for:
    • Two or more moving violations
    • Two or more at fault accidents
    • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
    • A pattern of moving violations or reckless driving behavior which is demonstrated by the accumulation of more than five points1 against their drivers’ license
  • Must complete Driver’s Safety Training on EHSRM website

Submit the following documents to the Risk Manager:

If the driver does not meet the basic qualifications for Authorized Driver status (i.e. less than 3 years of driving experience, etc.) contact Risk Manager.

All cited requirements are in accordance with the UA Transportation Safety Guide and applicable UAF, UA, and BoR policies and regulations.

The non-affiliated driver must meet the following qualifications:

  • Must have a minimum of 3 years licensed driving experience
  • Be in compliance with licensing and insurance requirements
  • Have not been convicted within the last three years for:
    • Two or more moving violations
    • Two or more at fault accidents
    • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
    • A pattern of moving violations or reckless driving behavior which is demonstrated by the accumulation of more than five points1 against their drivers’ license
  • Must complete Driver’s Safety Training on EHSRM website

Submit the following documents to the Risk Manager:

If the driver does not meet the basic qualifications for Authorized Driver status (i.e. less than 3 years of driving experience, etc.) contact Risk Manager.

All cited requirements are in accordance with the UA Transportation Safety Guide and applicable UAF, UA, and BoR policies and regulations.

This is ONLY for driving GROUPS of minors for UA business purposes in a UA vehicle. It is not acceptable at any time to drive alone in a vehicle with a minor.

The driver must meet all qualifications for the type of driver (i.e. employee, student, volunteer, etc.) they are - listed above.

In addition, must be at least 21 years of age. 

Submit the following documents to the Risk Manager:

Additional documents required depending on status:

If the driver does not meet the basic qualifications for Authorized Driver status (i.e. under 21 years of age,  less than 3 years of driving experience, etc.) contact Risk Manager.

All cited requirements are in accordance with the UA Transportation Safety Guide and applicable UAF, UA, and BoR policies and regulations.

Board of Regents regulation R05.020.060 requires prior approval for "use of boat, snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), motorcycle, private aircraft, or other non-conventional modes of transportation." EHSRM is the designee for this approval. Likewise, UAF Policy 05.04.020 prohibits the use of off-road vehicles on campus unless specifically authorized.

To make this process as easy as possible, please fill out the Modes of Transportation form (PDF) and email it to the UAF Risk Manager with any substantiating documents and proof of training for review and determination of approval.

For use of a privately owned air or watercraft, submit the following completed documents in addition to the Modes of Transportation form, to the UAF Risk Manager for review and routing to SW Risk:

Private Aircraft Agreement (PDF)
Private Watercraft Agreement (PDF)

Travel

For situations and circumstances not covered here, consult Risk Manager at rwhitman@alaska.edu or 907-474-5487.

For field research or other remote travel,  please see the Safety Department's website for training and information

 

International Travel - Staff/Faculty

International Travel Approval Process
All UAF official travel must be approved through Concur. The full process for requesting international travel and recording relevant risk mitigations can be found here.

Assistence and Insurance Coverage
Employees traveling internationally have access to AIG's pretravel planning assistance. Here you have access to immunizations, legal services, medical assistance and evacuation and repatriation information. Go to: AIG (PDF) to see what coverage and assistance you have available to you. 

For more information about Travel insurance coverages carried by UAF, please visit the Statewide Office of Risk Services website. 

Passport copies should be left with your PI or stateside UAF department contact

Register your travel with the STEP (Smart Travel Enrollment Program)

International Travel - Students

For short-term travel:

For study abroad:

Loss Prevention Program

Any university employee may apply for Loss Prevention (LP) projects. LP projects can also be requested by department heads or campus environmental, health, safety, and risk management (EHSRM) staff. LP funding is made available to UAF by Statewide Risk (SW Risk) each fiscal year.

Please note that all loss prevention applications must be submitted by March 15th of each fiscal year. The supporting documentation (invoice and banner screen) must be submitted by May 15th to EHSRM for reimbursement and closure.

Ergonomic loss prevention applications must be accompanied by a written Ergonomic Assessment by Betjamu Graves She can be reached at bjgraves@alaska.edu. The amount available for ergonomic applications is a maximum of $400.

