Health & Safety

Message from your Health and Safety Officer, Rhonda Starr

Health and Safety Message for all Occasional Teachers

General Information:

Complete an accident/incident e-form electronically on the BWW when necessary.  They are found under “self’serve” and then “E-Forms” on the board website.  All incidents of violence directed toward a worker must be reported using this form.

Classroom considerations:

Coverage of wall surfaces in classrooms and exit corridors with combustible materials shall not exceed 20% and must meet the requirement of the Fire Code and the Ontario Fire marshal Guidelines as enforced by the local Fire department.

Please attempt to keep materials on the bulletin boards and not on the walls.  This will help you to comply with the 20% rule.

Storage of boxes when placed on top shelves must have a clearance of 18 inches from the ceiling.

Hanging materials:  

A 2 -metre clothesline span is acceptable, subject to local fire department decisions.  No string or clothesline of combustible posters, artwork or other combustible materials can be hung from one side of a room to the other or against a wall.

Hung materials cannot be placed above any exit or within 2 metres of the exit.

The view of directional signage must not be obstructed.

All materials must be a minimum of 2 metres above the floor, except student art placed on approved art carousels that are placed above grouping of student desks.

These art carousels over desk groupings must be a minimum of 2 metres apart.

How to hang items:

Use main tees to support light weight material.  These are long continuous metal supports not the shorter 4ft long cross supports.

Metal J hooks are to be used that are ordered through the Board’s Purchasing department.

Paper clips, wires, strings, tape or other means may not be used to attach the material to the ceiling grid.

Classroom doors or on the frame and/or adjoining windows:

These areas must be kept free of combustible materials.

One metre of wall or window adjacent to an exit must also be free of combustibles, excluding emergency instruction posters.

Bulletin Boards

Do not use corrugated cardboard, plastic, vinyl or plastic sheeting on bulletin boards.

Do not use fabric materials on bulletin boards.

If paint is used, it must be acrylic latex.

Do not use strings of lights, paper garlands, feather garlands, lace, silk flowers…to decorate boarders or whiteboards.

Acoustic Tiles on walls (Music Room)

They cannot be painted, decorated or covered.

Potted Plants

Can be used if:

a) not more than 10’ in diameter

b) contain only potting soil

c) not suspended over a desk or where people sit

d) must be 2 metres apart

e) do not interfere with fire suppression sprinkler heads

f) if hanging from ceiling, must be attached only to the main support bars not the 4ft cross supports.

Other

Corridors cannot be used for storage.  They are meant for egress, especially during an emergency.

Torn screen windows must be reported to caretaking immediately to prevent wasps/bees from entering into the classroom.

If you are aware of rodents in the building, contact caretaking and notify the Principal.  Do not clean up these areas as there is a Board procedure to follow.

Classroom keys are to be made available to all OTs.

Go to ETFOhealthandsafety.ca for information about workplace illness, injury and accommodations, worker’s rights, responding to violent incidents, heat and indoor air quality.  Check out FAQ, video resources,  violence prevention checklists and work refusal checklists.

Your Health and Safety Designated Inspecting Rep is  Rhonda Starr  health-an-safety@etfo-yr-ot.ca