Ontario School Plant Manager Summer 2015

Summer 2015

Developing a Sound IPM Program Solar Rooftops Generate Power and Revenue for Ontario Schools

Publications mail agreement #40934510

A Look at OASBO’s OMC Workshop

Boosting Efficiency and Value: Procurement Best Practices

Safety First When Handling Hazardous Chemicals

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Table of Contents Message from Liz Sandals, Minister of Education

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Why Attend OASBO’s OMC Annual Workshop

8

Solar Rooftops Generate Power and Revenue

12

Optimize Peak Performance by Recommissioning

14

Cautionary Care: Handling Hazardous Chemicals

16

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home

19

Improving Indoor Air Quality

20

Procurement Best Practices Improve Efficiencies and Enhance Value

22

The Basics of a Sound IPM Program

24

AEDs: Essential Safety for Today’s Schools

29 30

Green with Envy at Simcoe County DSB A New Way of Collecting Waste

33

Don’t Be Driven To Distraction

34

Index to Advertisers Baywood Interior Millwork

32

Poly-Mor Canada

Belimo Americas

32

Potentia Solar Inc.

OBC

Carma Industries Inc.

31

Dafco Filtration Group

6

Reliable Controls Corporation

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Hoskin 18 Ibc Technologies Karcher Professional Wash Systems Molok North America Ltd Nr Murphy

3 18 5 19

Swish Maintenance System Air

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Viessman 21 Yorkland Controls Ltd. Yow Canada

17, 27 11

is published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com President & CEO David Langstaff Publisher Jason Stefanik Editor Lyndon McLean lyndon@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion Advertising Account Executives Gary Barrington Robert Bartmanovich Ken Harrison Jennifer Hebert Anthony Romeo Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com Art Director Kathy Cable Layout & Design Joel Gunter Advertising Art Dana Jensen Sheri Kidd

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While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher­in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

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On the Cover: Trillium Woods Elementary School in Barrie PRINTED IN CANADA 06/2015

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

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Message from the Minister of Education tario. Thank you for ensuring our schools are safe, clean and modern places to learn and grow.

Ontario has one of the best education systems in the world — and we are committed to making it even better. I am proud of how our partnership with Ontario’s school plant managers is helping students achieve excellence across this great province. These partnerships are key to making our renewed vision for education a reality.

Since 2003, we have invested $12.9 billion in school infrastructure, including almost 725 new schools and more than 700 additions and renovations. Through these investments, we are improving the quality of our publicly funded education system while providing better spaces for students to learn.

I would like to take this opportunity to We know that it is essential for sturecognize the hard work and dedication of dents to have access to modern learning so they can thrive in the the staff who maintain schools across OnDafco_ThridPg_Horizontal_Ad 7/18/12 environments 9:08 AM Page 1

classroom. New schools, renovations and expansions result in enhanced learning facilities that better cater to the learning needs of students, families and their community.

Each year, Ontario invests in its students and schools by providing education funding through the Grants for Student Needs. These grants have supported increased student achievement and a higher graduation rate. For 2015-16, our government has provided $22.5 billion to ensure strong, consistent investments in our publicly funded education system.

Thank you once again for your dedication and commitment to excellence for Ontario’s students. I ask that you keep up the great work as we continue our journey in education together.

Sincerely, Liz Sandals, Minister of Education »

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Why Attend the OMC Annual Workshop OASBO’s Operations, Maintenance and Construction (OMC) committee deals with maintenance and operations, construction and capital assets and real estate management issues across the province.

Every month, a core group of representatives from school boards across the province – members of the OASBO executive and various committees – meets to discuss topics concerning all school boards in Ontario. And each year, a committee of volunteers spends many hours organizing the OMC’s annual workshop, which celebrates its 67th year in 2015.

The workshop provides professional development opportunities for members, with a full slate of session held by volunteer delegates, committee members, Education Ministry staff and consultants on subjects ranging from cleaning techniques to solar projects. The workshop is a great opportunity for members to network with colleagues, to share solutions to a variety of issues. And there’s also the social aspect of the conference, with events planned into the conference to give attendees a chance to catch up with old friends and co-workers and to meet new ones.

The 2015 conference is being held in Kingston, Sir John A. Macdonald’s home town. With the theme “Coaching Your Team for Success”, the conference features speakers such as former NHL goalie Clint Malarchuk and comedian Graham Chittenden, and a Wednesday Night Fan Dinner Cruise, where attendees are encouraged to wear their favourite team’s jersey as they cruise the St. Lawrence River. Sessions include Energy Management Initiatives, Site Inspections, the Science of Sound, a Ministry of Education Capital Update, LED Lighting, and more. »

Delegates at the Ferme Rouge dinner in 2012.

Delegates at the Ferme Rouge dinner in 2012.

Delegates at the Ferme Rouge dinner in 2012.

Peter Wright with 2012 Keynote Speaker Vince Morvillo, award-winning yachtsman and successful entrepreneur, who became the first blind sailor to win a National Sailing Championship.

Big Names at Past OMC workshops Some famous names have appeared over the years at the OMC workshops as guest speakers or entertainers, including:

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• Canadian hockey hero Paul Henderson, who scored the series-winning goal against the Russians in the 1972 Summit Series.

• CFL Hall of Famer Michael “Pinball” Clemens, successful coach and manager of the Toronto Argonauts, and winner of four Grey Cups as a player and coach.

• T V personality Steve Paikin, host of the weekly current affairs talk show, The Agenda on TV Ontario.

• Renowned hypnotist Mike Mandel, an expert in the art of communication, motivation, influence and creativity.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

OMC’s 2014 Workshop:

A Resounding Success The OASBO Operations, Maintenance and Construction Committee held its annual workshop in Huntsville in 2014 at the conference facilities of the Deerhurst Resort.

The conference was a resounding success, with over 240 delegates from across the province and over 100 vendors who provided an excellent trade show for the attendees. This year’s theme was “Ride the Wave of Innovation”, which was well supported by the many workshops presented by board employees and service providers in meeting rooms aptly named after the famous Canadian Group of Seven artists.

The conference opened with an address from Mr. Paul Bridle, a leadership methodologist, who gave the delegates an inspirational and informative discussion on what it takes to be a successful leader in today’s market, and closed with a meaningful and entertaining presentation, “Relieving Stress with Humour”, from Ms. Judy Croon.

The event consisted of 17 workshops focusing on many issues and challenges of a Facilities Services Department operating

Delegates having some fun at the banquet.

Incoming chair Ian Gaudet, Controller of Facility Services for the Waterloo Region DSB.

Outgoing Chair Dave Fowler, Manager of Facility Services for the Limestone DSB.

Gabriel F. Sékaly, Assistant Deputy Minister of Education, addressing delegates on financial and procedural changes at the ministry.

Head table at the 2014 workshop.

