Safety Checklist Program for Schools

October 2003
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2004-101

Acknowledgments

NIOSH Acknowledgments

NIOSH CD-ROM development team:

  • John Palassis (Project Officer)
  • Vanessa Becks
  • Joseph Cauley
  • Henry Chan
  • Annie Dames (Revision)
  • Glenn Doyle
  • Pauline Elliott
  • Chris Ellison
  • Susan Feldmann
  • Anne Hamilton
  • Norma Helton
  • Rolland Rogers, Jr.
  • Marie Haring Sweeney, Ph.D.
  • Jane Weber
  • Wendy Wippel

NIOSH Internal Reviewers
NIOSH acknowledges the following NIOSH employees for their valuable reviews:

  • Heinz Ahlers, Education and Information Division
  • Vern Anderson, Education and Information Division
  • Nadia El Ayouby, Division of Safety Research
  • Thomas Bobick, Division of Safety Research
  • Joe Burkhart, Division of Safety Research
  • Virgil Casini, Division of Safety Research
  • Jonathan Cleary, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • David Conover, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • Ronald Conti, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
  • Richard Current, Division of Safety Research
  • John Etherton, Division of Safety Research
  • David Fosbroke, Division of Safety Research
  • John Franks, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • Yvonne Gagnon, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • Rebecca Giorcelli, Division of Safety Research
  • Nevin Greninger, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
  • James Harris, Division of Safety Research
  • Mathew Hause, Division of Safety Research
  • Joseph Hurrell Jr., Division of Surveillance Field Evaluation and Field Studies
  • Greg Loos, Education and Information Division
  • Greg Lotz, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • Bonita Malit, Education and Information Division
  • Tony McKenzie, Division of Safety Research
  • Carol Merry, Education and Information Division
  • Richard Metzler, Division of Safety Research
  • Greg Miller, Spokane Research laboratory
  • Paul More, Division of Safety Research
  • Richard Niemeier, Education and Information Division
  • Andrea Okun, PhD, Deputy Director, Education and Information Division
  • Stephanie Pratt, Epidemiologist, Special Studies Section, Surveillance and Field
  • Investigations Branch, Division of Safety Research NIOSH
  • Lynn Rethi, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
  • Ted Scharf, Division of Applied Research and Technology
  • Paul Schulte, PhD, Director, Education and Information Division
  • Louis Smith, Division of Safety Research
  • Karl Snyder, Division of Safety Research
  • Marie Haring Sweeney, PhD, Branch Chief, Education and Information Division
  • David Votaw, Policy Response Coordinator
  • Angela Weber, Division of Surveillance Field Evaluation and Field Studies
  • Issac Zlochower, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

External Reviewers
NIOSH acknowledges the following people for their review and evaluation of the CD-ROM:

