Health and Safety Guide

1 Health and Safety GuideCanadian Centre for Occupational Health and SafetyCanadian Centre for Occupational Health and SafetyNew & Expanded4th Edition SummarySchool employees include teachers, administrative staff, facility management personnel and maintenance employees perform a wide range of tasks, manyof which can cause bodily injuries or illnesses. You canprevent such injuries and illnesses by following safe work practices and using proper protective of some injuries and illnesses are: cuts and amputations from the use of machineequipment in shops and gardening tools bruises and abrasions from plants and trees burns from hot soldering irons, burners, heaters,and hot engines in auto shop electrical shock or electrocution from contact with liveelectrical parts or electric powerlines slips and falls in wet and/or cluttered areas soreness and pain in hands, wrists, shoulders or backas a result of doing repetitive work, working in anawkward posture, applying too much force over andover again, operating vibrating equipment or liftingheavy loads improperly itching, swelling, redness of the skin as a result ofexposure to very hot or very cold weather, or contactwith plants and animals burns and skin disorders as a result of contact withlaboratory chemicals, cleaning solutions, pesticides.

2 Or contact with plants and animals illness as a result of a contact with people withinfectious diseases or contaminated biological wastes allergies as a result of dust inhalation, contact withplants and animals, and insect bits and stingsThis Guide provides ways of working safely to preventthese injuries and Health and Safety behaviours are learned by and youth model what they safe school plans and programs shouldfocus attention on the strengths and experiences ofstudents, teachers, administrators and other IBasic Rules of Safety1. The Law Says .. 22. Elements of On-the-job Safety .. 23. Safety Tips for New Employees .. 44. Safety Tips for Supervisors .. 45. Safety Tips for Teachers .. 5 Section IIMaintaining a High Standard of Safety1. OSH Responsibilities .. 82. Workplace Inspections .. 93. Accident Investigation ..124. First Aid ..14 Section IIIE mergency Preparedness1.

3 Emergencies ..182. Fire Safety ..183. Eyewash Stations ..214. Emergency Showers ..22 Section IVClassroom Safety1. General Safety ..242. Science Rooms ..25 Section VArts and Crafts1. Arts and Crafts Materials ..302. Photography ..33 Section VIIndustrial Technology1. Hand Tool Operations ..362. Drill Presses ..383. Wood Turning Lathes ..404. Band Saws ..425. Circular Saws ..446. Planers ..467. Grinders ..488. Soldering Irons ..509. Gas Welding and Cutting .. 51vSection VIIM aintenance and Custodial Practices1. Office Safety ..562. Ladders ..583. Scaffolds ..624. Powered Boom Platforms ..635. Manual Materials Handling ..646. Lock-out Procedures ..667. Confined Space Entry ..678. Toxic Chemicals ..699. Painting ..7010. Basic Electrical Safety ..7111. Grounds Maintenance ..7312. Waste Disposal ..76 Section VIIIS anitation and Infection Control1. Sanitation ..782. Infection from Blood and Body Fluids.

4 793. Biohazardous Waste ..804. Hand washing for infection control ..81 Section IXSports and Activities1. Playground Safety ..842. Sports and Sporting Activities ..883. Off-Site Activities ..90 Section XWork Environment1. Indoor Air Quality ..922. Noise ..943. Ventilation ..954. Lighting ..965. Working in Hot Environments ..986. Working in Cold Environments ..1027. Portable Classrooms ..1068. Asbestos Management ..1119. Ultraviolet Rays ..11310. Electromagnetic Radiation ..115 Section XIWorkplace and School Violence1. What is violence? ..1182. Workplace or School Violence Prevention Policy ..1203. Working with Young People ..1224. Prevention of Harassment, Bullyingand Mobbing ..1245. Internet harassment ..128viSection XIIE rgonomics1. Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMIs) ..1322. Computer Workstations ..1343. Working in a Sitting Position ..1364. Chair and Work Surface Adjustment.

5 1395. Workstation Exercises ..142 Section XIIIP ersonal Protective Equipment1. General Guidelines ..1462. Safety Glasses ..1483. Safety Footwear ..1504. Safety Headwear ..1515. Hearing Protection ..1536. Hand Protection ..1557. Respirators ..156 Section XIVH ealth and Safety Legislation1. Legislative Responsibilities in Schools ..1602. Canadian OH&S Legislation ..1623. Workplace Hazardous Materials InformationSystem (WHMIS) ..1704. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) ..1725. Public Health Promotion Legislation ..1736. Fire Code ..1737. Building Code ..1748. Environmental Protection Legislation ..1749. US OH&S Legislation ..175 Section XVInformation Sources1. Canadian Government Departments withResponsibility for OH&S ..1802. US Federal Safety and Health Agencies .. 186vii1. General Safety Inspect the general condition of the classrooms and thebuilding facilities at the beginning of the school term, and at least monthly thereafter.

