8405 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM

Valders Area School District

Bylaws & Policies

8405 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM

The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to provide students, employees, and visitors with a safe and healthful environment. To this end, the Board directs the District Administrator to develop a comprehensive program designed to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment on District property and at District-sponsored activities. To achieve this, it is the intent of the Board that the District will avail itself of current, proven technologies in the fields of health, safety, and environmental sciences.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PLAN (IEQ)

In accordance with the District’s recognition of the importance of a safe and healthful environment to the educational atmosphere, the District Administrator shall develop guidelines to provide for IEQ monitoring and maintenance. The plan developed shall be implemented no later than February 2013. The following must be included in the plan the District establishes:

A.	an employee designated to serve as the IEQ Coordinator for the District. Additionally, the District will designate an employee in each of the schools to serve as the IEQ Coordinator for that school

B.	the following strategies shall be delineated by the IEQ Coordinator:

	1.	methods for communicating with parents, students and other employees regarding any IEQ concerns and remediation plans related to such concerns;

	2.	a complaint procedure for IEQ concerns of parents, students, or employees;

	3.	developing a schedule of inspections and routine evaluation of each school buildings' environmental standards consistent with all policies of the District and establish guidelines for remediation of any problems identified in the course of any evaluation or inspection;


	4.	at least annually review the management plan and provide an update to the Board; and

	5.	identify additional Board policies governing IEQ issues for consideration.

C.	provides for training on environmental quality standards for maintenance employees and for the IEQ coordinators and committee members;

D.	develops a schedule of and standards for routine maintenance of District properties, including standards for.

STUDENT, EMPLOYEE, AND VISITOR HEALTH AND SAFETY

The District shall develop and implement an environmental health and safety program that is positive, proactive, integrates responsibilities within the District, and promotes and incorporates the following:

	A.	Procedures describing a hazard identification and abatement program that requires the periodic inspection of District facilities, the implementation of immediate and programmed corrective actions when deemed necessary by such inspections, and the development of a District-wide hazard reporting procedure that enables employee/stakeholder participation. This program should also provide procedures for identifying and responding to hazards that are created by outside entities, inspecting activities of contractors, and inspecting new facilities to determine whether appropriate requirements for environmental health and safety have been met.

	B.	Procedures that promote environmental health and safety awareness among employees, students, and stakeholders. These procedures shall include, but not be limited to, the establishment of school and District safety committees, and the establishment of a program of regular communication with students, employees, and stakeholders about pertinent safety and health issues through available mediums in the District.


	C.	Procedures directed toward the safety and health of students during transportation to and from school, at school, and during participation in school-related activities. These procedures shall include, but not be limited to, promoting bus safety for students, assessing the safety of school traffic patterns, operating school clinics, administering medication and medical treatment, promoting laboratory and shop safety, promoting safety in sports and other outdoor activities, inspecting playground equipment and promoting safety on playgrounds, and assessing environmental exposure.

	D.	Procedures related to District employee health and safety issues that include, but are not limited to, provision of work areas free from recognized hazards and programs that are required by Federal and State law, and defining employer and employee responsibilities and expectations related to health and safety.

	E.	Procedures describing an accident reporting and investigation system that provides for identification of root causes, determination of remedial and programmed corrective actions, and communication about accidents to employees and stakeholders.

	F.	Procedures for foreseeable emergencies and fire prevention.

	G.	Procedures relating to recordkeeping required by State or Federal law.

PHASE-OUT/BANNED PRODUCTS

The District Administrator shall require that any chemicals, insecticides, or other materials that the Federal government is phasing out and/or banning by a certain date be immediately banned from use on Board property.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY – MICROBIAL ABATEMENT

The Board recognizes that excessive moisture levels within the schools can lead to conditions that are optimum for the development of biological contaminants, such as mold, fungi and other microbials on building surfaces. The Board further recognizes that the presence of these contaminants can be harmful on contact with respiratory tissue.

Contributing factors to excessive moisture levels include the following:

	A.	roof leaks

	B.	structural defects in the building

	C.	improperly controlled humidity levels

	D.	faulty HVAC systems

As preventative measures, the District shall do the following:

	A.	address prevention of water intrusion as a priority indoor air quality (IAQ) issue and implement strategies toward its elimination

	B.	maintain environmental conditions in occupied areas that are in compliance with applicable regulations and strive to conform to consensus industry standards

	C.	implement a preventative maintenance program for HVAC systems which shall include, but not be limited to, periodic filter replacement, inspection, cleaning and disinfecting processes, and procedures to eliminate the contribution to indoor air quality problems caused by this equipment

	D.	implement a system for insuring materials used and purchased for use in the construction, furnishing and maintenance, including cleaning of facilities, do not contribute to the health hazards to employees and students by degrading the quality of indoor air. In addition, activities that create indoor air quality health hazards shall not be permitted

In addition, the District Administrator shall develop guidelines for the proper monitoring of the factors that contribute to excessive moisture and for the development of mitigation plan when, and if, problems with IAQ are identified.

DIESEL EXHAUST AND SCHOOL BUS IDLING

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s initiative to reduce pollution that is caused by school buses on school property, the Board will take the recommended steps to reduce the negative effect of diesel exhaust on indoor and outdoor air quality on school campuses. This effort shall include, but not be limited to, reducing bus idling time and reinforcing smart driving practices.

The District Administrator shall develop the administrative guidelines necessary to establish these practices in the District (see AG 8615).

POLLUTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION

In an effort to comply with the environmental policy and applicable regulations, the District shall develop and implement procedures designed to prevent air and water pollution, minimize or eliminate waste streams where possible, and identify possible sources of air and water pollution as required by State and Federal law.

USE OF FREE-FLOWING MERCURY CONTAINING PRODUCTS

The District shall not purchase or use for any reason free-flowing elemental mercury.

The District shall not purchase or use any products containing mercury as those products are defined by applicable State law, unless no reasonable alternative product is available and the product with the lowest mercury content is used. This rule does not apply to products whose purchase is required by Federal law or products whose only mercury content is in a button cell battery.

SEE ALSO THE FOLLOWING RELATED POLICIES:

Policy 7420	Hygienic Management
Policy 7430	Safety Standards
Policy 8410	School Safety and Crisis Intervention
Policy 8420	Emergency Evacuation of Schools
Policy 8431	Preparedness for Toxic Hazards
Policy 8431.01	Asbestos Management
Policy 8442	Reporting Accidents
Policy 8450	Control of Casual-Contact Communicable Diseases
Policy 8453	Direct Contact Communicable Diseases
Policy 8453.01	Control of Blood-Borne Pathogens

101.11, Wis. Stats.
118.07, Wis. Stats.
Chapter 32, Wis. Admin. Code
29 C.F.R. Part 1910

Revised 8/27/12
Revised 12/15/14