  • Official External Reviewers:
    • Cathleen Cronin, OSHA Training Institute, Des Plains, IL
    • Richard Fairfax, OSHA Compliance Office, Washington, DC
    • Amber Hogan, OSHA Compliance Office, Washington, DC
    • S. Len Hong, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, East Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
    • Scott Schneider, Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America, Washington, DC
    • Doug Simon, OSHA Training Institute, Des Plains, IL
    • Rachel Twardzik, OSHA Federal/State Operations Office, Washington, DC
  • Focus Group:
    • Steve Bowman, Supervisor, Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Ray Carrara, Teacher, Colerain Career Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • John Ferguson, Teacher, Live Oaks, Career Development Career Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Kevin Huss, Teacher, Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Dick Janson, Teacher, Diamond Oaks Career Development Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Dorian McKinney, Teacher, Diamond Oaks Career Development Center, Cincinnati,Ohio
    • Joanne Poe, Supervisor, Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Don Schwier, Teacher, Colerain Career Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Tony Thomas, Principal, Miami Valley Career-Technical Center, Dayton, Ohio
    • Tom Wheeler, Administrator, Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Developmental Reviewers: (reviewed CD-ROM during development)
    • Steve Curtis, Professional Engineer, Certified Safety Professional, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager
    • Art Davis, Occupational Fatality Investigator, Nebraska Workforce Development, Department of Labor
    • Leo Drapeau, Safety Program Coordinator, Forest Protection Division, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • Martin Duffy, Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Teknor Color Company
    • George B. Flynn, CIH, Compliance Assistant Specialist, OSHA Englewood Area Office, Englewood, Colorado
    • Gary Gamble, Safety Manager, City of Mobile, Mobile, Alabama
    • Dave Harris, University of Cincinnati, Research and Advance Studies
    • Dr. Anderson, Agricultural Education Specialist, Virginia Department of Education.
    • Karen Heckmann, OSHA Office of Training and Education
    • Bill Hetzler, Acting Director, Safety and Labor Standards, Labor Law Manager and Occupational Fatality Manager, Nebraska Workforce Development, Department of Labor
    • Captain Christopher Hrudka, U.S. Marine Corps, Support Company Commander, Camp Pendleton, CA
    • James H. Johnson, President, Safety Program Consultants, LLC, Florence, Alabama
    • Charles Lamb, Field Representative, Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company
    • Mary Sue Linville, Director, Risk Control. Washington Schools Risk Management Pool
    • Elizabeth H. Maples, Continuing Education Program Director, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham
    • Frank H. Maurer, III, Assistant Principal/District Safety Representative Salem County Board for Vocational Education, Salem County Career and Technical High School Woodstown, NJ
    • Chuck McHenry, Training & Outreach Coordinator, Wisconsin Safety Consultation Program
    • Matthew Mireles, University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, Texas
    • Mike Opp, Supervisor, Technology and Industry Education Pathway, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington State
    • Arthur Pennesi, Industrial Hygiene Consultant, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Occupational Safety, On-Site Consultation Program
    • Susan Salem, OSHA Office of Training and Education
    • Christine Shaw, Massachusetts Center for Career and Technical Education/Mass. Dept. of Education
    • Richard Wancho, Supervisor, Ohio Department of Education, Columbus, Ohio
    • D.L. (Sonny) Weeks, CIH, President, Trinity Industrial Hygiene Consultants, LLC
    • BETA Test
    • Glenn Anderson, PhD, Agricultural Education Specialist, Virginia Department of Education
    • Marianne Parker Brown, Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program, University of California, Los Angeles
    • Frank H. Maurer, III, Assistant Principal/District Safety Representative, Salem County Board for Vocational Education, Salem County Career & Technical High School, Woodstown, NJ
    • Charles McHenry, Training & Outreach Coordinator, Wisconsin Consultation Program
      Stephanie Pratt, PhD, Surveillance & Field Investigation Branch, Division of Safety Research, NIOSH
    • Carol Rice, PhD, Professor of Industrial Hygiene, University of Cincinnati
    • Andrew N. Wermes, Instructor, Building Trades/Carpentry, North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA

NIOSH Safety Checklist Program for Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Safety was adapted in September 2002 from a manual entitled Safe Schools: a Health and Safety Check — A Manual of Checklists Covering Environmental, Health and Safety Regulations for Secondary Occupational and Career Orientation Programs in New Jersey Public Schools. This manual was developed in 1992 by:

The Public Education and Risk Communication Division
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
Sponsored by
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

with support from the New Jersey Department of Education, and the Office of School-to-Career and College Initiatives. The New Jersey Department of Education has continued to support its commitment to ensuring safe schools by updating the Safe Schools Manual twice a year and providing information and training to school personnel.

For more information about the Safe Schools Manual contact

Resource Center of EOHSI
Public Education and Risk Communication Division
681 Frelinghuysen Rd.
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1179
(732) 932-0110

The New Jersey Department of Education
Office of School-to-Career and College Initiatives
225 W. State St., CN 500
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 292-6341

Document/Program/Curriculum Contributors to CD-ROM:

  • American Society for Agricultural Engineers
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Colorado-OSHA
  • Construction Industry
  • Construction Safety Council
  • Environmental Occupational Health and Safety Institute
  • Gates McDonald and Company
  • Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center
  • Lewis Payton, Auburn University
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  • State of Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Division of Safety and Hygiene
  • Superintendent for Public Instruction, State of Washington
  • The St. Paul Companies
  • University of Wisconsin/Stout
  • U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • U. S. Department of Labor
  • U. S. Department of Transportation
  • Wausau Insurance Companies and Gates McDonald and Company
  • Young Worker Safety Resource Center

