• When an employee driving in an MCPS county vehicle is involved in an accident (no matter how minor), the employee must call 911 immediately. In addition, the employee must notify his/her supervisor and contact Risk Management, ERSC, at 301-517-8100. Also refer to MCPS Regulation DIE-RC, MCPS Staff Vehicles.
•  Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) requires employers to maintain records at each work site of occupational injuries and illnesses on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300: Log of Occupational Injuries/Illnesses. A preprinted form, OSHA Form 300A: Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, summarizing recordable occupational injuries and illnesses at your school/facility during the last calendar year will be distributed by February 1 for posting through April 30. Additional information is available at: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/safety/employee.aspx#oshalog  

• Evacuate, isolate the room or immediate area;
• Call 911 if severe, or immediate help is needed;
• Provide first aid, as needed;
• Open windows and turn off HVAC, if safe to do so;
• Contact SSP 240-740-7710; 301-370-2141 or Environmental Services/Indoor Air Quality, Division of Sustainability and Compliance, 240-740-2520 immediately;
• If safe to do so, sequester potentially contaminated materials and occupants in nearby hall or room;
• Implement 'Shelter In Place', if needed;
• Do not attempt to clean the spill. 

*An incidental spill is a spill of a hazardous substance that does not pose a significant safety or health hazard to people in the immediate vicinity or to the employee cleaning it up, and does not have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame.  Incidental spills are limited in quantity, exposure potential, or toxicity and present minor safety or health hazards to people in the immediate work area and those assigned to clean them up.  An incidental spill may be safely cleaned up by employees who have completed MCPS chemical safety training and who understand the hazards of the spilled chemicals and how to safely clean them up.

  ^ Back to Top

 Disposal of Mercury-Containing Fluorescent Lamps and Bulbs 

MCPS has established procedures for disposal of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps and bulbs, including the following:

• Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs
• LCD projector bulbs
• Promethean board bulbs
• Metal halide lights
• Mercury vapor light
• Fluorescent lamps/tubes

Exhausted (burnt-out) fluorescent lamps and bulbs are regulated as hazardous waste due to their mercury content and may not be discarded in the regular trash.  The following regulations apply to mercury-containing lamps and bulbs—40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 760-765; Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.13; 49 CFR Sub-Chapter C, Hazardous Materials (transportation requirement), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulation 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication.

Starting October 1, 2018, CNR Lighting will be handling all lamp recycling requests.  Schools will no longer need to request recycling boxes online.  In order to have lamps picked up, schools must contact CNR at 410-242-4172 (Sara ext.107 or Adrienne ext.115) to schedule a pickup or drop off.  Schools must follow the guidelines below when preparing lamps for shipment:

• Lamps should be separated by type (Linear, U-Tube, CFL, HID, Incandescent)
• Place separated lamps in taped boxes  (Schools can reuse the boxes that lamps came in)
• Place separated Linear or CFL's in boxes or drum (if drum is provided)
• CNR cannot accept crushed lamps unless placed in a sealed 55 gallon drum (if drum is  provided)
• Box ends must be secured with tape. Three inch PVC tape is recommended. CNR will not accept containers for shipment that have lamps exposed or protruding from packaging
• Do not tape lamps together

Schools and facilities may contact their building service supervisor for assistance with any questions.   

 ^ Back to Top

  Lead Paint/Caulk Protocol 

Prior to any renovations or disturbance of caulk or paint in buildings constructed prior to 1978, MCPS will evaluate the caulk for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and/or the paint for lead to be in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Questions regarding the lead paint/caulk protocol may be directed to Environmental Services/IAQ, Division of Sustainability and Compliance, Department of Facilities Management, at 240-740-2520.

 ^ Back to Top

  MOSH Inspections 

If a Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) compliance officer visits an MCPS school or facility, the school or facility must immediately notify Mr. Peter Park, Team Leader, Systemwide Safety Programs, Department of Facilities Management, at 301-370-2141, or via e-mail (Peter_Park@mcpsmd.org) so that he can be present during the MOSH inspection. Additionally, the school or facility should ask the compliance officer if he/she can wait until a Systemwide Safety Programs unit member arrives before conducting the opening conference.