Representatives from the French Catholic school boards.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

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OMC Committee core group at the Royal Canadian Military College.

2014 OMC Conference Planning Committee.

Vendor area - each year, 90 to 100 vendors present new products for delegates to view.

Delegates at the 2014 banquet.

in the Ontario school system. The Ministry of Education was well represented during these sessions and hosted a record four workshops ranging from the important energy initiatives developed recently to purchasing processes. Grant Osborne also focused on funding accountability with regard to the Renewal/SCI grants. The final workshop was presented by Mr. Gabriel

Paul Bridle, Leadership Methodologist, speaking to delegates at the 2014 workshop about becoming a successful leader.

10 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

Sekaly, ADM Financial Policy & Business division, who gave the attendees a clear understanding of the new government’s initiatives in education for the coming years.

As always, the conference had entertainment, social events and an opportunity to renew old friendships, create new ones and network with your colleagues.

Ms. Nancy Tallevi, incoming President of OASBO, opened the banquet dinner with greetings; the OMC Chair’s gavel was passed from Dave Fowler to Ian Gaudet, Controller of Facilities at Waterloo Region; and Peter Wright was presented the M. J. Wales Award. It was a successful conference held in a “Canadiana” setting, enjoyed by all marking the OMC’s 66th year. »

Ljiljana Allgeier, OASBO Accounting and Workshop Coordinator (centre); Peter Wright, Manager of Facilities for the Ottawa-Carleton DSB; and Carole Horton, Facility Manger, District School Board Ontario North East.

Solar Rooftops Generate Power and Revenue for Ontario Schools

By Lisa Fattori

Ontario’s schools are going green, thanks to partnerships between provincial school boards and energy firm Potentia Solar Inc. School rooftops outfitted with solar panels are capturing sunlight and converting it to clean electricity, which is then sold to the power grid. Potentia Solar leases the roof space from schools and installs the solar panel systems, at no cost to school boards. The leasing agreements provide school boards with a revenue stream, which helps to bolster budgets, and presents an opportunity for schools to participate in a programs that fosters environmental sustainability.

“For a school board to build out its own solar roofs, it would require up front capital and the expertise to maintain the systems,” says Dan Argiros, CEO of Potentia Solar Inc. in Toronto. “By partnering with Potentia Solar, school boards receive revenue for 20 years, and it’s an opportunity to teach students about solar energy. We design, procure, build and maintain the solar roofs, for a fully integrated service that is available at no cost to our partner school boards.”

Launched in 2009, Ontario’s Feed-in 12 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

Tariff (FIT) program encourages investment in renewable energy technologies by offering long-term contracts to clean energy producers. Potentia Solar has landlords in both the private and public sectors, leasing space from institutional and commercial buildings, including 49 locations of Home Depot and 36 locations of Canadian Tire. The company currently has contracts with five Ontario school boards, including Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Waterloo Catholic District

School Board, Simcoe County District School Board and York Catholic District School Board. Upon the completion of projects, Potentia Solar’s generation capacity in all sectors will be 87 MW, 50.15 MW of which will be from schools.

“Using our rooftops for solar panels represents a great opportunity for YCDSB,” says Norm Vezina, Senior Manager of Environmental and Office Services at York Catholic District School Board. “The board receives a long-term revenue stream, and our students see a real contribution being made to renewable energy at their school.”

In 2013, Potentia Solar partnered with TDSB to install solar panels on the roofs of 311 elementary and secondary schools.

The revenue from leasing rooftops for the purpose of generating solar power is funding roofing repairs and replacements, totaling approximately 4 million square feet of school roofs over the course of the project. Potentia Solar is performing the repairs and replacements on select schools, and is installing the solar panels on schools that have received contracts from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), which was formerly the Ontario Power Authority.

“Roof repairs have been included in

the contract because we were concerned about the condition of our roofs and that they wouldn’t be able to support the extra load of solar panels,” says David Percival, Senior Manager, Building Design and Renewal Facility Services of TDSB. “We saw this project as an opportunity to improve infrastructure that has been underfunded for many years. We’ve saved the board approximately $40 million and upgraded 15 per cent of our school roofs – money that we would have had to find elsewhere. This is a big project that is taking a fair amount of staff time, but it’s helping to address the issue of deteriorating roofs.”

The TDSB Solar Schools Project will be rolled out over the next three years and, when complete, will generate energy equivalent to the amount used annually by approximately 4,250 households in Toronto. Of the 311 sites, 31 are in commercial operation with a large number of other projects underway, in various stages of development. Completed school rooftops include Scarborough Village Public School, Grey Owl Jr Public School and East York Collegiate Institute, with a 372 kW solar panel system, one of the largest among the 311 schools. Schools receiving solar panel installations include those that participate in the TDSB EcoSchool Program. The addition of solar roofs will complement the program’s focus on waste minimization, energy conservation, school ground greening and ecological literacy, within the school environment.

The OCDSB has also entered into a partnership with Potentia Solar, who in 2014

completed the installation of solar panels on 24 of the board’s schools, and with OZZ Solar, another energy firm based in Toronto, who outfitted four schools with rooftop solar systems. These 28 projects join 13 microFIT of solar panels, with 10 kW of capacity for each school – smaller solar energy systems that were funded by the Ministry of Education. Together, the solar roofs have a total capacity of approximately 2,400 kW on leased roof space, and earn the OCDSB about $350,000 per year.

“Had the Ministry of Education not provided renewable energy funding for the microFIT, it wouldn’t have been feasible for us to pull money from the classroom for the installation of solar panels,” says Clement Laferriere, Supervisor of Maintenance and Energy Conservation for OCDSB. “The 28 new solar roofs are leased to the power developers. We don’t have to put up the capital for the installations, but we’re still getting some revenue coming in. Our core function is to educate kids; the fact that we’re able to generate power, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a revenue stream is an added bonus.”

While 80 sites were initially identified as being suitable to generate solar energy, only 28 schools received IESO contracts.

There are several factors to consider in determining the economic viability of potential solar rooftops, such as the size of the roof and its proximity to shade trees and shadowing from adjacent buildings.

Roofs have to have the structural capacity to carry the extra load and the grid has to be able to accommodate the tie-in

of additional power. Of the OCDSB’s 150 schools, 41 have solar roofs and the board hopes to have another 22 approved in the upcoming FIT 4 round of contracts.

All staff and students are able to see the power generated at any of the OCDSB solar sites by accessing a website that provides real-time data about the energy that is being generated by each school. “Students can log on and see how their school compares to other schools, and graphs break down the energy generation in days and weeks,” Laferriere says. “Calculators show how many homes could be powered by the energy generated, as well as other equivalents to show the impact of the solar installations.”

Potentia Solar’s solar rooftop systems are on 70 schools across the five participating school boards, and the company expects to make installations on another 200 schools this year. All components of the solar panels are made in Ontario and, although most leasing contracts are renewed after 20 years, the panels are constructed to operate from 30 to 35 years.

