General Safety Orientation

This orientation is offered to familiarize you with key safety and accident prevention precautions for your
district. It’s the district’s goal to keep a safe and healthy work environment. The elements of this course
cover a broad spectrum of areas - all designed to prevent accidents and injuries. Taken individually, the
course elements have minimal effect, but as an integrated program, and with the support of employers
at all levels, it can reduce the frequency and severity of job-related injuries.

Employer Responsibilities
The employer is responsible to provide a safe and healthy workplace from recognized hazards.
● Establish, supervise, and enforce safety rules.
● Provide the required safety training to all employees.
● Ensure that personal protective equipment is worn when tasks dictate.
● Conduct an investigation of all accidents, regardless of severity.

The employee is required to know and comply with all safety rules and procedures.
● Immediately report all accidents to your supervisor.
● Identify and report all potential hazards.
● Play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace.
● Use common sense while performing your job and don’t take shortcuts.

Safety Policy
This district is dedicated to providing a safe and healthful work environment for all district personnel. It’s
our goal to reduce the frequency and severity of accidental injuries by providing our employees with
safety information and appropriate safety training as a means of protecting employee welfare.

Safety Rules
Safety Rules are established to reduce the frequency and severity of accidental injuries. All accidents are
preventable. It is your responsibility to follow all safety rules pertaining to your job.
● Please ask your supervisors for specific safety rules that pertain to your job.
● Pertain to using common sense and being aware of the hazards of their environment.
● Failure to follow safety rules could result in disciplinary action.

Accident Reporting - Investigation

An accident is a sudden, unintentional or unplanned event or happening that occurs unexpectedly,
which may or may not cause bodily injury or property damage, but has the potential to do so.
● Report all accidents to your supervisor.
● If you are injured on the job and seek medical attention from a physician, please contact the
appropriate district official and follow the district procedure for accident and injury reporting.

First Aid Requirements

The district will provide first aid training to an appropriate number of employees. Please check with your
site supervisor regarding first aid training.
 ● General first aid guidelines that First Aid Kits will be available for employee use.
● Please check with your site supervisor for the location of your kit.

Safety Committee
The district’s committee is comprised of a cross-section of employees, representing various facets and
functions of the district. The main purpose of the committee is to monitor the effectiveness of safety
policies and procedures. It accomplishes this by:
● Reviewing inspection reports from outside agencies.
● Reviewing accident investigations to ensure corrective action has been taken.
● Investigating any hazards reported to them by employees.
● Providing safety information and safety meeting minutes to be posted on all-district safety
bulletin boards.
● Conducting periodic facility inspections.

Safety and Health Training

Ongoing safety and health education programs will be provided for all employees in an effort to increase
awareness of accident causation factors, to improve morale by demonstrating the district’s concern for
the safety of their employees and to promote acceptance of safety and health regulation by presenting
accident prevention as a positive, desirable, and integral part of all activities.

Emergency Actions
All employees will be provided training on emergency actions during the employee’s safety orientation
or transfer to a new site. The emergency action plans developed for each location will be used as a
training guide. Here are some important points to remember:
● Know your escape route in the event of an emergency (fire, earthquake, etc.). Learn your
emergency evacuation procedures and participate in fire and emergency evacuation drills.
● Know the location of emergency equipment (fire extinguishers, natural disaster kits, etc.).
● Become familiar with the district’s emergency preparedness procedures that address a variety of
emergency situations and the appropriate actions to take.
● Please check with your supervisor for the location of your posted emergency escape route.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All employees whose positions require the use of personal protective equipment will be provided
instruction on the use of that equipment by their supervisor. The instructor will include:
● The requirement for use, care, and maintenance of PPE.
● The issuance of PPE will be provided free of charge to each employee whose job requires its use.
● Performing any job without the use of the required PPE could result in disciplinary action.

Hazard Communications
Hazard communication are a series of safety procedures to ensure that employees are properly informed
of the chemical hazards associated with products used in their work areas. This is known as the worker’s
Right to Understand standards for chemicals in the workplace. In general terms, this standard states that:
 ● Employees will have access to SDS (Safety Data Shee) information for all chemicals used in the
workplace.
● Employees will be trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment associated with
the chemicals they are using.
● Required personal protective equipment will be provided free of charge.

NOTE: Employees are prohibited from bringing household chemicals to work. Please check with your
supervisor before using any consumer-formulated cleaning products at work.

Science Laboratory Safety

Safety in science laboratories is a critical component of the district’s safety plan. Employees working with
hazardous chemicals in laboratories should be informed of all potential hazards and know how to protect
themselves from overexposure to chemicals. Material safety data sheets should be readily available to
employees working in scientific laboratories.

Lock-Out-Tag-Out
Lock-Out and tag-Out requirements are precautions to ensure that machines are isolated from all
potentially hazardous energy sources. Equipment should be locked-out and tagged-out before
employees perform any servicing or maintenance activities where the unexpected energization, start-up,
or release of stored energy could cause injury.
● Affected injuries will be given specific training of the lock-out or tag-out procedures during their
initial job safety training conducted by their site supervisor.
● Each new or transferred employee, or other employees, whose work operations are or may be in
the area, shall be instructed on the lock-out and tag-out procedures.

Hearing Conservation
Hearing conservation focuses on protecting employees from potential hearing loss due to exposure to
high occupational noise levels. The district will identify all areas in which you may work that exceed
designated noise levels. Additionally, the district will take preventative measures to reduce that exposure
depending on noise levels.

Respiratory Protection
Respiratory protection focuses on safety precautions for the proper use of respirators, types of filters, fit
testing, as well as training for employees who may be exposed to airborne toxins during performance of
their jobs. Affected employees will receiver medical screening and specialized training prior to being
required to wear a respirator.

Asbestos Management
Asbestos in schools is regulated by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). AHERA
requires school districts to have a properly accredited asbestos manager, perform inspections of the
schools for asbestos-containing building materials, prepare a management plan, train staff, and provide
asbestos-related notifications to parent and employee organizations.
Fall Protection
Fall-protection standards protect district employees who are required to perform tasks or operations six
feet or more above or lower level. Affected employees will receive specialized training for fall protection.
Following these general guidelines can prevent falls:
● Always use handrails when using stairs.
● Use cautions when walking on surfaces which contain ice, snow, rock, oil, water, or other adverse
or unstable materials or conditions.
● Immediately clean up spills.
● Prevent fall hazards by keeping stairs, walkways, aisles, and walk areas clear of boxes, loose
materials, wires, and other objects,
● Select shoes for comfort and safety that are compatible with your work environment.
● Do not stand or climb on a desk, chair, or other unstable surfaces to reach for an object. Use a
ladder,

Confined Space
A space that is large enough for an employee to enter, or break the plane of entry, has restricted means
or entry or exit, has unfavourable natural ventilation, and is not designed for continuous employee
occupancy, all locations which meet the OSHA definition of a confined space should be identified by your
district and classifies based upon any hazardous conditions they may present.
● Do not enter a confined space or break the place of entry with any part of your body if you are
not trained and have not fully implemented the confined space entry procedure. If you are
ensured as to what constitutes a confined space in your work environment, ask your supervisor.

Bloodborne pathogen Exposure Control

The bloodborne pathogen exposure control plan and bloodborne pathogen training, in general, protect
employees from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) that may contain
bloodborne pathogens. Examples of bloodborne pathogens are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
and hepatitis (HBV).
● Employees considered having occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious
materials will receive training annually.