Feb 10/20: Operations Standing Committee: Student Health and Safety

 

Voting members of OPPS present: Leonard (chair), Watters (ex officio), Whiteaker
Voting members of OPPS absent: Hentze, Paynter
Also present (no vote): Duncan, McNally

Heads up re “Recommended” motions: All motion  on the agendas are “recommended” now, coming to the Standing Committee agenda recommended by whom except the mover / ad hoc committee not clear.

A motion in new business isn’t recommended to the Board until the Standing Committee carries it as is, or as amended, by majority vote.  But, whatever. I’ll  go with being happy that my motions in New Business are finally “recommended”. I certainly recommend them.

Here are two “recommended” motions in New Business on the OPPS agenda February 10, from Trustee Duncan that were amended, carried as amended, and will go to the Board agenda as amended, February 24 as “Recommended” by this Standing Committee. Neither Trustee Duncan nor I have a vote at the Operations Policy and Planning Committee.

H.1 New Business: Health and Safety Reporting

Recommended Motion: Duncan:

1.That the Board  direct the Superintendent to provide the Board  quarterly, and as required, a report on the operation of the District’s student health and safety framework (mechanisms, measures and safety policies and procedures). The report should include, but not be limited to, the following:

a.recommendations made by the District Occupational Health &Safety Committee pertaining to student health and safety;
b.aggregate incident tracking data pertaining to student health and safety and a trends analysis;
c. overview of all District and school based monitoring, planning and mitigations (including compliance controls in place) to prioritize and address student health and safety;
d. communicate any recommendations for operational and strategic level improvements specifically aimed at student health and safety.

Amended Whiteaker:

That the Board direct the Superintendent to provide the Board a report on the operation of the District’s student health and safety framework and communicate any recommendations for operational and strategic level improvements specifically aimed at student health and safety. Carried 3/3

2.    Recommended Motion: Duncan: That the Board direct the Superintendent to provide the Board quarterly, and as      required a report on the District’s compliance with workplace safety legislation. The report should include but not be limited to the following:

  1. a. recommendations made by the District Occupational Health & Safety Committee;
    b. workplace incident aggregate tracking data;
    c. overview of all District and school based monitoring, planning and mitigations in place to prioritize and address occupational health and safety in SD61, including compliance controls in place;
    d.communicate any recommendations for operational and strategic level improvements.

Amended Whiteaker:

That the Board direct the Superintendent to provide the Board annually, a report on the District’s compliance with workplace safety legislation and communicate any recommendations for operational and strategic level improvements. Carried 3/3/.

Related research below provided by Duncan:  Student Health and Safety

Below is a link to the School Protection Plan (SPP) Administrators Handbook 2019/20 which sets out the scope of the insurance coverage provided to all BC school districts.
According to the SPP’s Administrators Handbook/Guide to SPP Coverage 2019/20: SPP liability coverage is primarily designed to protect the school district, and its employees while performing their duties, against liability claims.
Of course, students are not covered by occupational health and safety legislation. A variety of District Regulations, Policies Bylaws and Ministerial Orders do apply to student health and safety. Start with reviewing Regulation 4300.1 (Health and Safety) and Policy 5131.0 (Personal Safety and Security in the Greater Victoria School District).
Twice a year the Schools Protection Program  publishes Risk Ed. The most recent edition of Risk Ed is available via the following link:

As I explained at Ops, I’m suggesting that we utilize best practice in relation to risk management – that as a first step we establish a baseline by way of the two reports outlined in the  motions. These reports will help us to both establish a baseline and to institutionalize regular Board level risk management reporting on health and safety. Please find below a link to the updated guidance (2019) for public bodies from BC’s Chief Risk Officer which outlines the standards for managing risk that have been adopted by the BC public sector. For your information the public sector in BC has adopted the CSA ISO 31000 risk management standard which states that: “The purpose of monitoring and review is to assure and improve the quality and effectiveness of process design, implementation and outcomes. Ongoing monitoring and periodic review of the risk management process, with responsibilities clearly defined.” (CSA ISO 31000, Section 6.6)

 

Staff Occupational Health and Safety: Below is a link to the District webpage where you will find links to the District Occupational Health and Safety Committee (DOHS) Terms of Reference from 2017/18 and the DOHS minutes from Sept 2017 to May 2018. Note the Terms of Reference for this committee are to be reviewed annually (in September each year). You may wish to pay particular attention to the Mission Statement and Committee Functions sections of the Terms of Reference.

 

About Diane McNally