Augusta County Schools

Augusta County Schools

AUGUSTA COUNTY SCHOOLS

HAZARD COMMUNICATION PROGRAM

In order to comply with the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Standard, Hazard Communication, the following written Hazard Communication Program has been developed for Augusta County Schools.

All schools, departments, and offices of the school division shall be covered by the program, which establishes specific requirements and operating procedures for the following areas:

  1. Container Labeling
  2. Hazardous Chemicals Inventory
  3. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
  4. Non-routine Tasks
  5. Notification of Contractors
  6. Inspections
  7. Purchasing Custodial Supplies
  8. Employee Information and Training

The purpose of the Hazard Communication Program is to insure employees are informed of the hazards associated with potentially hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

The Augusta County Schools Maintenance Supervisor shall be responsible for administering the Hazard Communication Program.

The following Augusta County School personnel have been designated as HazardCommunication Coordinators and will be responsible for maintaining the Hazard Communication Program requirements listed hereinafter for areas under their assigned responsibility:

Hazard CommunicationArea(s) of Assigned

CoordinatorsResponsibility

  1. Principals / Asst. Principals...... Custodial

Secretarial

Teachers/staff

Athletic, Extracurricular Programs

  1. Food Service Manager...... Cafeterias
  1. Maintenance Supervisor………...... Maintenance Employees

4. Supervisor of Transportation...... Bus Garage

Transportation

  1. Curriculum Supervisors……………………………...Program Area Teachers/Staff
  1. Container Labeling
  2. Hazard Communication Coordinators or their designee (s)

Will verify that all containers received for use will:

  1. be clearly labeled as to the contents
  2. note the appropriate hazard warnings
  3. list the name and address of the manufacturer, importer or responsible party

2. It is the requirement of Augusta County Schools that no container will be released

for use until the above data is verified.

  1. All labels will be legible, in English, and prominently displayed on the container.
  1. The standard does not require a label to be placed on portable containers which are intended for the immediate use of the employee who performs the transfer. However, by labeling the portable container appropriately, the accidental misuse of the material may be prevented.
  1. Hazard Communication Coordinators will insure secondary containers (for example, trigger spray plastic bottles) are properly labeled with the following information:
  1. either an extra copy of the original manufacturer’s label or
  2. a generic label which identifies the hazardous ingredients and appropriate hazard warnings
  1. All in-house labels will be reviewed periodically by the Hazard Communication

Coordinator to insure labels are legible and convey the appropriate hazard warnings for the contents of the containers.

  1. Hazardous Chemicals Inventory
  1. Hazard Communication Coordinators will be responsible for maintaining an inventory of all hazardous chemicals used within areas of their assigned responsibility. The inventory will include the following: (a spreadsheet inventory form is provided as part of this written program)
  1. the name of the chemical
  2. the location of the chemical ( i.e. bldg. room #)
  3. how the chemical is used
  4. average quantity on hand

2. The hazardous Chemical Inventory will be updated whenever necessary to accurately

reflect additions or deletions of hazardous chemicals present in the workplace.

3. A copy of the Hazardous Chemicals Inventory will be filed in the front of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) file binder(s) and serve as an index to the Material Safety

Data Sheet. This will enable employees to easily locate Material Safety Data Sheets

for particular chemicals.

III.Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

  1. Chemical Manufacturers and importers are required to develop Material Safety Data

Sheets (MSDS) for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Manufacturers and distributors are required to send MSDS’s upon written request. Retail businesses are not required to supply MSDS’s.

  1. Augusta County School’s Purchase Order forms shall include a statement which will

require vendors or the place of purchase to forward applicable MSDS with the incoming hazardous chemicals.

  1. The Purchasing Department is responsible for obtaining Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for bid items only (i.e. centrally purchased custodial supplies) and forwarding MSDS’s to appropriate Hazard Communication Coordinators.
  1. Hazard Communication Coordinators are responsible for insuring MSDS’s are obtained and maintained on file for each hazardous chemical in areas of their assigned responsibility.
  1. Material Safety Data Sheets containing the information required by the Hazard Communication Standard will be maintained on file for each chemical listed on the Hazardous Chemicals Inventory.
  1. Material safety Data Sheets must be filed in an area that is readily accessible to employees.
  1. Hazardous chemicals will not be used in the workplace unless a Material Safety Data Sheet for that chemical is on file and available to employees.
  1. MSDS information may be obtained and stored electronically as well as (but not in place of) in a hard copy notebook. Access to MSDS sheets is commonly available from the manufacturer’s website.
  1. Consumer products that are being used above normal consumer usage (for example,

Comet scouring cleanser used by a custodian in conjunction with his/her duties) will require a Material Safety Data Sheet if the chemical is considered hazardous as specified on the applicable MSDS. Consumer chemicals being used as a normal consumer would use them at home would be considered exempt under the Hazard Communication Standard.