Safe Schools Project Staff

Since the NIOSH Safety Checklist Program are modeled after the Safe Schools Manual, the following names are included in appreciation of the efforts and commitment these individuals and organizations made in the development of the Safe Schools Manual. EOHSI Workgroup
Audrey R. Gotsch, Dr.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Project Director

Jan Gottlieb, M.P.H.
Project Manager

Barry Schlegel, M.A.T., M.S., C.I.H.
Project Coordinator/Technical Writer

Deborah Shields, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Writer/Editor

Patricia Billman
Mary Nicoletti, A.A.
Janet Stevens
Patricia Yelavich, B.A.
Staff Support

Kevin Batzel, A.A.
Jack Caravanos, Dr.P.H., C.I.H.
Matthew Carmel, M.S., C.I.H.
Alice Freund, M.S.P.H., C.I.H.
Vincent Gallagher, M.A.
Michelle Laws, B.A.
Richard Lynch, M.S., C.I.H.
Technical Consultants

with

New Jersey Department of Education
Office of School-to-Career and College Initiatives

Sylvia Kaplan, M.A.
Former Program Manager

William R. Smith
Program Manager

Safe Schools Acknowledgments

To ensure that the Safe Schools manual addressed the needs of New Jersey educators and administrators, over two hundred individuals participated in all phases of its development.

  • A task force, with representatives from New Jersey public secondary school Career-Technical programs, regulating agencies, unions, health and safety organizations and businesses, was formed to provide ongoing guidance.
  • Two focus group meetings with Career-Technical educators and NJ Department of Education staff gave valuable feedback on drafts of the manual.
  • A written needs assessment survey was completed by over 100 teachers.
  • The checklists were pre-tested at several schools with teachers and administrators accompanying project staff after school hours on walkthrough inspections of their classrooms.
  • A planning group comprised of school administrators and teachers was convened to provide guidance in the pilot-test and training procedures.
  • A pilot-test of the manual was done in 12 schools selected for their broad range of ethnic, geographical and socio-economic backgrounds.

We are indebted to these individuals for their valuable contributions.

Special thanks are extended to program staff of the N.J. Department of Education and the Northeast Curriculum Coordination Center, as well as to Stanley Grajewski and Robert Rossow who gave of their time and expertise throughout the project. We also would like to thank John H.S. Fallon and Roger Marcotte for their thorough review of the checklists, Martha Koblish, Mercer County Vocational-Technical School–Sypek Center for hosting the pilot-test training workshop, and the following schools for hosting the “Safe Schools Training Workshops”: Linden High School–Vocational Technical Building; Monmouth County Vocational-Technical School; and Gloucester County Institute of Technology.

Safe Schools Task Force Members

Kevin Batzel
Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety

Juanita Bynum
Right to Know Program
N.J. Department of Health

Glenn Earl
Cumberland County Office of Education,
N.J. Department of Education

Peter Flipse
Ocean County Vocational
Technical School

Stanley Grajewski
Hopatcong Borough Schools

Robert Hague
N.J. American Industrial
Hygiene Association

Joseph Kobylarz
Garfield High School

Frank Makein
Pequannock Township
Board of Education
Health and Safety Cooperative

Marjorie Martin
N.J. School Boards Association

Arlene Morris
N.J. Education Association

Marion Mullarkey
Div. of Adult and Occupational Education
N.J. Department of Education

Dr. Maryann Peifly
Mercer County Special Services
School District

Martha J. Posci
Division of Adult and Occ. Education
N.J. Department of Education

