Protocol for Remediating Construction Hazards while Renovating Occupied School Buildings

Aug 4, 2004 11:29 AM

Renovating schools while they are occupied with students and staff presents a challenge for the school population as well as the workers involved in the construction.  Many of our older schools have potential hazards such as lead-based paint, asbestos, and poor indoor air quality. When funding became available for capital improvement, many schools where fortunate to see upgrading electrical, plumbing, and classroom facilities. 

New York City schools are severely overcrowded; therefore much of this work must be performed while schools are in session, creating potentially very serious safety and health hazards.  Because of inadequate safety and health precautions there has been injuries, some fatal.  Also, many school evacuations caused by dangerous enviromental conditions have occurred as well.  

In response to these tragedies, the United Federation of Teachers, representing 130,000 school-based employees, has developed a site-construction protocol that was negotiated with the Department of Education.  This protocol requires contractors to implement protective methods and procedures to safeguard students and staff.  The protocol includes the following: job committees; isolated work areas; thorough dust containment procedures; asbestos and lead exposure precautions; safety procedures for all construction workers to follow; separate sanitary facilities for workers and normal occupants; separate stairwells and paths of egress; specific notification procedures; and practices for minimizing airborne contaminants, especially fumes and vapors. 

This protocol is outlined in article 10 of your UFT contract.  PROTOCOL-SCA & PROTOCOL CHECKLIST