 ^ Back to Top

 Traffic Safety 

For concerns related to traffic safety issues at MCPS schools or facilities, including signage, traffic flow, drop-off areas, student/pedestrian safety, please contact the Department of Transportation, at 240-740-6200.

 ^ Back to Top

 Inflatables 

Inflatables (moon bounces, bounce houses) are permitted at MCPS facilities upon approval by MCPS Systemwide Safety Programs and ERSC. Requirements related to inflatable approval and use are provided below.

At least one month prior to the event date:

Installation and operation requirements for approved inflatables include:

 ^ Back to Top

 Severe Weather 

All MCPS schools and facilities must be prepared to respond rapidly to severe weather conditions, such as strong storms, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. Severe weather can occur at any time of the year, sometimes unexpectedly. The peak activity period for tornadoes is March through early July, according to the National Weather Service; however, tornadoes and earthquakes can occur at any time of the year. The Atlantic hurricane season is from June through November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.

MCPS conducts an "all call" test via the emergency phones on Tuesday mornings. A test message is broadcast on NOAA weather radios on Wednesday mornings between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, unless postponed by a weather alert. In the event of approaching severe weather, MCPS will make every effort to provide a systemwide notification, and the weather service will broadcast an emergency message via the NOAA weather radio. Occasionally, however, the rapid arrival of a storm does not provide the opportunity to give ample advance notice.

All schools and facilities should:

Information about safety measures for hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes is provided below.

• Hurricane Safety Information   
• Tornado Safety Information 
• Tornado Warning Procedures for Buses
• Earthquake Safety Information 

Questions may be directed to the Department of Systemwide Safety and Emergency Management at 240-740-3066.

 ^ Back to Top

 Aerial Work Platforms (Lifts, Scaffolds) 

MCPS must comply with OSHA/MOSH regulations and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards related to aerial work platforms. Several schools have vertical mast lifts (such as Genie lifts) that are used to perform various building services functions, such as changing light bulbs in gymnasiums and auditoriums. Maintenance and materials management personnel use various types of aerial work platforms, including lifts that require specialized training and equipment (such as fall protection training and body harnesses/lanyards for boom and vehicle-mounted lifts). Requirements for aerial work platforms include:

• Only employees with documented training are permitted to operate aerial work platforms.
• All aerial work platforms must be inspected annually by an MCPS-approved vendor (United Rentals).
• Records of employee training and inspections must be maintained by the school.
• Schools may only acquire aerial work platforms from an MCPS-approved vendor (United Rentals).
• Schools may only acquire electric vertical mast-type lifts (30 feet maximum height).
• Schools may not acquire boom or articulated lifts, scissor lifts, vehicle-mounted lifts, trailer-mounted lifts, material lifts, scaffolds, or boom or jib extensions.
• Schools may not acquire multi-person, drive-able, or self-propelled aerial work platforms.
• Aerial work platforms must be equipped and operated with MOSH-compliant guardrails and toeboards at all times.
• Any aerial work platform believed to be damaged or defective may not be used until inspected, repaired (if necessary), and approved for use by an MCPS-approved vendor.
• Aerial work platforms must be inspected at the start of each shift during which they will be used and the inspections must be recorded using the Manlift Pre-Shift Inspection Checklist below.
•  Manlift Pre-Shift Inspection Checklist  

 ^ Back to Top

 

  Drones, Model Aircraft (UAS) 

Recreational operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including model aircraft and drones, is not permitted at MCPS facilities. Additionally, Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) rules prohibit UAS operation in airspace over host school grounds or facilities conducting MPSSAA events.

 ^ Back to Top

 

 Lifting and Transferring Students 

Some students have physical conditions that affect their ability to move themselves and they need to be lifted into and out of adaptive equipment by school staff. Injuries to students and staff can occur if proper lifting procedures are not used. The presentation below provides information about safe and efficient methods for lifting and transferring students. The presentation may be used in conjunction with required hands-on training for employees required to lift or transfer students.

• Supporting Students with Motor Needs (provided by MCPS Physical Disabilities Program)