Potentia Solar is currently in talks to negotiate contracts with over a dozen additional school boards in the province and is increasingly fielding inquiries, as word spreads about the opportunity for schools to host solar power generation.

“Because we are the builder, owner and operator of the projects, we are 100 per cent involved,” Argiros says. “School boards have a lot of peace of mind knowing that this is our investment and that we’re committed to taking care of it.” » Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

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Optimizing Peak Performance:

Investing A Little To Get A Lot

By Melanie Franner

Most buildings operate at their optimum performance when newly built. But as time goes on, the efficiency of the operating systems and equipment tends to diminish. What may have started off as a small reduction in performance can culminate in a significant one before too long.

Regular maintenance may counter some of these performance losses but many industry experts suggest that conducting a “big picture” audit or “recommissioning” may prove to be the most beneficial path forward.

A Choice of Benefits Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) advocates the “commissioning” of all buildings. The agency distinguishes between three distinct programs. Commissioning is a term applied to new buildings. “Retrocommissioning” applies to existing buildings that have not previously been commissioned. And “recommissioning” refers to existing buildings that have been previously commissioned.

14 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

To date, many new buildings undergo the commissioning process, which is stipulated as a LEED requirement, but it is less commonly used on new construction unless requested by the owner as a thirdparty testing agency. Also less common is retro- or recommissioning. Although NRCan distinguishes between the two, many in the industry do not.

“The two terms are almost interchangeable,” says Bryan Samis, General Manager of Nova Commissioning Services Ltd. “The goal of both is to go into a building that has been in operation for a number of years and try to bring it back to peak performance. The main difference is that recommissioning is the process of performing tasks on a building that was once commissioned years ago and has established baselines while retro-commissioning is when the building was never commissioned in the first place.”

According to Samis, this requires an initial audit of the building’s operating systems. The audit itself is not a lengthy

Claude Goulet, Focus Commissioning Services.

process – approximately two to three days for a 60,000-square-foot building, like a school. Additional time is taken if the owner decides to move ahead to “fix” whatever the audit finds.

“It’s definitely a great idea for a lot of older buildings that have never been commissioned,” adds Samis. “The operational costs will definitely be lower, with an anticipated return on investment of about five years.”

NRCan suggests that the recommissioning of a building can reduce energy consumption by an average of five to 15 per cent, with annual savings of 30 per cent in some cases. Other benefits, it states, include protection against future liability; reduction in repair and replacement costs;

reduction in utility costs; and enhanced property value.

will improve efficiencies, which will result in a better work environment and reduced labour costs.”

In A Nutshell Over the last five years, Focus Commissioning Services Ltd. has conducted many commissionings and recommissionings.

“Most of our work is done along new building construction,” says Claude Goulet, President of Focus Commissioning Services. “But I would suggest that any building that hasn’t been commissioned should be recommissioned right away. The benefits are immediate, with the top one being energy savings.”

Goulet suggests that a lot of owners may not be aware of the savings inherent in recommissioning. He cites a simple example of a typical audit finding that can have significant consequences.

“Chillers are one of the biggest energy consumers in a building,” he explains. “An owner can attain significant energy savings simply by increasing the chilled water set point by only one degree. There are all sorts of energy savings available, like implementing chiller optimization applications, systems start-stop time optimization, night setback, duty cycling, enthalpy control, light harvesting and much more.”

According to Goulet, an unjustified 10 per cent increase in energy use from one year to the next is reason enough to consider recommissioning of a building.

Other reasons include significant tenant improvement projects, frequent equipment or component failures, increased comfort and indoor air quality complaints, and recent replacement of major energyconsuming systems or controls. He adds that many system operators attempt to provide a quick fix to a problem by modifying or overriding the building’s automation controls, such as overriding fans to stay on 24 hours a day.

“This leads to increased energy costs and more problems down the road,” he says, adding that this is another area where recommissioning would prove advantageous. “Recommissioning will get to the root of the problem so that operators won’t need to override the controls. And it

A Case In Point Mark Twardowski, Manager of Maintenance and Environmental Services with the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), can attest to the benefits inherent in recommissioning. “We have approximately 120 facilities in our system,” he explains. “We regularly perform recommissionings on buildings as part of energy efficiency retrofit projects.”

The SCDSB’s focus on recommissioning as an energy conservation tool began with the Ministry’s Energy Efficient Schools Program, which started in April 2009 and provided $9.6 million to the board to improve the energy efficiency of its schools.

The board saw the energy savings potential inherent in the program and began looking at more comprehensive system reviews. It focused on recommissioning.

“We typically see a return on investment in about six to eight years,” notes Twardowski. “If we don’t anticipate a return on investment within that time frame, we don’t deem it feasible.”

A few of the more typical changes that the SCDSB has implemented as result of the recommissioning are the right sizing of equipment, such as fans and pumps; the upgrading of building automation systems (BAS), including optimizing scheduling and set-points; and the rebalancing of air flow.

A good case study of how recommissioning helped save money in the long run is the SCDSB’s Trillium Woods Elementary School. Items noted during the audit included issues with the HVAC system (air flows below design levels, long ventilation operating periods, heating pump density almost double the targeted standard, air compressor operating during cool, outdoor conditions, unusual occupied loads, etc.). As a result of the audit findings, the SCDSB spent $169,000 in implementing mechanical retrofits and modifications to the HVAC and the BAS operating sequence. But thanks to the corresponding

drop in energy costs – from $75,000 in 2010 to $45,000 in 2012, and the incentives received from the local distribution companies – the SCDSB was able to achieve a payback period of just over five years.

The recommissioning of the 18 SCDSB schools to date, under the Energy Efficient Schools Funding program, has resulted in significant savings that include: a reduction of 480kW of electrical demand; a reduction of 1.8 million kWh in electricity consumption; and a savings of 340,000 cubic metres of gas. This amounts to a total of $280,000 in savings per year.

“As a result of our findings to date, we’ve embarked on a five-year capital plan to perform recommissioning on an additional 28 schools,” says Twardowski, who adds that this was the result of being able to use the success of the Energy Efficient Schools Funding program to build a sustainable business case to continue investing money in additional recommissioning projects to further realize energy savings.

“We consider ourselves to be one of the leaders in this area,” he says. “And we’re confident that we’ll continue to have the same, favourable results as we continue on this path forward.” » Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

15

Cautionary Care:

Dealing With Hazardous Chemicals

By Melanie Franner

Don Hoddinott, YOW Canada Inc.

School safety is of prime importance to educators, parents and students. But the presence of certain chemicals – even common “household” cleaners – can upset an otherwise stable environment. Learning how to properly use and care for chemicals is one of the basic tenets of a safe education.

“Hazardous chemicals typically found in schools include but are not limited to cleaning products used to clean the facilities and chemicals that are used in chemistry and shop classes,” says Don Hoddinott, Director of Business Development at YOW Canada Inc., a provider of occupational health and safety (OH&S) training.

