Policy 3524

Business/Non-Instructional Operations

Hazardous Materials in Schools

Hazardous materials include any substance or mixture of substances posing fire, explosive, reactive, or health hazards including a number of science laboratory chemicals and supplies, common school cleaning materials, spray oven cleaners, cleaning solvents, photo chemicals, soldering flux, some ceramic glazes, oils, and gasoline.

The Superintendent of Schools of his designee shall develop regulations to minimize the use of these materials in the schools, including substituting, when possible, non hazardous materials for hazardous materials and through minimizing amounts of hazardous material used and stored in the schools.  

To the extent hazardous materials are necessary in educational programs or in school building maintenance, the Superintendent of Schools of his designee shall develop regulations and practices on:

1.    identification and labeling of hazardous materials;

2.    use of hazardous materials;

3.    storage of hazardous materials;

4.    transportation of hazardous materials;

5.    disposal of hazardous materials;

6.    maintenance of material safety data sheets in the building Principal's office.

7.    chemical hygiene plans shall be maintained at all schools that have a science laboratory.

8.    training of appropriate staff in procedures and practices enumerated in 1 5 above.  

Procedures must comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to safe and proper use, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous materials.

Legal Reference:       Connecticut General Statutes

Policy adopted:    July 21, 2016    
NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Newtown, Connecticut 

Regulation
Business/Non-Instructional Operations
Hazard Communication Program

Guidelines

It is the intention of the Board of Education to comply fully and in a prudent manner with all occupational safety and health standards/regulations.  Consequently, this program to comply with the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Hazard Communication Standard 29CFR 1910.1200 is implemented and shall be enforced.

This program has been established to provide guidelines for all employees and for the Board of Education to meet the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard. The program applies to any hazardous chemical(s) which is known to be present on the premises to which employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. This written Hazard Communication Program will be available to all employees for review at all times.

Hazardous Chemicals List

The Board of Education has established and will maintain a list of all the hazardous chemicals used on the premises. The Head Custodian and appropriate department heads will be responsible for the maintenance of this list. This list will be made available to the Administration at the schools under their supervision.

Labeling of Hazardous Chemicals

Each container containing a hazardous chemical will be labeled with the identity and the appropriate hazard warning of the contents. In addition, those containers containing hazardous chemical(s) when received from a supplier will also have the name and address of the manufacturer or the responsible party.

It is the responsibility of the Head Custodian and appropriate department heads to assure that the identity and the hazard warnings are placed on all containers that have been transferred form the original drum or container. Also, it is the responsibility of the Head Custodian and appropriate department heads to assure that the identity, hazard warnings, and the name and address of the supplier are on the received/shipped container(s).

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

The MSDS file will contain an MSDS for every hazardous chemical used on the premises. These sheets will be available to employees at all times. The MSDS file for each of the schools will be kept in the school nurse’s office.

When ordering a new hazardous chemical, it is the responsibility of the building Principal to assure an MSDS file is kept up to date.

Employees wishing to gain access to the MSDS file or a copy of MSDS for specific chemical(s) should contact the building Principal.

Information and Training

It is the policy of the Board of Education to provide an information and training program to all employees with the implementation of this program, at the time of a new employee’s initial assignment, and whenever a new hazard is introduced into the working place. This training will be given to all affected employees by an instructor who has attended appropriate training.

This information and training program will include:

1. Requirements of 29CFR 1910.1200.
2. Proper use of hazardous materials.
3. Proper storage of hazardous materials.
4. Proper transportation method for hazardous materials.
5. Proper disposal of hazardous materials.
6. Any operations in employees’ work areas where hazardous chemicals are present.
7. Location and availability of the written hazard communication program, the list of hazardous chemicals and MSDS’s.
8. Means of detecting the presence or release of hazardous chemicals in the work area.
9. Physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the area.
10. Measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards.
11. Explanation of the labeling system and the MSDS.
12. Emergency procedures.
13. Details of the written hazard communication program developed by the employer.

It will be responsibility of the building Principal to implement and maintain the information and training program.
 
Contractor Work

When it is necessary for an outside contractor to perform work in the schools, it shall be the responsibility of the Head Custodian to inform the contractor of the identity of any hazardous chemicals to which the contractor may be exposed. The procedure for informing the contractor will be the following:

1. Making the hazardous chemicals inventory of any designated work area where contract work is being performed available to the contractor and advise the contractor of the labeling system.
2. Making the MSDS’s of the identified hazardous chemicals in a designated work area available to the contractor.
3. Making the contractor aware of the appropriate protective measures taken by school employees in a designated work area.

It is also the responsibility of the Head Custodian to determine if the contractor will be using any hazardous chemicals and if so, to take appropriate actions to assure the protection of the school employees.

Emergency Procedures

In the event a student or staff member in the Newtown Public Schools sustains a toxic ingestion, toxic skin or eye exposure, or inhaled toxic exposure, the following steps shall be taken:

1. Notify immediately the school nurse/building Principal or responsible teacher if building Principal is not in the building.
2. Call the Connecticut Poison Control Center at 1-800-272-3422.
3. Follow the Connecticut Poison Control Center recommendations.
4. Notify parent/guardian.
5. If a chemical spill has occurred and cleaning procedures are needed, then the Connecticut Poison Control Center will be called. The Connecticut Poison Control Center will give appropriate information regarding cleaning procedures or will refer the school to the Department of Environmental Protection or other appropriate agency for cleanup information.

Legal Reference:          Connecticut General Statutes
Regulation approved:    July 21, 2016    
NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Newtown, Connecticut