6 You may use the followingchecklist as a guideline. Add or delete items of inspection as required. Sample School Date4 Satisfactory 7 Unsatisfactory, requires attention ITEM INSPECT FOR ..o OSH legislation Posted (as required)o Floors Clean, dry, uncluttered, non-skid o Ceilings, walls, windows Clean, dry, dust/mould-freeo Furniture Good general conditiono Stairways Tidy, uncluttered, well illuminatedo Exits and signs Visibility, illuminationo Ladders Proper type, condition, access,o Illumination Intensity, glareo Temperature Thermal comfort of occupantso Ventilation Condition of ducts, odours, noiseo Fire extinguisher Proper type, location, inspection/ maintenanceo Waste disposal Waste disposal containers, recycling containerso Clean-up routine Established responsibilities, frequencyo Electrical equipment Power outlets, extension cords, portable electrical equipmento First aid procedure(s)

7 Posted, first aid box accessible, staff adequately trained o Emergency procedures Posted, clear, staff trainedo WHMIS Labels, MSDS/SDS, training providedo Safety rules Posted, clear, understood o Hazard warning signs Posted, visibility GENERAL Safety CHECKLIST2411. Grounds MaintenanceGeneral PrecautionsTRAIN your helpers to ensure that they can work safelywith any tools or power equipment, and that theyunderstand the hazards of each and destroy poisonous plants such as poison against insects with insect repellents when periodically during strenuous jobs such as diggingor sawing, especially in hot sure emergency numbers are clearly location of first aid kit and how to use the NOT TOUCH stray or dead animals. Contact an animal control agency for Protective EquipmentWEAR high-cut Safety footwear with steel toes and reinforced eye protection when power tilling, breaking uprocks or concrete, using strong cleaning agents,spraying or approved head protection when working under lowbranches and falling sturdy gloves with vibration absorbing gloves while operatingvibrating gloves made of the appropriate material whenhandling fertilizers and pesticides.

8 WEAR proper sunglasses when in direct sunlight forextended UV a brimmed hat and comfortable clothing thatprovide sun NOT WEAR loose or torn Asbestos Management Asbestos is a well known carcinogen. Exposure to asbestoshas been linked to mesothelioma (a rare type of cancer ofthe pleura-covering of the lungs and the inner surface ofthe chest wall), asbestosis (scarring of the lungs), andother cancers which may appears 10 20 years or moreafter exposure. Identification and removal of asbestoscontaining materials is the best method of eliminating the risk of harmful exposures. In the past, common uses of asbestos included: insulation, fire proofing, sound proofing, ceiling and floor tiles, acoustic spackles, and vinyl asbestos floor tiles; thermal insulation on pipes, boilers, and ceilings, fire protection on structural steel beams; lining of heating and ventilation duct work, window glazing, and adhesives.

9 Asbestos is no longer used in these products but some of the older, installed products may still remain. When contained in stable solid building materials, asbestosis not released into the air and hence, does not pose healthrisk. Renovation work and damage to building materialscan produce dry, crumbly (friable) material capable ofreleasing asbestos fibres in the air. Airborne asbestos fibresenter the lungs with the inhaled air. Specific proceduresand precautions have been developed to prevent the releaseof asbestos fibres in the air. Extreme caution is necessaryto protect children from asbestos US government has adopted the Asbestos HazardEmergency Response Act (AHERA 40 CFR 763) in Canada, guidelines are available from Health Canada,school boards and the government Health and safetydepartments. In consultation with the Health and safetycommittee, each school should establish their own asbestosmanagement plan.

10 The following is a general outline of theactions recommended to control asbestos exposure:1111202. Workplace or School Violence Prevention Policy Every school or workplace should have a violenceprevention policy developed by management in consultationwith employees and other stakeholders. The purpose of thepolicy is to clearly communicate management s commitmentto preventing violence and to provide an overview of yourschool or board s position on to write a violence prevention policy?DEFINE what you mean by violence in precise, clear examples of unacceptable behaviour(verbal and written threats, harassment, physicalintimidation or assault) and working conditions(working late or working alone without acceptablesafeguards).STATE in clear terms your school s view toward violenceand its commitment to the prevention of state the consequences of making threats orcommitting acts of violence.