“Many teachers and young students are completely unaware of the dangers associated with these products or even how to deal with them safely.”

Hoddinott says the onus is on school boards, teachers and associated schools to instill and enforce good health and safety awareness to all children throughout their education. He cites the need for proper OH&S training, such as WHMIS (which entails proper training, labelling, safety symbols and Safety Data Sheets that alert users to the risks associated

with using a particular product) for everyone who may potentially work with chemicals, even chemistry or shop students.

Hoddinott cites the tragic example of an 18-year-old student who was killed in May 2011 after he used a hand grinder on a steel drum in shop class as part of a project to make a barbeque. A spark ignited the gas inside the drum – which once contained flammable peppermint oil. The resulting explosion killed him and injured other students.

“There is strong evidence to suggest that had the teacher and the student been properly trained according to WHMIS and other OH&S topics, the tragic death would not likely have occurred,” he says.

Proper Use “It’s a matter of using products safely,” adds WSPS’ Leffley. “School boards in

Ubiquitous Use “The problem with hazardous chemicals is the term ‘hazardous chemicals’,” says Gordon Leffley, Duty Consultant with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). “The old adage ‘the dose makes the poison’ has some truth in it. People tend to dismiss chemicals in school environments because they consider most of them as common household chemicals.

People forget that two-thirds of the chemical weapons used in WWI were made from common household chemicals.”

Leffley cites the example of an incident in 2002 at the Toronto District School Board where a part-time caretaker with 20 years of experience mixed toilet bowl cleaner and bleach – and died as a result of the dangerous gas created.

And accidents are not limited to employees.

16 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

Gordon Leffley, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

particular may face some additional challenges in that they may, for cost-savings purposes, purchase concentrated forms of chemicals and dilute it themselves or purchase bulk containers. The decanting process can be a dangerous one involving spills and concentrated exposures. Subsequent labelling can also be a problem.”

Even the storage of chemicals can pose problems.

“Mixing products is always an issue,” says Leffley, “but part of that can be due to mixing accidents from improper storage. How often do you see chlorine on the same shelf as acid? Together, the two can create toxic chlorine gas.”

Hoddinott emphasizes the need for a specific approach to handling and storing chemicals. “One of the most fundamental approaches to safety with respect to hazardous chemicals/products is to use a ‘hierarchy of controls’ to limit the danger,” he says. “This involves principles which include hazard elimination and engineering controls, which ultimately remove or

limit the possibility of a worker/student from being exposed to the dangers that may be associated with any given product.”

Hoddinott goes on to state that it is a moral, ethical and legal responsibility of every school to provide proper and wellmaintained personal protective equipment (goggles, face masks, gloves, etc.) and to make sure that those who require the equipment are trained on how to use it properly.

Changes in Legislation The proper use and storage of chemicals has recently come into the spotlight due to changes in legislation.

“The main legislation for health and safety in Ontario is the Occupational Health and Safety Act,” says Thushara Jayasooriya, Technical Specialist-Occupational Health & Safety at the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. “For hazardous chemicals in schools, the Occupational Health and Safety Act is

Thushara Jayasooriya, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

combined with the Education Act and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Regulation.”

According to Jayasooriya, updated legislation calls for WHMIS to implement the requirements of the Globally Harmonized System of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS).

“In February 2015, the amended fed-

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the OH&S Act. Until recently, this Act covered paid “workers” only.

“Under Bill 18, the definition of ‘worker’ has been expanded to include unpaid high school students, volunteers, college and university students in certain approved programs, as well as unpaid trainees receiving training for their own benefit and not for the benefit of the employer,” says Hoddinott.

eral Hazardous Products Act and the new Hazardous Product Regulations – which incorporate the GHS into WHMIS – came into force,” she says. “The new WHMIS is identified as WHMIS 2015. It will be implemented over a multi-year transition period.” By December 1, 2018, manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers must use and follow the new WHMIS 2015.

Another change in legislation that may impact schools is Ontario Bill 18, which gives unpaid trainees/students/ workers/volunteers the protection of

Safety First School environments are revered everywhere as places of higher learning.

When it comes to chemicals, this learning should extend to all who have the potential to come into contact with the chemicals – be it the operations and maintenance staff, the teachers or even the students.

“The likelihood of incidents, injury and damage from chemical use in schools can be very high,” Jayasooriya says. “The need to know how to handle the chemicals and what to do in the event of an emergency is critical.”

WSPS’s Leffley concurs and states that everyone needs to be prepared for every emergency.

“Schools need to have the correct emergency equipment on hand,” he says. “They need to determine what they need and how to set it up. For example, having a wallmounted bottle of eye wash isn’t going to suffice. You need to have a flowing system that will provide the 15-minute flush needed for most chemicals. Wall-mounted bottle systems can’t deliver that length of flush.”

A Place of Learning The first rule of thumb when dealing with chemicals is education. Whether that education comes from in-house resources or outside agencies like government and third-party suppliers isn’t as relevant as the education itself. Only by being wellversed in proper procedures can teachers and employees impart that knowledge onto their students. And it’s this very transfer of knowledge that has been proven time and time again to be a vital component of a good education. »

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With information from the Associated Press and Washington Post.

Imagine arriving at work to the sight of 72,000 ladybugs – and you have to clean them up.

That was what happened to staff at a Southern Maryland high school Wednesday, May 20 after five people in masks forced open a door about 3:40 a.m. and released the insects, according to the county sheriff’s office.

What was described as a senior prank didn’t amuse everyone.

“It was a mess,” a Chopticon High School staff member said.

“When you walked in the building, they covered the walls and hallways, flying around, and they were all in a pile in different areas of the building.”

He said vacuuming began at 6:30 a.m. and continued for hours.

Bags of vacuumed-up bugs went into a large trash receptacle, he said, but some insects lingered at the school through Thursday.

Seven people have been charged in the incident. »

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

19

Lessons Learned:

Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools

By Melanie Franner

Clem Laferriere, Supervisor of Maintenance and Energy Conservation at OCDSB.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that indoor air pollution in schools in industrialized countries may be the most prevalent of all environmental hazards. The organization cites a range of potential problems that include molds and toxic fungi; pesticides; volatile organic chemicals emitted from cleaning products, photocopiers and classroom furnishings; and radon gas and outdoor pollutants entering the school buildings (such as industry and traffic exhaust fumes). The WHO also notes that any indoor air quality problems can be exacerbated through faulty heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

“In an environment where you have sealed buildings, the air quality is always a concern,” says Reg Ayre, Health Hazard Manager – Environmental Health Programs with Toronto Public Health. “The goal is to try to reduce indoor air contamination of the air as much as possible. This is achieved by introducing sufficient make up air (from outdoors) into the indoor air so that contaminants are diluted or exhausted out of the building. Schools, in 20 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

Robert Whiting, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

particular, want the optimum conditions for children to learn.”

