May 15,2022: New H&S Committee Meeting Minutes
The minutes from the H&S Committee Meeting of March 23 are now available in the Members section. There were pertinent discussions regarding Auto-Scrubber maintenance, room airflow checks, & deep cleaning of area carpets.
Mar 22,2022: New JHSC Meeting Minutes
The minutes from the Joint H&S Committee Meeting of Mar 16th are now available in the Members section. There were announcements pertinent to Caretaking/Maintenance regarding MERV 13 filter installations in Air Handling Units & an Asbestos Awareness Course tentatively planned for the end of May.
Jan 29,2022: New JHSC Meeting Minutes
The minutes from the Joint H&S Committee Meeting of Jan 12th are now available in the Members section. There were discussions pertinent to Caretaking regarding HEPA filtration units, masking, MERV 13 filters in Air Handling Units, & COVID-19 omicron isolation requirements.
Jan 25,2022: New H&S Committee Meeting Minutes
The minutes from the H&S Committee Meeting of Jan 19th are now available in the Members section. There were pertinent discussions regarding the Oxiver disinfecting solution & snow controls for schools with blowing & drifting issues on outdoor staircases.
Dec 11,2021: Safety Footwear Allowance
We are being told by District management that very few Local 520 Members are participating in the Safety Footwear Allowance program. This brings to light a couple of important points:
- There are duties during which you are required to wear safety footwear. As the opportunity has been afforded our Members to attain this PPE at no cost to themselves, if you choose to do these tasks without the required PPE, the Union will have a severely limited ability to defend your choices if you are injured.
- This is an Alberta Government funded OH&S initiative that we fought hard to attain & get increased. If it is underutilized, the government could choose to reduce or eliminate the funding, in which case it would be excessively difficult to get the program re-funded.
Please participate in this program each year.
If you do not need new daily work boots, you can use the funds to purchase winter or rubber boots, provided they are CSA approved safety footwear (as indicated by the “green triangle” CSA label).
If your voucher has expired, please contact your supervisor to attain an updated voucher.
The vendor will not accept expired vouchers.
Nov 29:2021: Safety Footwear Vouchers
The current round of District safety footwear vouchers expires tomorrow. Please review the previous News item;
- Oct 16,2021: District Safety Footwear Vouchers – This year’s Safety Footwear Vouchers should be arriving via email shortly or you may have already received them. Evening Cleaners’ vouchers should be in the email of the Caretaker of the sole or first school of their assigned shift. This year, we secured an increase to $100 for Caretaking through the H&S Committee headed by Mi Huynh. Be careful to take note of the “Document Expiry Date” in the bottom left hand corner of the document. The vendor will not accept expired documents. If you inadvertently allow yours to expire, your Supervisor can have a new one issued to you upon your request.
Oct 16,2021: District Safety Footwear Vouchers
This year’s Safety Footwear Vouchers should be arriving via email shortly or you may have already received them. Evening Cleaners’ vouchers should be in the email of the Caretaker of the sole or first school of their assigned shift.
This year, we secured an increase to $100 for Caretaking through the H&S Committee headed by Mi Huynh.
Be careful to take note of the “Document Expiry Date” in the bottom left hand corner of the document. The vendor will not accept expired documents. If you inadvertently allow yours to expire, your Supervisor can have a new one issued to you upon your request.
Oct 07,2021: New H&S Committee Meeting Minutes
The minutes from the H&S Committee Meeting of Sept 29th are now available in the Members section. We have secured an increase to our yearly work boot allowance as well as other recent items.
Jun 03,2021: Health & Safety Meeting Minutes
See the Members section for the minutes from the latest Health & Safety Committee Meeting. There are 2 new items of particular ongoing interest:
- Reusable Rubber Gloves: Concern about new gloves tearing easily and powder
inside that is itchy.
Supply challenges with the regular product and
Caretaking is sourcing out replacements. Reach out to
your Caretaking Supervisor regarding any concerns you
have with the current product.
- Use of Bleach for Cleaning: Concern about clothes getting stain by the bleach.
Similar supply challenges noted above, Caretaking will
source out aprons on as requested basis so please contact
your Caretaking Supervisor if you would like a
replacement apron or new one.
Apr 22,2021: Caretaking Staff Accessing Their School Roof
A question has come up regarding the regular need to Caretaking Staff to access the roof on school sites.
Internal ladders that are actually constructed into the building are different from extension ladders. The use of extension ladders requires 2 workers to ensure the ladder doesn’t slip or fall. Obviously, that is not an issue with a ladder that is secured to the building structurally.
As you go up or down the structurally secured ladder, each movement requires you to have only one hand on the ladder. Having to open the hatch to access the roof is no different.
Once you are on the roof, be aware that you shouldn’t go any closer than 2M (6 feet) from the edge. This is in case you lose your footing & stumble…to give you some leeway for the unexpected. You also should never be on the roof when it is snow covered or windy. Going up “once a month” is a good rule…but it remains weather dependent. Once a week “weather permitting” often turns into “only once this month”.
You should always inform the school office when you are going onto the roof, give an estimate on how much time you will be up there, & report back when you come down, in case you get into distress while you are on the roof. Always take your cell phone up to the roof with you in case you need to call for help. Always take the “worker down” distress alarm lanyard regardless of whether or not you have a cell phone.
Jan 19,2021: Health & Safety Meetings
Effective today, you can view the up-to-date agenda & minutes of CUPE/CCSD H&S Committee meetings, as well as the H&S Committee RMM Reports in the Members section under Health & Safety.
Remember to forward any H&S concerns at your work site to an H&S Committee Member, as directed on our Home Page.
Nov 10,2020: Expired Work Boot Vouchers
We’re hearing that many Members forgot about their work boot vouchers & allowed them to expire last week. If you find yourself in this situation, contact your supervisor about getting a replacement voucher. Remember, there are certain duties that require you to wear certified safety footwear. As the District has provided them to you at their cost, do not make the mistake of choosing to not wear them in the performance of these duties. It is your responsibility to utilize the items that are provided to make your job safer.
Oct 1,2020: Work Boot Voucher
Your yearly CCSD 2020 work boot voucher should have arrived via your District email this week.
Your voucher can ONLY be used for CSA approved safety footwear at the approved vendor. There is a maximum dollar amount (depending on your position’s needs) but you can spend whatever you want to get what you like, as long as you pay the difference. Your voucher EXPIRES NOVEMBER 6, 2020.
There are specific tasks during which you are required to wear your safety footwear. Consider keeping them in your vehicle or at your worksite so that they are available when you need them.
If you did not receive your voucher, contact your supervisor.