You must submit a complete application to the Risk Manager for it to be processed. This includes a completed and signed application and an ergonomic assessment report which lists your proposed purchase as a reccomendation. All documents will be sent to EHSRM for review/approval. Once approved EHSRM will provide an activity code for departments to reconcile in banner.

See below for information on how to submit a LP application.

Requests for installation of security cameras are due to EHSRM by December 15th due to the time frames associated with ordering and billing of these cameras. When submitting your application, please include a review by UAF Police to ensure that your camera(s) are located in an area that will provide you with the best coverage. Camera request need to be coordinated with many departments including Facilities Services, Design and Construction, OIT, and others which also takes time to manage. LP funding is available to assist departments with purchasing the cameras and not the cost of installation or additional fees.

See below for information on how to submit a LP application.

  1. Review Loss Prevention Guidelines and Information
    Note:Applicants will no longer provide a department specific fund and organization account codes when submitting LP requests. EHSRM will provide applicants a specific activity code, once the LP request is approved by EHSRM and SW Risk to purchase LP items. Applicants can expect longer LP approval periods, but departmental specific funds will not be used to make LP purchases. **LP purchases made prior to EHSRM/SW Risk approval will not be reimbursed, and will be the responsibility of the owning department**

    LP Guidelines and Information (PDF)

  2. Identify the problem and develop a plan to mitigate the risk
    Examples of prior projects include: video surveillance cameras; a sanding unit to reduce slips, trips and falls across campus; portable welding fume hood; key swipe cards to provide safe access; machine guards; hiring CSOs for safety reasons at various campus functions; training for protection of minors issues; and replacement of an art material with a safer option.

  3. Provide supporting evidence for your application
    This can be completed by a risk assessment through risk management or previous incident reports, police reports, Cause of Loss Reports, or any other supporting data available.

  4. Calculate costs and savings that will arise out of the LP project
    In many cases, this will be a rough estimate. However, please do your best to develop and clearly demonstrate direct or indirect costs and savings that could be realized as a result of implementing your proposed LP project. If you are purchasing a piece of equipment, requesting training, buying supplies or other items, please provide a copy of the estimated cost of these items with your application.

  5. Fill out a Loss Prevention funding application.

    Loss Prevention funding application form (PDF)

    You only need to fill out the first page of the application and attached your backup. The scoring portion will be completed by Risk Management.

  6. Get approval signature from your appropriate department head or supervisor.
    This step is to confirm that management can support your plan as well as provide additional funding that may be necessary if the plan exceeds the LP funding limit or matching funding is required.

  7. Submit your application to campus EHSRM office.
    Please e-mail the complete application to rwhitman@alaska.edu. EHSRM will perform the initial review and approval. Once approved by the campus EHSRM office, the application will be forwarded to the System Office of Risk Services (SW Risk) for review and final approval. EHSRM will notify you of approval and provide an activity code to assist with reconciling the purchase in Banner.


    NOTE: ERGONOMIC LP APPLICATIONS WILL GO THROUGH CAROL SHAFFORD PRIOR TO SUBMITTING TO EHSRM.     All ergonomic applications will be funded for a maximum of $400.

  8. If approved,you can implement the project at any time with the accounting codes provided by EHSRM. Once complete you will need to submit a copy of the invoicing for the project. EHSRM will a acquire a banner screen showing that the invoices were paid from UAF Financial Services. Once receipts and banner screens are received, they will be submitted to SW Risk for reimbursement and closure with UAF Financial Services.

Here in the interior of Alaska, snow and ice are part of our daily lives for nearly seven months of the year. Walking around campus can sometimes be challenging especially during the snowy months. There are many reasons why people slip and fall on ice and snow, and all are preventable. With a little planning, caution, and proper footwear, you can remain upright during our sometimes treacherous winter conditions.

Winter slip and fall injuries tend to be UAF’s most frequently reported accident. To help prevent these injuries, and the associated insurance costs, UAF offers traction devices (ice cleats) to all employees, free of charge. These ice cleats slip over existing footwear and are very effective at helping prevent falls on ice and snow.

UAF employees can contact our office at 907-474-5476 / 907-474-6015, or stop by our office location at 825 Alumni Drive, Fairbanks, to procure a free pair of ice cleats. Office hours are 8AM to 5PM. Please call before you come to ensure there is someone in the office to assist you. 