Robert Whiting, Deputy Manager of Training and Education Services with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), says schools typically pose a particular type of problem.

“The challenge in schools is that there tends to be not enough fresh air coming through the ventilation system to remove the contaminants that come into the air during the day,” he says, adding that carbon dioxide can build up, as can carbon monoxide and all sorts of chemicals generated from the off-gassing of carpet, furniture, paint, cleaning products, etc.

“There’s a kind of ‘soup’ of chemicals that can be generated.”

Whiting adds that the levels of carbon dioxide are often used as an indicator of the indoor air quality.

“There are almost no toxic effects from carbon dioxide until you get to very high concentrations,” he explains, adding that naturally occurring carbon dioxide is around 400 parts per million (ppm). “Anything below 1,000 ppm is standard. The

problem is that the level of carbon dioxide tends to gradually creep up – along with everything else – as the day progresses.”

Most schools counter these rising indoor air “pollutants” by using their ventilation systems to “purge” the indoor air or to bring fresh air into the building. But, thanks to the findings of a recent study between Health Canada and the OttawaCarleton District School Board (OCDSB), this “easy fix” may not be as easy as it sounds.

An Inside Look The new report, entitled Reducing the Impact of Traffic-Related Air Pollutants in Schools: An Intervention Study, states 16 per cent of urban public elementary schools in Canada are located within 75 metres of a major road – and that previous studies have shown associations between residential proximity to major roads and adverse health outcomes in children, such as respiratory symptoms, asthma exacerbations and reductions in lung function.

The study was designed to look specifically at altering the timing of school ventilation systems to see if would reduce the amount of traffic-related air pollution in schools.

“This is the first study of its kind in Canada,” says Clem Laferriere, Supervisor of Maintenance and Energy Conservation at OCDSB. “Health Canada approached us about two years ago and we started to look at potential locations that we could incorporate into the study.”

The study involved data attained from four schools within the OCDSB in October and November 2013. The data was collect-

ed for 16 days with the typical ventilation in use (baseline) and for 16 days with the modified ventilation (intervention) in use.

Results showed significant reductions in the majority of pollutant concentrations observed at the two schools that started at 9 a.m. (late). The one school saw typical pollutant reductions of 34 to 53 per cent.

The second school saw slightly lower reductions of 18 to 24 per cent.

Neither of the two schools that started at 8 a.m. (early) had significant reductions for the majority of pollutants. The study hypothesizes that the early-start schools did not have the same reductions because, during the intervention phase, their ventilation systems were restarted during the rush hour period at 8 a.m., whereas the late-start schools resumed ventilation after the rush hour at 9 a.m.

The report states: “Thus, the primary difference was that in the early-start schools, the ventilation systems needed to start due to occupancy before rush hour was over. On the other hand, the intervention timing was ideal for late-start schools in that fresh air was not brought in during rush hour when traffic pollution levels are highest.”

Other air quality factors that were noted in the report included the age of the building and the location of an adjacent and/ or underground parking garage. Both were found to potentially increase the level of air pollutants coming into the building.

free cooling is done before the morning commute.

“The results showed that all of our participating schools were well within the air-quality requirements,” says Laferriere. “But we opted to change our BAS throughout our schools because there was a benefit to do so and it was an easy fix that didn’t come with a high price tag.”

Working Together The Health Canada and OCDSB study

offers substantive findings that reinforce the correlation between high-traffic outdoor pollutants and its effect on indoor air quality. The good news is that school boards looking to implement changes as a result of the study can do so easily and with very little associated cost.

“This report can definitely have repercussions for other school boards, especially those with urban buildings located in densely populated areas,” concludes Laferriere. »

Results-Oriented OCDSB’s key take-away from the study is to reduce the running time of the ventilation system during the morning commute.

“We recommend that schools run their ventilation systems off of the normal traffic commute period – if possible,” says Laferriere. “Even if schools can turn their ventilation systems off for an hour instead of two hours during the high-traffic period, it will lessen the amount of pollutants being introduced into the indoor air.”

He adds that all air purges should be done during off-traffic periods.

As a result of the study, the OCDSB has reprogrammed all of its building automation systems (BAS) so that the purge and Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

21

Procurement Best Practices Improve Efficiencies and Enhance Value

By Lisa Fattori

Karen Owen from OECM presenting to a group.

Prior to the Ontario government’s Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive, there were no set procurement practices that were mandatory for school boards. While some larger boards had already adopted many of the Directive’s principles, for improved internal efficiencies, the BPS Procurement Directive has helped to streamline and make standard a procurement process that is fair and transparent, and that allows school boards, both large and small, to achieve value for money. Group procurement organizations, such as Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM), are sourcing partners for Ontario’s education sector. Because the Directive also applies to OECM, school boards should have confidence that by leveraging OECM contracts, these contracts will also be compliant with the Directive.

“Even through school boards received funding from the province, under The Education Act, they were considered independent groups, responsible for their own procurement decisions, subject to com22 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

pliance with the BPS Procurement Directive,” says Cheri Hayward, Director-School Business Support Branch for Ontario’s Ministry of Education. “When the BPS Procurement Directive came into effect, there was an expectation of accountability of taxpayers’ dollars. It ensured that the procurement process was transparent, complied with trade agreements, and focused on value for money.”

Effective April 1st, 2011, the BPS Procurement Directive was born out of the province’s Supply Chain Guideline, which was introduced in 2009. Developed in consultation with numerous BPS subsectors, including hospitals, community care access centres, school boards, universities and colleges, the Guideline provided best practices to improve supply chain activities at Ontario’s BPS organizations.

While not mandatory, the Guideline laid the foundation for the principles and procedures of the subsequent Procurement Directive and its focus on accountability, transparency, value for money, quality service delivery and standardized pro-

cesses to remove inefficiencies and create a level playing field.

Under the Procurement Directive, there are 25 mandatory requirements that include Segregation of Duties, Competitive Procurement Thresholds and the Posting of Competitive Procurement Documents.

The Directive applies to all BPS organizations, including hospitals, school boards, colleges, universities, community care access corporations and Children’s Aid Society. A procurement process that is more transparent and fair increases competition, which gives purchasing officers access to vendors that offer the best service and value.

Launched in 2007, OECM is a not-forprofit BPS group procurement organization that was formed to support Ontario’s education sector. The organization’s Marketplace is also open to municipalities, libraries, health services and developmental service agencies. OECM sources out potential vendors of suitable products and services and assists procurement officers in setting up contracts between school boards and OECM’s supplier partners. Procurement departments have access to thousands of products and services in over 40 categories, including office supplies, custodial products, IT products and professional services, furniture, uniforms, plumbing products and more.

OECM seeks out opportunities for collaborative products and services that are commonly used among all school boards, offering greater buying power for significant savings and increased efficiencies.

