News Items

Coronavirus (4/22/2020)

Latest information on how to protect yourself and your family from the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Site provides recommendations, statistics, resources and more.  Site address:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

CDC Launches New Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report   (4/3/2020)

CDC is modifying existing surveillance systems to track COVID-19, and posted the first of what will be a weekly surveillance report called, “COVIDView.” The report, updated each Friday, will summarize and interpret key indicators, including information related to COVID-19 outpatient visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths, as well as laboratory data.   Site address:  https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0404-covid19-surveillance-report.html

OSHA Violations Statistics (1/2/2020)

Based on OSHA Information System data from Oct. 1, 2018, to Sept. 30, 2019. Data current as of Nov. 1.

Top 10 "Serious" Violations Nationwide, fiscal year 2019

OSHA defines a “serious” violation as “one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.”  

1. Fall Protection (1926.501) with 6,677 violations

2. Scaffolding (1926.451) with 2,939 violations

3. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) with 2,754 violations

4. Ladders (1926.1053) with 2,463 violations

5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) with 2,415 violations

6. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) with 1,902 violations

7. Machine Guarding (1926.212) with 1,737 violations

8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) with 1,593 violations

9. Fall Protection—Training Requirements  (1926.503) with 1,584 violations

10. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) with 1,449 violations

Top 10 "Willful" Violations, fiscal year 2019

OSHA defines a “willful” violation as one “committed with an intentional disregard of or plain indifference to the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and requirements.” 

1. Fall Protection (1926.501) with 164 violations

2. Requirements for Protective Systems (1926.652) with 31 violations

3. Permit-Required Confined Spaces (1910.146) with 28 violations

4. Scaffolding (1926.451) with 17 violations

5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) with 14 violations

6. Machine Guarding (1926.212) with 13 violations

7. Specific Excavation Requirements (1926.651) with 12 violations

8. Asbestos (1926.1101) with 11 violations

9. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) with 9 violations

10. Fall Protection—Training Requirements  (1926.503) with 8 violations

Eastbury Water Testing (10/17/2019)

Testing was completed in October 2019 at Eastbury for lead and copper.  All results met state dept of Health Standards. There were no issues.  For actual results, please contact the Environmental Health and Chemical Safety Office (PacificiL@glastonburyus.org). 

Annual Pesticide Reports (April 2018)

Please click here for the 2017 Glastonbury Schools Pesticide Reports which are being provided for parent/employee information per CT State law. Anyone having questions should contact Dr. Ken Roy, Director of Environmental Health & Chemical Safety:  RoyK@Glastonburyus.org. 

Glastonbury Public Schools Green Cleaning Program 10/19/2016

Please click here to learn about the district's Green Cleaning Program which follows maintenance and operations best practices and legal standards for minimizing building impact on human health and the environment. Compliance with this program allows our district to create a building environment that strives to minimize waste, uses more sustainable products and systems, and uses energy as efficiently as possible.

Bill Requiring Green Cleaning Products in Public Schools Now In Effect!

House Bill 6496 requiring local and regional school districts to use green cleaning products in schools, helping to ensure a healthier air quality for students, faculty and staff is now in effect. House Bill 6496 requires school districts to have a green cleaning program in place by 01 July 2011. The environmentally preferable products must meet nationally certified guidelines and be approved by the state Department of Administrative Services. They include products used for general purpose cleaning, bathroom, glass and carpet cleaners, hand cleaners and soaps, floor finishers and strippers. The law also requires that the types of cleaners and the methods used by schools must be made public. One important part of the new law notes that schools can no longer have cleaning products brought into buildings by employees, parents, PTO groups, etc. These products must be provided by the school district's maintenance department.

The basic tenets of the program are as follows:

1. Green cleaning program means the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products as defined by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for all state owned building, schools and facilities. DAS currently requires that environmentally preferable cleaning products be independently certified by one of two third party certified organizations: Green Seal or Eco Logo.

2. By July 1, 2011 and thereafter no person shall use a cleaning product in a public school unless it meets the DAS standard.

3. The types of cleaning products covered in this legislation include: general purpose, bathroom, and glass cleaners, floor strippers and finishes, hand cleaners and soaps. 

4. Disinfectants, disinfectant cleaners, sanitizers or antimicrobial products regulated by the federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act are not covered by this law.

The following statement will be part of this school district's program as stated in the new law;

"NO PARENT, GUARDIAN, TEACHER OR STAFF MEMBER MAY BRING INTO THE SCHOOL FACILITY ANY CONSUMER PRODUCT WHICH IS INTENDED TO CLEAN, DEODORIZE, SANITIZE OR DISINFECT".

The implementation of this program requires the support and cooperation of everyone including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, guardians and facilities staff.

The following chart lists the types, names and manufacturers of the green products used by Glastonbury Public Schools as well as the location/area of application and the schedule of when each is used.

Asbestos Management:

Pursuant to C.G.S. 19a-333-1 through 13, Glastonbury Public Schools (GPS) is required to notify parents (and employees) that the schools have been inspected for asbestos-containing materials. The buildings are thoroughly re-inspected every three (3) years by licensedasbestos inspectors following the same criteria as the original inspection. A copy of theAsbestos Management Plan is available in each school office. The Asbestos Designated Person for the GPS asbestos program is Albert Costa, Director of Operations/Maintenance.  For additional information or questions, contact Albert Costa at (860) 652-7992.