If you are not in Fairbanks

EHSRM can package requested ice cleats and ship them to your location. Please email rwhitman@alaska.edu and be sure to provide the number of pairs needed, sizes , and shipping address and we will get them to you as soon as possible.

If your location requires more pairs them we have in stock, you can apply for loss prevention funding for your location or department.

ice cleats
Take our survey!

We need your assistance to maintain the ice cleat program. If you were issued ice cleats from UAF, please take a moment to complete this short survey.

Ice Cleat Survey

FAQs

Yes

Yes

Yes. Safety awareness from home as well as work is important.

No, ice cleats at this time are available through loss prevention funds at no cost to the recipient.

The ice cleats maybe too big for the shoe you are wearing. Try the cleats on a bulkier shoe or bring the cleats to our office and will fit you with a new pair.

This puts an unnecessary burden on the mail service employees.

It is cheaper for the ice cleats to be sent directly from the distributor to the rural campuses.

Currently UAF employees and students may receive ice cleats at no cost.

We are located at 825 Alumni Drive, which is the building between Facilities Services and the power plant. Be sure to use the West entrance.

Typically the ice cleats come with a spare spike.  If you cannot find the spare, EHSRM maintains spare spikes in their office.

Ice cleats cannot prevent all slips and falls on snow and ice. Ice cleats are not for use indoors. Caution should be taken when moving on any hard surfaces, on ladders, or while driving a vehicle. Ice cleat spikes are sharp and can pierce surfaces and skin. Ice cleats are not to be used for mountaineering and or hiking, in rocky terrain, or when the user may encounter steep up or down slopes. Ice cleats are not intended to be used on high heel footwear.

Quick links

Loss Prevention Form

Emergency Road Kit

Local Road Conditions

AK Driving Tips

Winter vs. All-Season Tires

How to Walk on Ice (PDF)

Winter safety tips (PDF)

UAF/Local Emergency Contacts

Volunteers

18 & Older:

  1. Review the Guidelines on Using Volunteer Services
  2. Provide Information to be Given to UA Volunteers to your volunteer
  3. Fill out a Volunteer Qualification Checklist, then send to the following for approval if required:
    • Dean/Director - always required
    • Risk Management - required if Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 on page 2 of the form are 'yes'
    • Human Resources - if Question 4 on page 2 of the form is 'yes'
  4. Keep a copy of the Volunteer Qualification Checklist on file in hard copy for 3 years, and in electronic format for an additional 4 years.
  5.  Ensure the volunteer completes Title IX training.

Minors:

Contact UAF Protection of Minors Manager at 907-474-6015 or UAF Human Resources 907-474-7000 for information and additional requirements.

This checklist is the initial step to provide the legal worker's compensation coverage that volunteers would be afforded while doing work for the university.

Yes, each volunteer should have an accompanying checklist. If you have 10-20 volunteers with the same answers, doing the same work, with the same UAF supervisor; then you can fill out one checklist and send a list of all the volunteers' names and addresses that go with that checklist.

This is a common mistake. A collaborator is someone who works for another organization or institution, or is self-employed who is working or collaborating with UAF in order for both parties to benefit in some way. Typically guest speakers or key note speakers are not volunteers.

Another example would be a sponsor of a program, who works for another organization, who is volunteering their time on behalf of their company, they are a collaborator.

You do not fill out a volunteer checklist for collaborators.

No, volunteers cannot be supervised by someone they are related to or a cohabiting couple supervising one another. Volunteers must follow the policies that are required of employees with regard to supervision.

The checklist requires that volunteers be under the direct supervision of a university employee. Volunteers should be supervised in order to be sure that they are acting on behalf of the university at all times that they are volunteering for the university. They should be held to the same standard as an employee would be.

In order to be sure that the volunteer is representing the university's interests, direct supervision of their work is required.

No, to have a volunteer drive on behalf of the university you must send in a written request for a waiver.  Contact the risk manager for additional requirements.

Agreements and Contracts

 Guest Speaker or Performer Contract - Google Docs

Event Space Rental Agreement - Google Docs

Contact information

Contact

Becca Whitman
Risk Manager

907-474-5487
rwhitman@alaska.edu