IV. Hazardous Non-Routine Tasks

Employees that are required to perform hazardous non-routine tasks will be provided with the following information:

  1. specific chemical hazards
  2. protective safety measures to follow
  3. measures Augusta County Public Schools has taken to lessen the hazards including ventilation, respirators, presence of another employee, and emergency procedures

V.Chemicals in Unlabeled Pipes

In areas where chemicals are transferred through unlabeled pipes, the Hazard

Communication Coordinators will insure that employees who could possibly be exposed

to the chemical(s) receive the following information:

  1. chemicals in the pipes
  2. potential hazards
  3. safety precautions to be taken in case of leak or exposure to the chemical

VI.Informing Contractors

Hazard Communication Coordinators are responsible for insuring that contractors are

provided with the following information if the contractor or contractor’s employees will

be working in areas where hazardous chemicals are located:

a. hazardous chemicals that contracted employees may be exposed to while on the job site

  1. precautions the employees may take to lessen the possibility of exposure by

using appropriate protective measures

  1. location of applicable Material Safety Data Sheets

VII.Inspections

1. Annually, the Hazard Communication Coordinator will be required to submit an inspection checklist to be completed by March 1 and returned to the Maintenance Supervisor.

The Maintenance Supervisor shall maintain completed inspection forms. (An Inspection Checklist is provided at the back of this program)

2. The Maintenance Supervisor will periodically inspect school premises to

insure Hazard Communication Program requirements are being followed as specified

within the written Hazard Communication Program.

VIII.Purchasing Custodial Supplies

  1. Custodial supplies must be purchased through Augusta County Schools Maintenance

Department (central purchase).

  1. Special requests for custodial supplies which are not available through central purchase can be made by contacting the Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds.

IX. Employee Training and Information

1. Hazard Communication Coordinators are responsible for insuring that employees who

may be exposed to hazardous chemicals receive the following Hazard Communication Training and information:

  1. an overview of the requirements in the Hazard Communication Standard
  2. listing (inventory) of hazardous chemicals or chemical substances in the workplace
  3. location and availability of this written Hazard Communication Program
  4. effects of hazardous chemicals
  5. methods and techniques used to determined the presence of hazardous chemicals in the work area
  6. control work practices and personal protective equipment used to lessen or prevent exposure to hazardous chemicals
  7. steps Augusta County Schools has taken to lessen or prevent exposure to hazardous chemicals
  8. emergency and first aid procedures
  9. how to read labels and review Material Safety Data Sheets to obtain appropriate hazard information

2. After receiving training, employees that could potentially be exposed to hazardous

chemicals will sign a Hazard Communication Training Form to verify that they

received the above required information and training.

3. The Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds is responsible for training custodial

employees and maintain completed training forms for custodial and maintenance

personnel.

4. Hazard Communication Coordinators shall maintain completed training forms for each

employee under their area of assigned responsibility. Training forms must be filed

within the Hazard Communication Employee Training File for each department.

5. The following Training materials are provided to assist Hazard Communication Coordinators with Hazard Communication employee training. The training materials

are available through the Augusta County Schools Maintenance Department on a temporary check-out basis.

  1. Hazard Awareness Training Video Tapes – 3 tapes

Tape A – Introduces employees to the Hazard Communication Standard,

Explains its purpose and objectives.

Tape B – Introduces employees to labeling, Material Safety Data Sheets

(MSDS) and explains how they should be used in the workplace.

Tape C – Provides a detailed presentation of specific health and safety hazards

that various levels of commonly used hazardous materials present.

routes of entry, toxicity levels, concentration, dose, and exposure

limits are explained, and their relationship to protective equipment

and first aid procedures.

b. Hazard Communication Training Program (Electronic Version)

-all schools should have a copy of the electronic version of the Augusta County Schools Hazard Communication Program. If not, please request from the Maintenance Supervisor.

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