“OECM’s role is to complement purchasing departments’ efforts and provide collaborative sourcing services to deliver additional savings to our customers,”

says Karen Owen, Director of Sourcing and have an incentive to keep prices low, committees when they issue a request for and Relationship Management with OECM. in order to grow the volume of spend by proposal. As more organizations use the school boards. services of OECM, vendors put forth their “Resources are tight everywhere, so the best prices, which benefits everyone.”

“Vendors want to be involved and more that school boards use OECM, the While OECM had consistently grown its were continually adding new products more they save. If we’re taking care of the customer base since it was launched, the and services to the marketplace,” Owen common needs of schools, then procure2011 Procurement Directive was a catalyst says. “Our challenge is to keep the cost ment departments can address the strafor attracting additional school boards. recovery fee as low as possible, to attract tegic needs of their schools. Purchasing Today, 95 per cent of Ontario’s publicly a greater number of top notch suppliers through OECM frees up time, particularly funded education institutions are buying and to ensure our agreements provide for smaller boards who may have only one through the OECM Marketplace. From 2010 significant savings, as well as quality or two people taking care of purchasing for to 2014, the organization has achieved products and services.” all of the schools in their districts.” over $26 million in validated savings, in The BPS procurement directive, toAll of OECM’s procurements are conjust four categories. Next year, when the gether with the support services offered ducted in compliance with the BPS Provalidated savings of desktops is included,

by OECM, is creating a common playing curement Directive, through a multi-stage that figure is expected to exceed $40 milfield, and improving practices and proprocurement process that includes consullion. cesses across the public sector. “Ontario tations with purchasers and subject matEven when signing an agreement with is a leader in procurement best practices; ter experts about their specific needs; crepartnering suppliers, procurement deno other province has such a rigorous ating Working Groups with representation partments are under no obligation to buy Procurement Directive for the public secby customers across various regions; and from OECM vendors. While OECM received tor,” Hayward says. “School boards have developing a product or service RFx (resome government funding in start-up, the done an amazing job of, first, adopting quest for information, request for proposorganization is moving toward self-suffithe best practices guideline, and then al, request for quote or request for bid). ciency by charging suppliers a very small complying with the procurement pirecAn RFx is posted on Merx™ and Biddingo, percentage fee based on volume of sales. tive – well ahead of any other BPS secbids are evaluated, and an agreement is Vendors have access to a targeted market, tor.” » awarded to preferred vendors. Successful vendors must demonstrate value and other criteria, such as timely delivery and after sale service.

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23

Keeping Unwanted Visitors Out of the Classroom:

The Basics of a Sound IPM Program

By Melanie Franner

A scientific derivative from the agriculture sector, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has come to play an important role in today’s educational community. From rodents to flies to wasps, pesky pests can play havoc within a school – and disrupt student learning in the process. Some evidence even links certain pest proteins with causing allergy-like symptoms in young students. Whether school boards take on the role in-house or call on the expertise of a growing group of professionals, they need to know the basics of a sound IPM program almost as much as they need to know their ABCs.

Understanding IPM The National Pest Management Association (NPMA), a non-profit organization with more than 7,000 members of pest management companies from the 24 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

United States and Canada, defines IPM as “a process involving common sense and sound solutions for treating and controlling pests”. It goes on to state that the solutions incorporate four basic steps: inspection, identification, treatment and monitoring.

Alice Sinia, Quality Assurance Manager, Regulatory/Lab Services, and Resident Entomologist with Orkin Canada, says that IPM uses common-sense pest control where it relies on environmentally friendly ways to manage pests – although pesticides can be used as a last resort.

“We monitor for pests, identify the pest, and if it is necessary to control, we use different control methods such as mechanical control and preventive measures,” she says. “In the event that we do need to use pesticide product, we use appropriately labeled, least toxic products.”

Sinia cites the example of cockroaches.

A sound IPM program would use “glue traps” or “monitors” to monitor and detect for the cockroach activity in highrisk areas of the schools, like cafeterias or lockers. If activity is detected, then the company would work with the school operations personnel to implement an effective control program that would include baiting and habitat modification (i.e. finding and eliminating conditions that support the cockroach infestation, such as food, water, clutter and shelter).

“You have to identify the pest before you can identify the method of control,” she says. “Then you have to determine why the pest is there. Is it a sanitary issue, like having crumbs and water around to attract them? Are there cracks where the pests are getting in? In these cases, the plan of action could be as simple as removing the food source or filling in the cracks.”

Sinia emphasizes that IPM programs are primarily preventative in nature, monitoring the habitat and modifying it to prevent pest population.

She notes that the type of pests most frequently encountered at schools are ants, bees, wasps, cockroaches, flies, rodents and occasionally bed bugs.

P Is For Pesticides Although IPM doesn’t promote the use of pesticides, it does allow for them when necessary. Pesticides are regulated in Canada by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), the branch of Health Canada that administers the Pest Control Products Act on behalf of the Minister of Health.

Pest Proofing for Superintendents, Administrators and Facility Managers • Keep food sealed and stored properly, particularly in facility kitchens and cafeterias.

André Gagnon, Pest Management Regulatory Agency.

Alice Sinia, Orkin Canada.

“Our role is to determine if proposed pesticides can be used safely when label directions are followed and will be effective for their intended use,” André Gagnon, Media Relations Officer for PMRA and Health Canada. “If there is reasonable certainty from scientific evaluation that no harm to human health, future generations or the environment will result from exposure to or use of a pesticide, its registration for use in Canada will be approved.”

The PMRA also monitors the use of pesticides once they are on the market. It does this through a series of education, compliance and enforcement programs.

“Pesticides are also reviewed every 15 years or sooner, as new information is dis-

covered and as science evolves, to make sure they continue to meet the most modern health and environmental standards,” Gagnon says. “We also require companies to report any incident they receive about their products to us, just as we encourage all Canadians to report any incidents to these companies or through the Incident Reporting Program.”

According to Gagnon, the total number of pesticide end-use products registered in Canada is 5,793. This is based on 1,025 technical-grade active ingredients.

“Pesticides are not categorized by their individual use,” adds Gagnon. “They are grouped into domestic, commercial, agricultural or restricted use categories. Gen-

• Clean high-volume areas such as cafeterias and gymnasiums daily where crumbs and trash are more likely to build up.

• Dispose of garbage regularly and store in sealed containers.

• Keep crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

• Look for rodent droppings and gnawing marks in food sources, which indicate a pest problem.

• Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the school, including entry points for utilities and pipes.

• Keep tree branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the building.

• Keep basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

• Repair decaying exterior wood on buildings; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.

• Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.

• Don’t overlook proper drainage at the foundation; install a drainage system, which will channel water away from the building.

• Call a local pest management professional to identify the problem, survey for, and control the pest(s) using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.

