CBE Senior High School Science Technician’s

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, March 19

Central Memorial High School

Chairperson: Marilyn McLachlan

Recorder: Scott Jubinville

Present:

Zia Awan / LB Pearson / Marilyn McLachlan / WmAberhart
Colleen Brent / Queen Elizabeth / Rebecca Michaels / SW Churchill
Marzena Curyk / Western Canada / Teresa Michiel / Forest Lawn
Shraddha Dholabhai / JD Diefenbaker / Nasreen Muhammad / Central Memorial
Leigh Edmonds / James Fowler / Maureen Simon / Dr EP Scarlett
Sandeep Gill / Chinook Learning / Cheryl Waye / Crescent Heights
Scott Jubinville / Lord Beaverbrook / Karen Williams / Bowness
Kathy Lepard / Centennial
Tai Leung / Ernest Manning/Juno Beach

Regrets:

Dawn Martin

Mary Horne

Lynda Roberts

Guests:

Marina Clark, CBE Science Specialist

Lori-Jean Schlenker, Senior Safety Coordinator (Senior HS)

Brian Eggleton, Manager, Safety Advisory Services

  1. Meeting called to order at 1:08
  1. Consideration of Agenda

Agenda was accepted as presented by Leigh

  1. Consideration of Minutes

Minutes of the January 31, 2013 meeting were accepted with no changes by Nasreen

  1. Introductions were made.
  1. Policies / Regulations / Safety

Marina Clark – CBE Science Learning Support Specialist

  • The new program for determining risk assessments in the work place, RiskAsses was discussed. Most CBE high schools are using the program in some capacity. An introduction at some schools still needs to be done. Marina will be visiting those schools which still have not started to use the program. At the moment RiskAssess is considered to be a pilot program. There will be a review of the program in May 2013 with the possibility of an official rollout to occur at some date in the future – possibly as early as June, 2013
  • The RiskAssessprogram protects both teachers and lab technicians and fulfills compliance with provincial OH&S regulatory requirement for performance of risk assessments.
  • If it is determined that the program is not acceptable, the CBE will have to find another program to meet OH&S requirement for performing and recording risk assessments.
  • All schools need to determine what constitutes a risk and what equipment, materials, chemicals, etc. need to be entered into the program to determine the risk level.
  • Possible modifications that may be needed at future dates could include: development of a system-wide user system allowing schools to share labs with other schools, a RiskAssess training module for new staff and introduction into junior high schools.
  • There is a database within the program itself that saves labs, but schools may want to track changes in labs performed at their locations over time. Some schools have started saving copies of risk assessed labs in a variety of organizational systems and locations.
  • The number of students in labs is a problem in all schools. There is no way in RiskAssess to address this problem. Lab or class sizes is determined by the school’s administration.
  • For labs that are deemed “high risk” in RiskAssess a third signature is required. Some schools have the LL sign as the third signature. One location has a fellow science teacher sign if the teacher requesting the lab is the department LL. For high risk labs, there is a legal responsibility to inform the principal or school administration of the risk. It is suggested that the principal or assistant principal be the third signature for high risk labs.
  • Brian Eggleton suggested that lab technicians, as a group, need to identify high risk labs and send the information to himself or to Marina Clark for further documentation. For example: the need for dispensing concentrated sulfuric acid for ester labs. Concentrated H2SO4 is listed as “Tch” in RiskAssess, meaning it can only be used by teachers for demonstrations. Students should not be handling this solution.
  • Safety Advisory Services will continue to financially support the RiskAssess service if the pilot program is deemed a success.
  • Most schools are using Risk Assess smoothly with only minor issues that are being addressed by emailing Dr. Crisp. The technicians/schools that have concerns or are having a slow start to rolling out RA, have specific school situations. RA could have been introduced by other means, but this was expeditious. Other mechanisms would also have imperfections and holdouts on RA’s acceptance as well.
  • Lab consent forms need to be filled out each semester by all students in all science courses where labs are conducted. These forms need to be kept on site for one full year and then shipped to Gillian Corbett in records management downtown. It was suggested there should be a standard form for all CBE schools. At the moment, some schools have their own forms.
  • A contact lens form is a separate form

