The Board of Education recognizes the District’s responsibility to provide a safe school environment for students and staff during construction and maintenance projects.
The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for ensuring that District procedures for safeguarding the safety and health of students and staff are consistent with state law and regulation, including the Uniform Code of Public School Building Inspections, Safety Rating and Monitoring and the Uniform Safety Standards for School Construction and Maintenance Projects. Specifically, the Superintendent shall be responsible for the following items at the specified phase of the construction project:
Pre-Construction
- Ensuring proper planning for the safety of building occupants during construction or maintenance activities.
- Hiring a New York state licensed architect or engineer for projects costing more than $5,000.
- Ensuring safety issues are addressed for bid specifications and contract documents.
- Providing notice to parents, staff and the community in advance of any construction project costing $10,000 or more to be conducted in an occupied school building. The notice is to be given at least two months prior to date on which construction is to begin, except in the case of emergency construction projects, in which case notice will be given as soon as practical. The notice will provide information on the district’s obligation to provide a safe school environment during construction projects. The notice may be given by publication in the district newsletter, direct mailings, or by holding a public hearing on the project.
- Revising the district’s emergency management plan, when appropriate, to accommodate the construction process including a revised emergency exit plan and emergency evacuation and relocation procedures during the construction process.
During Construction
- Monitoring of construction and maintenance activities to check for safety violations and to ensure that certificate of occupancy requirements are continuously maintained.
- Ensuring that all areas to be disturbed through renovation or demolition are tested for lead and asbestos.
- Investigating and responding to health and safety complaints.
- Conducting fire drills during construction to familiarize students and staff with revised emergency procedures.
- Ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements regarding noise abatement, exits, ventilation, air quality, fire and hazard prevention, chemical fumes, gases and other contaminants, asbestos abatement and lead paint and radon testing and mitigation.
Post Construction
- Conducting a walk-through inspection with the Health and Safety Committee to confirm the area is ready to be reopened for use.
Cross-Ref.:
- 7100, Facilities Planning
- 7331, Plans, Specifications and Cost Estimates
- 8100, Safety Program
- 8110, School Building Safety
- 8112, Health and Safety Committee
- 8130, Emergency Plans
- 8132, Fire Drills
Ref.:
- Education Law §§ 409-d (Comprehensive Public School Building Safety Program; 409-e (Uniform Code of Public School Buildings Inspection, Safety Rating and Monitoring)
- 8 NYCRR Part 155.4 (Uniform Code of Public School Building Inspections, Safety Rating and Monitoring); 155. 5 (Uniform Safety Standards for School Construction and Maintenance Projects)
- 9 NYCRR Parts 600-1250 (Uniform Fire Prevention & Building Code)
Adoption date: March 26, 2001
Revised: January 11, 2016
Reviewed: August 28, 2017