Printed with permission from the NPMA.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

25

Pest Proofing for Parents • Clean out your child’s schoolbag each and every day to help prevent pests from being transported from school to home and vice versa.

• Check to make sure that any outdoor toys that might be brought to school for “show and tell” are cleaned and checked for pests before being passed around the classroom.

• Properly pack lunches in sealed containers to prevent pests from finding their way into students’ food.

Printed with permission from the NPMA.

Bulls-eye rash, often seen in the early stage of Lyme disease.

erally, pesticides for use in institutions such as schools, hospitals and daycare facilities fall into the commercial category.

Determining whether a pesticide can be used in a school requires a review of the registered product’s label. If the pest being controlled is listed on the label, and the label directions do not prohibit its use in a school and can be adhered to by the applicator, then the product can be used in a school.”

T Is For Threshold “IPM is not a system that restricts or excludes the use of pesticides,” notes Dr. Jim Fredericks, Chief Entomologist and Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Affairs with the NPMA. “Granted, there is a concern about pesticide use in schools.

Often times, schools will pursue other approaches first, such as exclusion or sanitation issues, to see if they can control the population.”

Fredericks adds that the presence of some pests can actually be harmful to children.

“There are a couple species of cockroaches where the protein in their exoskeleton and in the feces triggers allergy or asthma symptoms in children,” he says.

“This is also true of the proteins found in rodent urine.”

According to Fredericks, one of the biggest differences in an IPM program for schools versus residential or commercial often comes down to threshold levels.

26 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

“As a home owner, I may have a very low threshold for spiders,” he explains. “But in a school environment, the odd spider appearing in a custodial closet may be okay.”

But even within the school environment itself, the threshold levels can vary.

“You will find different thresholds for the same pests within the same school,” he says. “Take the example of the yellowjacket wasp. The threshold in the classroom for a single yellow-jacket wasp is extremely low. But, out in the playground, that threshold may be a bit higher.”

Individual schools or school boards typically work in conjunction with pest management professionals to determine what these thresholds should be. And they also work together to create an action plan to determine treatment options.

“IPM leaves a lot of discretion to the pest management professional, which is important,” Fredericks says. “Every school board

is different. Every school is different.”

Orkin Canada’s Sinia believes that the pest management professional certainly has an important role to play in developing and implementing effective IPMs. But she also feels that a bit more oversight might not be a bad thing.

“I think it would be helpful to have a body at the provincial level under the Ministry of Education or each school district level to spearhead and implement IPM across schools,” she says. “Though the principles are the same, different pest management companies or schools may have different approaches. I think it would prove beneficial to have some uniformity.

Kids fall into the vulnerable category, and I think everything should be done to ensure the pest control and management in schools is achieved using the least toxic products and most environmentally friendly methods.” »

In the news The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has initiated a review of the use of insecticides in its schools as a result of a recent incident in which several students and teachers in two of its schools reported feeling ill after a professional pest management contractor applied an insecticide to eliminate cockroaches.

“An investigation was initiated and it was learned that the contractor used a different product than that which was scheduled for use,” the OCDSB stated on its web site. “Some staff and students began experiencing itchy ears and eyes and reports of those types of symptoms continued over the week; parents were advised to monitor their children. The school district worked with Ottawa Public Health, the Ministries of Labour and Environment and Health Canada….”

The following information (replicated from the OCDSB web site) is from Ottawa Public Health and speaks directly to the OCDSB incident: “Two different insecticides were used at Charles H. Hulse Public School on April 11,

2015. Both had a chemical called propoxur in the insecticide. An aerosol can, like hairspray, was used for one kind of insecticide; the other was more oily. There are other ingredients in the products used to help the insecticide work better; for example, the applications used at Charles H. Hulse PS included a mixture of other chemicals called solvents – isopropanol and paraffin.

“The insecticide was applied by an experienced, licensed pest control operator that has a contract with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to get rid of bugs and other pests. Health Canada is testing to be sure that all the ingredients in the insecticides are identified. Health Canada took samples by swabbing different surfaces where the insecticide was used and took a product sample of the insecticide that was used. As of April 23, the results are not back yet.

“Propoxur has been used widely in Canada since the late 1950s. It is used in different forms, including sprays, gels, powder, room ‘foggers’, insect traps and tapes, and

in flea and tick collars for pets.

“The pesticide propoxur is approved for use in Canada at many different places including indoors and outside of buildings, in vehicles such as boats, ships, trucks, and trains and on pets. Recently, there were changes on how to use propoxur. The old instructions said that propoxur could be used in many different indoor and outdoor situations.

In April 2014, Health Canada (HC) changed the label requirements. It recommended that some of the stronger concentrations stop being used inside homes and places people live and spend long periods of time. These locations include schools, public buildings, day care facilities, passenger areas of trains, buses or airplanes and other indoor locations where children may be exposed.

Use in pet collars has stopped and there were other suggestions for protecting the people who apply the insecticide.

The pesticide application at Charles H. Hulse Public School followed the old label instructions.”

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

27

Bed Bug Basics Things to avoid: • Do not overreact. Typically, one or a few bed bugs hitchhike into the school on clothing, book bags, and other possessions, and then wander looking for a host or another hiding place. A breeding infestation of bed bugs in a school is rare.

• There is no need to close the school or to send students home.

• Do not allow untrained staff to apply insecticides to control the bed bugs.

• Widespread insecticide applications are not necessary.

• Avoid stigmatizing students whom you suspect have brought bed bugs to school from home.

Be Proactive: • Develop a written “bed bug action plan” in advance of problems being identified with specific procedures and responsibilities for responding to a bed bug incident.

• Educate teachers and staff on:

- Basic bed bug biology and habits.

- How to recognize bed bugs, and their evidence.

- Their responsibility and roles regarding bed bugs and school response.

Actions to reduce the risk of bed bug spread: • If bed bugs are found in a classroom or other location, do the following:

- Get specimens, if possible, for professional identification.

- Check the surrounding area thoroughly for more bed bugs, and then arrange for an inspection as soon as possible by an in-house or outside pest management professional.

- Consider the use of a certified bed bug scent detection canine team to locate all bed bug sites.

- Map out bed bug sightings and confirmed findings.

- Use control tactics consistent with school IPM guidelines and regulations.

- Include nonchemical approaches such as steam treatment, cleaning and vacuuming, heat treatment, reducing clutter, trapping and monitoring.

- Inspect and monitor all areas that have been serviced for bed bugs until no more bugs have been found for at least two months.

• If a bed bug is found on a student or on a student’s belongings it suggests but does not prove that the student may be living in a home with bed bugs.

28 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

- Students suspected of having bed bugs should be discretely removed from class so a school nurse or other authorized staff member can check for bed bugs in clothes and possessions. (Bed bugs are very seldom found on the body.)

- If bed bugs are confirmed, the student’s parents should be notified.

- Provide guidance to student families who are known or suspected of having bed bugs.