Bill Timme
Northern Valley Regional High School

Robert Timms
N.J. Section, American Society of Safety
Engineers

Gene Compton
N.J. Vocational Ed. Association

Ray Constantine
Gloucester County Institute
of Technology

Glenn Franzoi
Bureau of Facilities Planning
N.J. Department of Education

Joseph Giamboi
Stroock, Stroock and Lavan

John Grzywacz
OSHA-Region2
U.S. Department of Labor

Marty Kalback
N.J. School Boards Association
Insurance Group

Gary Ludwig
PEOSH Program
N.J. Department of Health

Michael Maddaluna
Mercer County Office of Education
N.J. Department of Education

Rolf Maris
N.J. Department of Community Affairs

Roger A. Marcotte
Hawthorne High School

John Ord
Div. of Adult and Occupational Education
N.J. Department of Education

Mark Pollack
PEOSH Program
N.J. Department of Labor

Lawrence Petrillo
N.J. State Safety Council

Mary Rudakewych
N.J. Department of Envi. Protection
and Energy

Safe Schools Focus Group Participants

Georgianna Aiken
Lawrence High School

Ray Constantine
Gloucester County Institute
of Technology

Robert Colangelo
Ocean County Vocational
Technical School

Stanley Grajewski
Hopatcong Borough Schools

Joseph Kobylarz
Garfield High School

Angelo Izzo
Bergen County Office
N.J. Department of Education

Larry Leach
Montgomery High School
Newark Board of Education

John Longo
South Brunswick Board of
Education

Michael Maddaluna
Mercer County Office
of Education
N.J. Department of Education

Nancy Mattia
Ocean County Vocational
Technical School

Al Morrison
Red Bank Regional
High School

John Ord
Div. of Adult and Occ. Education
N.J. Department of Education

Dr. Maryann Peifly
Mercer County Special
Services School District

John Richardson
Monmouth County Voc. School

Cindy Von Thun
Middlesex County Vocational
and Technical School

Stanley Zaleski
Perth Amboy High School

Safe Schools Needs Assessment Survey Respondents

  • Allan Abbott, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Georgianna Aiken, Lawrence High School
  • Dick Allen, Red Bank Regional High School
  • Sandra Amato, Red Bank Regional High School
  • Herbert Atkinson, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Rhonda Bell, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Anne Benedetti, Lawrence High School
  • Thomas Chalfa, Perth Amboy High School
  • Robert Colangelo, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Gene Compton, N.J. Vocational Education Association
  • Evely Congrove, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Ray Constantine, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Thomas Domerski, Northern Valley Regional High School
  • Vance Dunn, Perth Amboy High School
  • Laurie Feldmann, Lawrence High School
  • Michael Felice, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Keith Fennimore, Mercer County Vocational Technical School
  • Peter A. Flipse, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Stan Force, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Delores Gorman, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Stanley Grajewski, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Lester Harris, Garfield High School
  • Joseph Kobylarz, Garfield High School
  • Linda Kotlowski, Garfield High School
  • Peter Kozub, Perth Amboy High School
  • Larry Leach, and several colleagues, Montgomery High School, Newark Board of Education
  • Carole Leone, Perth Amboy High School
  • Rosario Livera, Monmouth County Vocational School
  • Susan Mancuso, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Roger A. Marcotte, Hawthorne High School
  • Marcella Massopust, Perth Amboy High School
  • Gail Mattei, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Nancy Mattia, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Sandi McBride, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Kevin Monaghan, Lawrence High School
  • Arlene Morris, NJEA Vocational Education Committee
  • Robert Ormsbee, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • John Richardson, Monmouth County Vocational School
  • Jerry Salvatore, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Roger Schneider, Red Bank Regional High School
  • Jeff Sharkey, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Janet Skrypek, Garfield High School
  • Peter Slater, Perth Amboy High School
  • Steven Tarnow, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Bill Timme, Northern Valley Regional High School
  • Dave Torpey, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Norma Vlahides, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Cindy Von Thun, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical High School
  • Robert Wheeler, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Linda Whitcraft, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Dave White, Gloucester County Technical Institute
  • Mike Wisnovsky, Garfield High School
  • Wendy Wyman, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Stanley Zaleski, Perth Amboy High School
  • John Zelenak, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Renné Zotynia, Hopatcong Borough Schools

Some of the surveys were returned without a way to acknowledge the respondent and consequently, their names have not been included in the acknowledgment.