Lori-Jean Schlenker – Safety Coordinator, Senior High Schools

  • High schools have two Site Hazard Assessment Forms on file: an assessment for the school as a whole and a specific Science Department Assessment. Complete forms for each individual school can be found at
  • Individual school science portions of the school as a whole, Work-Site Occupational Hazard Assessment and Control forms were handed out to the science techs in attendance. All schools currently have the same generic science portion of the form. All science techs need to read all the information as it pertains to their responsibilities and sign off on the end. Teachers within the department also need to sign off on the form.
  • Any changes need to be noted: e.g. may need to add education assistants or custodial staff under “Employees Affected”.
  • Once completed and signed by all science teachers, the entire form is to be returned to Lori-Jean.
  • The individual school specific science site hazard assessments are located at this same link. Check whether this is the most current for your school. Send latest updates (eg. Rooms in use, new LL’s, new equipment, new protocols) to Lori-Jean to update the website.

Brian Eggleton - Manager, Safety Advisory Services

The Online Safety Services Site:

  • The system will reduce the amount of paper needed for all forms
  • There will be ways of sending an unsafe work condition report
  • Safe Work Practices are available

The School Information Package:

  • This document will be published and presented to school principals who will in turn present it to their schools. The objective is to have a common understanding across the system.
  • A framework for science – not just senior high but also junior high and middle school
  • There will be a chapter on duty of care; details on specific science hazards and controls, including use of eye wash stations
  • If RiskAssess goes forward it will be in the information package and school administrations aware of it and science personnel subsequently aware

Safety Training:

  • For courses offered, check “Public School Works” under training on the Safety Services Site. The courses available will be expanded in the future
  • Being able to select topics/courses through Public School Works is being received positively by those science technicians that have been able to find the time to investigate them.

Revision of proposed SWP on science risk assessments:

  • Rebecca presented the revisions that had been discussed at the January 31 meeting. (attached)
  1. Due to the length of discussion of the above items, the following were tabled until the next laboratory lab technician meeting scheduled for May 7
  • Keeping current/training: report on upcoming 2013 STAS conference
  • Supplies/Equipment/Chemicals: ester labs, Boyles and Charles’ Laws equipment, and use of potassium chlorate in senior high school science
  • Purchasing: information regarding purchases from non-blanket contract suppliers.
  1. Communications
  • The new eHR is being rolled out on March 22. It will be used by all permanent and casual CBE employees for tracking hours, absences, medical appointments, applying for positions, etc.
  • Self-training on the new eHRis available at:
  • The Science Technician Secondary Schools position at the new Robert Thirsk High School should be posted soon and is expected to start on June 1, 2013.
  • Rebecca Michaels gave a brief presentation on the science lab area at RTHS based on a visit she and Mary Horne had at the new school and discussed recommendations to help the science department at that school before it opens.
  • If you are interested in applying for a posted position, you will need to do so through the new eHR program.
  • Rebecca Michaels and Karen Williams met with Lois Robb regarding the science technician position evaluation
  • Due to personnel changeson the job evaluation committee, the meeting that was to discuss the science technician position description did not occur. At the time of the scheduled meeting there was no manager of Total Rewards. That position has since been filled by Lynell Noel. Lois Robb will inform our group when the Job Evaluation Committee is to meet.
  • Should a ten to twelve month change occur, it would likely not result in science techs having to apply for their current positions.
  • Previously, there could be only a five hour maximum shift in position hours. There is now no maximum or minimum shift, but the employee must be given a two week notice of a change.
  • Both pay and time taken in lieu for overtime hours (over 7 hr. on a given day) are at time and a half, ie. take 1.5 time off in lieu for overtime.
  • Workload and job security were also discussed
  1. Meeting adjourned at 4:15

Next meeting May 7, 2013 Chair: Scott Jubinville

Recorder: Colleen Brent