Precautions and Protection ! It is really important to address issues of safety in the classroom to prevent and have a general understanding for dealing with emergency situations.

Zero Cost Safety Measures KEEP YOUR ROOM CLEAN! Organize, organize, organize! Avoid Clutter Properly dispose of waste material Keep an inventory of materials Properly store and label all tools and material

Signs Selective Use Periodic Changing Purpose: To Warn To Instruct Proper placement Selective Use Periodic Changing Purpose: To Warn To Instruct To Remind Symbols vs. Words Another zero-cost safety measure to implement in the classroom is the use of signs. Signs help to prevent injuries when students are using hazardous material or equipment. The way to effectively use signs is to make sure they are properly placed in the room. What I mean by this is that the signs should be in an obviously visible spot next to the materials or equipment being warned about. There also has to be a selective use of them, because if your room is just filled completely with signs, they can be easily ignored or overlooked due to over visual stimulation. Lastly, they should be periodically changed. Since students will become accustomed to seeing the same sign day in and day out it is important to change wording and pictures associated with certain hazards in the classroom so that they are continually reminded to be careful. The three purposes of signs listed in the book is to warn, to instruct, and to remind students to be safe while using tools and materials in the classroom and you can do this by providing symbols, words, or a combination of the two to ensure safety in the classroom. And now we’re going to do a little activity involving signs. On your tables in front of you there are notecards that have symbols and another set of notecards that has the words associated with each picture. At your tables, I would like you guys to match up the pictures with the words, and when everyone is done we will have a small discussion. What did you find out about signs in this activity? Were the symbols easily recognizable? Did the words aid in understanding the pictures? Why is it important to have a combination of both symbols and words as warnings? (Non-English speakers, non-readers).

Clothing and Dress Restrictions Establish a code Enforce the code No exceptions to the code (both students and staff must adhere to these standards) Talk about what could potentially be the code, and how to enforce it. This is to prevent accidents not to prove that it can happen. Don’t tell previous horror stories.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Protects from direct exposure to unavoidable dust, mist, vapors, flying particles, chemicals, and noise Varies from classroom to classroom; Must be age appropriate! Enforce their use “Last resort” materials Equipment Goggles Gloves Ear Protection Respirators/Masks = NO BEARDS! (Sorry, Tony) For instance you won’t need a dust mask or safety glasses in an elementary room because they shouldn’t be in those scenarios to begin with. For last resort materials, we can talk about how there should be things like better housekeeping and nonhazardous material to begin with. ‘ Respirators are rendered ineffective by beards. Personal Protective Equipment or (PPE’s). These can be any equipment that protect the user from exposure to unavoidable dust, mist, vapors, flying particles, chemicals, and noise. These vary from classroom to classroom depending on age and grade level. Primarily PPE’s will be used in middle and high school settings, because elementary students will not be exposed to dangerous materials or tools where they will need to use a PPE. The key with having PPE’s in the room is to make sure that students are taught how to properly use the PPE’s and to really enforce their use when it is necessary. Also, PPE’s are really a “last resort” material to quote the book. This is because there should be things like better housekeeping and nonhazardous material to begin with in the classroom to avoid exposure of unnecessary risks to students. Some examples of PPE’s would be. Goggles, gloves, ear protection, respirators and masks. And an interesting fact pointed out by the book is that respirators are rendered ineffective by beards so Tony Frank would have to lose his beard in order to use one. Sorry Tony.

PPE Checklist NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-101/ Know your PPE’s To know if you have the right PPE’s for your classroom, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides checklists for teachers and administrators describing exactly what is needed in the classroom. The handouts that you have in front of you is an example of a PPE list from the NIOSH and that list is just the general one. You can find more specific ones at the NIOSH’s website listed on the board and on your handout. Talk to students and tell them that the handout in front of them is an example of a PPE list from the national institute for occupational safety and health.

Ventilation No specific requirements or standards for ventilation No federal laws protecting students from exposure to contaminants It is a teachers duty to keep their students safe! EPA provides a checklist for proper ventilation practices

Ventilation Ventilation is not the first preventative measure to take in the classroom Expensive in more ways than one Before evaluating ventilation installation Avoid hazardous materials when possible Replace hazardous materials with safe alternatives If ventilation is a possibility Confine use of hazardous material to one secluded area of the room For expenses talk about the cost to install as well as the cost to heat the classroom when winter comes around.

Rules for Good Ventilation Direct air flow away from breathing zones of people who work in the area Exhaust contaminated air from the work space Place the exhaust opening of the ventilation system as close as possible to the source of the contaminants. Avoid cross drafts. Supply make-up air to replace the air exhausted by the ventilation system. Discharge the contaminated air away from opening that draw air into the studio or ship. Avoid polluting the community.

Depending on what you’re doing, here’s what you’ll need

Isn’t there a nurse for that? First Aid Isn’t there a nurse for that? False! You need to be prepared for any emergency situation The school nurse is the wisest choice, but what do you do when s/he is out to lunch? First Aid! – Isn’t there a nurse for that? Well there is, but it is always better to be prepared for any emergency situation that might arise. The school nurse is the wisest choice when dealing with emergency situations, but what do you do when he or she is out to lunch? Need to be prepare

First Aid Kit Every room should have an easily accessible first aid kit Antiseptics Bandages Compresses Instructions for use of materials A good first step in first aid is to have an easily accessible first aid kit in the classroom that has antiseptics, bandages, compresses, and instructions for how to use the equipment in the first aid kit.

First Aid Wounds and Bleeding Don’t dismiss slight wounds and scratches Apply dressing to prevent contamination Stop sever bleeding by applying a compress with pressure Always wash hands with soap and water Notify nurse in case of blood transmission Burns 1st Degree (slight redness): Cool the site, apply sterile dressing 2nd Degree (blisters): Cool the site, apply sterile dressing 3rd Degree (white/black leathery): Same as above, treat for shock Shock Caused by a failure of the circulator system and occurs after burns, emotional stress, or significant loss of blood Treat: Have injured person lie down with feet elevated Keep injured person warm (cover only if chilly) Call for medical assistance immediately!!! Know how to treat certain injuries that may occur in your classroom. Wounds and Bleeding is the most common incident. It is important to not dismiss and wounds or scratches that occur. Whenever it happens, make sure to apply a dressing to prevent contamination of the area. If bleeding is severe, you should apply a compress with pressure and notify the school nurse or health advisor. And it’s very important to wash your hands with soap and water after dealing with wounds and bleeding, because you do not want to contract any kind of diseases or conditions from the person’s blood. If you think that transmission has occurred, notify the school nurse so that you can get proper medical attention to deal with the situation. Burns also need addresses in the classroom. There are three types and each needs to be addressed in their own way. First degree burns can be identified by a slight redness of the skin. To treat: cool the site with cool water and apply a sterile dressing. Second degree burns can be identified by blisters and they are treated the same as a first degree burn. Third degree burns are the most serious and are typically identified by white or black leathery skin. To treat: cool the site, apply a sterile dressing, and treat the student for shock. Anytime that a burn occurs in the classroom, the nurse or health advisor should be notified. Poisoning by Mouth Give water of milk in large quantities Call a physician or poison control center immediately!

SAFETY FIRST! Merry = put this slide up then we say we have a quiz for them and we pass it out.

Resources CDC - NIOSH Publications and Products - Safety Checklist Program for Schools (2004-101)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-101/>. Qualley, Charles A. Safety in the Artroom. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, 2005. Print.  US Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://www.epa.gov/>.