General Administration AP 160: Health and Safety of Students and Staff

Background

The Division is committed to providing a safe and healthy study and work environment for its students, staff members, volunteers and the general public.

The personal health and safety of each employee of the Division is of primary importance. The Division is committed to a health and safety management system that protects our workers, volunteers, contractors and the general public who enter our property. Work related incidents are preventable and their elimination is integral in achieving excellence in education.

The development and maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment is a shared responsibility. Employees at every level are responsible and accountable for the Division’s health and safety performance. Active participation by everyone, every day, in every job is necessary for the health and safety excellence that the Division expects. The Division believes that a healthy, injury free work place can be achieved by working together.

Safety education is integrated in all areas of Division work and with all disciplines as outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Manual (link).

Definitions

Handling: Preparing and packaging goods for shipment; and/or labeling of dangerous goods; and/or receiving shipments and unpacking goods.

Transportation: Moving the packaged goods from point of shipment to point of reception.

Procedures

1. The Division recognizes the necessity for a planned safety program to ensure a safe environment for all personnel and students. Therefore, the Superintendent or designate will develop and implement a safety program which will include:
   1. Compliance with all provincial and deferral laws, rules, and regulations;
   2. Provisions for safety instruction; school facility safety; safety in transportation and traffic control;
   3. Communications among staff, student, parent, community officials, and the media; and designated safety personnel.
2. Identification of Staff, Volunteers, Contractors and Visitors
   1. The Principal and/or Supervisors will ensure all Volunteers, Contractors, and Visitors sign in and wear a badge on a breakaway lanyard and ID card that identifies them.
   2. The Principal and/or Supervisors may designate that all staff wear a breakaway lanyard with an ID card that identifies them.
   3. Custodial and Maintenance staff do not need a lanyard and ID card if they are wearing the division embossed uniform shirt.
3. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations, all staff members have the responsibility to ensure the health and safety of students, themselves and their colleagues.
   1. All Division administrators and/or Supervisors, staff and contractors shall comply with Occupational Health and Safety legislation.
   2. All Division personnel and contractors shall comply with Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) standards.
   3. All students in laboratory courses shall have a safety training session.
4. Principals and supervisors shall:
   1. Be familiar with WHMIS;
   2. Ensure that the school’s (or department’s) copy of the yellow WHMIS binder is kept current.
   3. Review WHMIS requirements with their staffs each September;
   4. Ensure that yearly Inventories of chemicals are conducted; and
   5. Ensure that Material Safety Data Sheet (M.S.D.S) sheets are current.
5. Appropriate staff shall participate in WHMIS information programs provided by the Division.
6. Principals and supervisors with questions regarding WHMIS are to contact the Head of Human Resources or designate. Other Division staff with questions regarding WHMIS are to contact their Principal or Supervisor.
7. It will be the responsibility of the Head of the Human Resources Department or designate to:
   1. Develop a program of WHMIS education for staff;
   2. Arrange for implementation of WHMIS programs;
   3. Keep all principals and supervisors updated with materials to keep WHMIS binders current; and
   4. Maintain an up-to-date Occupational Health and Safety Manual.
8. Certification in the Transportation and Handling of Dangerous Goods (T.A.H.D.G) shall be a condition of employment for those employees as determined by the Associate Superintendent, Business and Finance.
9. Only certified personnel will handle or transport goods identified as dangerous goods, under specific procedures as developed by the T.A.H.D.G. Committee.
10. Dangerous goods not properly labeled, placarded or documented will not be handled or transported.
11. Each Principal shall develop procedures that prescribe the rules of safe operation of all laboratories within the school. Such procedures shall address:
    1. Safe and secure storage, annual checking, and disposal, where needed, of chemicals;
    2. WHMIS labeling of all chemicals;
    3. Safe and secure storage and use of laboratory equipment;
    4. Safe use of natural gas and security when gas is not in use;
    5. Appropriate teacher supervision of students in all laboratory activities;
    6. The training of staff in the use and maintenance of safety equipment, and the use and hazards of any equipment or chemicals they may use as well as the safety requirements of any procedure or activity they may use;
    7. The training of students in any safety procedures relevant to the work they are doing; and
    8. Any other measures required to ensure the safety of students and staff in any school laboratory.
12. The development and implementation of safety and accident prevention programs is mandatory in order to develop a learning and working environment that promotes health and safety. The Division will:
    1. Provide the education and tools required so all employees are aware of their responsibilities and duties under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Code and Regulations.
    2. Ensure that there is a Joint Workplace Health and Safety Committee with representation from all areas of the Division to review Occupational Health and Safety issues and incidents, and provide recommendations.
13. The provision of instruction and training to students and staff is essential in order to encourage safe working practices and to ensure appropriate response in the event of an accident.
    1. In order to ensure that there are staff members proficient in administering First Aid, the Division encourages staff members to take a standard First Aid course.
    2. Upon approval and the successful completion of a standard First Aid Course, the school/site will reimburse the staff member’s registration fee.
    3. Any staff member covered by worker’s compensation who is injured while carrying out their duties to the Division shall, within 24 to 36  hours, fill out any forms required under Worker’s Compensation.
    4. Any staff member not covered under Worker’s Compensation shall report to their immediate supervisor any injury caused by an accident while carrying out their duties to the Division. The supervisor shall report such accident injury to the Head of the Human Resources Department.
    5. The application of Universal Precautions, meaning the application of strategies for isolation precautions to prevent the spread of blood-borne infections by applying Blood and Body Fluid precautions universally to all persons regardless of their presumed infection status, is mandatory for all staff members.
    6. Universal Precautions in a school setting shall apply to isolation of all moist and potentially infectious body substances (blood, feces, urine, sputum, saliva, wound drainage, and other body fluids) from all persons regardless of their presumed infection status through the use of protective gloves.
    7. Staff members shall put on clean protective gloves just before contact with mucous membranes, non-intact skin and for anticipated contact with moist body substances. Protective gloves are to be removed promptly after use, before handling non-contaminated items or environmental surfaces. Hands are to be washed immediately to avoid transfer of micro-organisms to others or environments.
    8. The Principal or Supervisor shall ensure that an adequate supply of protective gloves is available to all staff members and that all staff members have knowledge of storage locations and easy access to the protective gloves.
    9. Principals and Supervisors shall ensure that procedures are developed for the application of Universal Precautions in the work place and school environment.