Background:

The Board is committed to providing a safe and healthy place for our employees and students to work and learn. The Board will ensure that it establishes and maintains policies and procedures that provide a safe working environment for all employees in accordance with the regulations of WorkSafe BC.

Procedures:

1. All employees have the responsibility to operate in a manner that ensures the health and safety of students, themselves and their colleagues.
   1. Employees and contractors shall comply with health and safety legislation.
   2. Employees and contractors shall comply with Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) standards.
2. Each school shall develop procedures that prescribe the rules of safe operation of all laboratories, technical education, home economics and any other “hands on” course within a school. Such procedures shall include:
   1. Safe and secure storage, annual checking, and disposal, where needed, of chemicals;
   2. WHMIS labelling of all chemicals;
   3. Safe and secure storage and use of laboratory equipment;
   4. Safe and secure use and storage of natural gas;
   5. Appropriate supervision of students in all laboratory activities;
   6. Training employees in the use and maintenance of safety equipment, and the use and hazards of any equipment or chemicals they may use as well as the safety requirements of any procedure or activity they may use;
   7. The training of students in any safety procedures relevant to the work they are doing; and
   8. Any other measures required to ensure the safety of students and staff in any school class
3. The Board will ensure that there are designated first aid attendants at each site in accordance with WorkSafeBC.
4. The Board shall develop and maintain a safety and accident prevention program in order to ensure we maintain a working environment that encourages health, safety and wellness. The provision of instruction and training to students and employees is essential in order to encourage safe working practices and to ensure appropriate response in the event of an accident.
5. Any employee who is injured while carrying out his/her duties shall, within the specified time, fill out any forms required under WorkSafeBC. Any contractor not covered under WorkSafeBC shall report to their immediate supervisor any injury caused by an accident while carrying out their duties to the District. The supervisor shall report such accident injury to the Superintendent.
6. The Board will implement and regularly review the Hearing Conversation Program. The program provides guidelines on noise measurement, record keeping, hearing testing, education and training and hearing protection for employees.
7. Universal Precautions refer to the practice, in medicine, of avoiding contact with patients’ bodily fluids, by means of the wearing of nonporous articles such as medical gloves, goggles and face shields. Employees must apply the concept of universal precautions to all persons regardless of their presumed infection status.
8. When a Principal or site supervisor is made aware that a student, staff member or contractor may be infected with a communicable disease as defined in the Communicable Diseases Regulation, the following action shall be taken:
   1. Arrange for the isolation or return to their home of the student or employee;
   2. Notify the Medical Health Officer as prescribed in the Health Act; and
   3. Notify the Superintendent or designate
9. Employees and students are required to comply with the provisions of the Health Act and the Communicable Diseases Regulation.
10. The Board is committed to the overall well-being of all staff. The wellness and health and safety initiatives are intended to support employees in having a productive, safe and inclusive work environment. The Board supports overall wellness through providing staff with community-based wellness perks, the employee family assistance program and online platforms. West Vancouver Schools will continue to enhance and adapt these initiatives based on the most prevalent needs.

September 2021