Safe Schools Checklist Pre-Test Participants

  • Fred Bastedo, Mercer County Vocational-Technical Schools
  • Robert Colangelo, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Brenda Di Vincenzo, Morris Hills Regional School District
  • Peter Flipse, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Thomas Hudak, Morris Hills Regional School District
  • Dr. Karen McCloud, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools
  • Al Di Renzo, Morris Hills Regional School District
  • Rosalie Sauck, North Hunterdon Regional High School
  • Mary Lou Testa, Mercer County Vocational-Technical Schools
  • Steven Tucker, North Hunterdon Regional High School

Safe Schools Planning Group Members

  • Robert Colangelo, Ocean County Vocational Technical School
  • Dr. Doris Dopkin, N.J. Department of Education
  • Frank Drogan, Monmouth County Vocational Schools
  • Glenn Franzoi, N.J. Department of Education
  • Marie Gonzalez, Union County Vocational Technical School
  • Stanley Grajewski, Hopatcong Borough Schools
  • Angelo Izzo, Bergen County Office, N.J. Department of Education
  • Al Simone, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools
  • Robert Rossow, Elizabeth School District

Safe Schools Pilot Test Participants: Safety and Health Coordinators

Dr. James S. Brown
Camden City Board
of Education

Robert Colangelo
Ocean County Vocational
Technical School

Donna Curtis
Mercer County Vocational
Technical Schools

Frank Drogan
Monmouth County
Vocational Schools

John Fallon
Linden High School

Dennis Hrehowsi
Perth Amboy High School

Thomas Janaro
Somerset County Vocational
Technical School

Lucian Janik
Camden City
Board of Education

Joseph Kobylarz
Garfield High School

Larry Leach
Montgomery High School
Newark Board of Education

Jack McCulley
Gloucester County
Institute of Technology

Wayne Mindek
East Jersey State Prison

Kevin Monaghan
Lawrence High School

Robert Rossow
Elizabeth Public Schools

Safe Schools Pilot-Test Participants: Teachers

  • Dana Beverly
  • Robert Biss
  • Robert Byrnes
  • Bob Castellini
  • James Csogi
  • Encida Cruz
  • Eric Downs
  • Vance Dunn
  • Ray Esler
  • Lorie Feldmen
  • Steven Ferrara
  • Charles Fischer
  • Guvania Edmonds
  • Mary Garvey
  • Carmen Genovese
  • Gary Giampino
  • James Gorman
  • Charles Gromer
  • Lester Harris
  • Geraldine Hobbs
  • William Icer
  • Frank Irby
  • Walter Jedwabnik
  • Muriel Johnson
  • Fred Kociumbas
  • Peter Kozup
  • Don Krametz
  • Bill Lawler
  • Paul Litchfield
  • Virgil Magee
  • Carmen Mangarella
  • John Marlin
  • Joseph Mazzarella
  • Phil Meir
  • Chris Mulligan
  • Joe Novo
  • Al Parker
  • Mel Persicketti
  • Wayne Peterson
  • Charles Phillips
  • Ben Pokrywa
  • Dorothy Reid
  • William Reynolds
  • Robert Roan
  • Kathleen Rosenberg
  • James Sabino
  • Janet Skrzpek
  • Diane Slavan
  • George St. Andrassy
  • Chris Stanly
  • Donald Strickland
  • Cathy Trosis
  • John Vingara
  • Nancy Volpe
  • Thomas Wilson
  • Michael Wisnovsky
  • Stan Zaleski

Safe Schools Project Title Suggested by: Marcella Massopust, Perth Amboy High School

Disclaimer

The Safety Checklist Program does not represent official interpretations of regulations or the official policy of any enforcing organization or agency. In addition, reference to company names or products does not constitute endorsement by any participating individual, organization, or agency.

The information contained in these guidelines is believed to be accurate as of the date it was prepared. The guidelines are not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon as such for any purposes, without consulting one’s own legal ounsel. The manual is a technical assistance resource and is only intended to provide guidance in meeting Federal and State environmental, safety, and health regulations that are potentially applicable to public secondary Career-Technical education programs and courses on school grounds. Since regulations are subject to change and interpretation, it cannot be assumed that the use of these guidelines will guarantee regulatory compliance. Nor can it be assumed that the use of these guidelines will guarantee that all environmental, safety, and health hazards are addressed. It remains the school’s responsibility to ensure a safe and healthful classroom and to comply with relevant Federal, State, and local regulations.

Page last reviewed: June 6, 2014