Safety Workshops

In an educational setting, the school district is required to identify the personnel whose job duties expose them to blood and potentially infectious body fluids. These generally include nurses, office managers, custodians, instructional and clerical assistants, coaches, and teachers.

Not every school staff member is occupationally exposed to blood borne pathogens while performing his or her job. However, it is important for everyone in an educational setting to understand the dangers of infection and the safe procedures to minimize risk.

Blood borne pathogen training is offered on an annual basis and is required every year for identified personnel. District nurses provide this training to CUSD employees. All personnel are provided with an annual workshop that includes lecture/discussion and showing of a video. The contents of these trainings include:

• Blood Borne Diseases

• Workplace Transmission through Accidental Injury and Indirect Transmission

• Universal Precautions and Reducing Risk

• Limiting Hazards

• Personal Hygiene including Hand washing

• Protective Equipment including Resuscitation Devices, Gloves, and Glove Removal

• Good Housekeeping Procedures

Scenario

A primary student suddenly becomes ill in class and vomits on the floor of the classroom. Specific procedures must be followed to eliminate the possible hazard of body fluid exposure. The procedures include:

• Teacher keeps students away from potential hazard

• Teacher contacts main office

• Main office removes student to nurses office and contacts lead custodian

• Custodian is responsible for cleaning up all body fluid spills

• Custodian uses protective equipment such as gloves, apron, protective eyewear, etc.

• Custodian removes body fluid from floor

• Custodian sanitizes floor

• Custodian cleans and decontaminates all equipment and environmental working surfaces exposed to body fluids

• Custodian removes gloves and disposes in appropriate biohazard container

• Custodian washes hands with antibacterial soap

Child abuse training is provided for all employees having direct student contact. Child abuse falls into four categories:

Annually all teachers, assistants, and other employees who work with students are provided with updates about reporting suspicion of child abuse to outside agencies. The update includes review of the four child abuse categories and a review of the following three elements:

1. When must a report be filed?

   When within scope of an employee is professional capacity/or employment, they know/or reasonably suspect a child is/or was a victim of abuse. "Reasonable suspicion" means it is objectively reasonable to entertain such a suspicion, based upon the facts that could cause a reasonable person, in a similar position, to suspect abuse. If you have to think the matter over, this is enough to have suspicion and to report it. If in doubt, err on the side of reporting your suspicions as outlined in "B".

2. Employees are expected to follow these steps immediately:
   1. Contact the site administrator;
   2. Contact child abuse hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the following number: 1.800.540.4000;
   3. Contact your local law enforcement agency (i.e. police or sheriff);
   4. Tell child protective services/law enforcement that the other has been contacted;
   5. Make a record of the calls;
   6. Complete suspected child abuse report and mail within 36 hours.
3. It is not sufficient to report the incident to a site administrator. The employee has an independent responsibility to insure that the matter is reported to law enforcement and child protective services.

Scenario

An anonymous phone call is received by the school office that a neighbor overheard a commotion and screams from a house nearby the previous night. The caller claims that a student at the school lives in the house and could be the victim of physical abuse. Office staff informs the caller of the caller's obligation to contact Child Protective Services or the Police Department and report the incident. In addition, the staff person asks for the student's name. The office staff person informs the counselor, teacher, or principal who investigates by interviewing the student and other individuals who are alleged to have information. After the interview, the Mandated Reporter (the office staff person along with the counselor, teacher, principal, or any other employee who has knowledge of the incident) determines if a reasonable suspicion exists. If it does, then the reporting procedures are followed as outlined in "B".