- When bed bugs have been confirmed in a classroom, the school’s administration should consider notifying the parents of other students in the same class, or even of the entire school.

• For students in classes that have been experiencing problems with bed bugs, consider the following:

- Regularly inspect clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, lockers, desks, and even school buses.

- Provide information to all parents on bed bugs, the importance of eliminating bed bugs at home, guidance for choosing a pest control company or requesting service from landlords, and how to avoid bringing the bugs to school.

- Reduce clutter. Avoid storing jackets, backpacks, and other personal items in close contact with those of other students.

- Encourage students to limit the items they take to school.

- Encourage students to store school supplies in protective boxes at home and not near beds or couches.

- Consider a dedicated commercial dryer or heating unit to selectively disinfest clothes, backpacks, and other items suspected of harboring bed bugs or eggs.

- If bed bugs are a common problem in the school, the pest management professional may recommend passive or active monitoring or periodic inspections, possibly including the use of a certified canine bed bug scent detection team.

Printed with permission from the NPMA.

AEDs:

Essential Safety for Today’s Schools

By Amanda Lefley What comes to mind when you think of heart disease, heart failure or cardiac arrest? A common conception is not of an individual between the ages of four and 18. However, 19 per cent of ventricular defibrillation – the initial rhythm of cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting – occurs to those ages five to 18; 7.6 per cent to those ages one to seven; and 20 per cent to those ages eight to 18, according to a representative from the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF). This is why the placement of an automated external defibrillator (AED) within a public school setting is an important safety element not just for the general public, but also the students themselves. “[Everyone has] thought of cardiac arrest as only being an old person’s disease, but I always come back and say define the number, define the age of what is old,” says Mike Hoffman, Manager of National AED Programs for the HSF. “Anyone, at any age, can have a cardiac arrest.”

An AED is a portable device that analyzes and looks for shockable heart rhythms, advises the rescuer of the need for defibrillation and delivers that shock, if needed. The use of an AED with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within the first three minutes of a cardiac arrest can increase an individual’s chance of survival by up to 75%.1 Essentially, fast use of an AED doubles one’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, according to the HSF. The AED’s technology makes these on-site devices safe to house and use. The machine is battery-operated, cannot damage the user or patient, and the apparatus cannot shock a beating heart. The technology also guides users through voice commands and visual prompts.

“Some of them have a real-time feedback, indicating to the rescuer push harder, push deeper, push faster in order to maintain the rhythm that is required,” explains Hoffman. “There are others reminding that you need to call 911. Voice prompts tell you to clear yourself from the patient prior to delivering a shock.”

Hoffman explained AEDs are essential in public places where there are frequent gatherings of large groups of people. He said schools not only have high populations of students, but also teachers and parents. Schools are also buildings that house participants enduring physical activity, and in rural settings they serve as recreational facilities to the broader community. Facilities within both the Waterloo Region District School Board and

Lakehead Public Schools are such places. That is why all schools within those divisions house AEDs, with 38 machines in Lakehead and 120 in Waterloo.

“We have community access programs, daycare programs, so it is not just a school-based thing. A lot of our facilities are used throughout the public for other events as well,” says Kyle Ulvang, Health and Safety Officer with Lakehead Public Schools, who adds that AEDs have been located in Lakehead schools since 2010, with none of the machines being deployed to date.

Ulvang explains the machines are inspected monthly to ensure they are ready for service, in addition to an annual review where batteries and pads can be changed. “They are well maintained and ready to go,” he notes.

“The safety of our students and our staff is paramount to us; that is our first priority,” says Graham Shantz, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services at the Waterloo Region District School Board. “Having a device such as an AED is another option that supports creating a safe environment for students, staff and community members.”

Community groups use facilities within the Waterloo district almost nightly, and while an AED has never been used on a student or staff member, one of the school board’s AEDs was deployed during a community rental, helping to save a life. “Access to the AEDs was something that was a promotion and a safety component for our community,” says Shantz.

Ted McMeekin, current MPP for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, sponsored Bill 41 in 2010. The bill proposed defibrillators should be accessible at locations where members of the public frequent, which includes Ontario schools. However, an election campaign interrupted the bill’s progression and it never came to fruition. At the time, the government allotted $17 million to locate and train people on the use of AEDs. “I think it is very important that we have AEDs in public places.

They save lives. They’re not all that expensive. A number of school boards (have) them as a matter of course, and the sooner that becomes the standard procedure, the better off we’ll all be,” says McMeekin.

Weisfeldt M, et al. Survival after application of AED’s before arrival of the emergency medical system. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2010, 55, 1713-20. »

1

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

29

Green with Envy

Simcoe County DSB Utilizes Metering Data for Energy Conservation

By Margaret Manetta, Marketing Coordinator, CARMA Industries Inc.

Michael Strilchuk, chief custodian at Fred C. Cook, stands in front of the CARMA energy lobby display at the recently built elementary school.

Looking to improve on their existing energy-efficiency program,

“We are always striving to be more energy efficient,” says Kayla

and in response to the introduction of the Green Energy Act, in

Kalalian, Environmental Systems Coordinator at SCDSB. “You have

2011, Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) was seeking

to know what you’re using to make an effective change; that’s why

partners who could support this ambitious energy management

energy monitoring is a large part of our energy conservation and

program.

demand management plan for the board.”

Maintenance and Environmental Services selected Carma In-

The data from the Carma submetering system helps them to

dustries for the implementation of electricity, gas and water sub-

identify any performance issues, how equipment is working and

metering for five schools within the board. Carma was also asked

ensures their schools are running optimally. This means deter-

to meter alternative energy sources in one of their high schools,

mining if equipment is running on weekends or tightening up the

solar hot water, photovoltaic and geothermal heating. With the

building automation system for scheduling errors. As an example,

success of the initial pilot, the board once again turned to Carma

the Carma system was able to pinpoint unusually high electricity

to meter two additional schools within the next year.

usage at one of their elementary schools. After investigating, it

30 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

increase your CARMA, reduce your costs

Green building tools for energy management and sustainability • Reduce Operating Costs • Reach Environmental Goals • In-School Energy Displays

Call today at 1-888-298-3336 or CarmaIndustries.com c 2013 CARMA Industries Inc. All rights reserved.

“You have to know what you’re using to make an effective change; that’s why energy monitoring is a large part of our energy conservation and demand management plan for the board.” was found the outside lights were staying on, the real-time data allowed maintenance staff to immediately resolve the issue. Facilities are able to attribute the lost kilowatt hours to an actual monetary value.

“We were impressed with Carma’s school board experience and they understand the process involved,” says Kalalian. “The post installation support and care we receive from Carma is phenomenal. They don’t just install equipment and walk away.”

In addition to analyzing building performance, the board uses the submetering data to bill back to leased spaces at one of their secondary schools. The two tenant spaces are submetered; without this information they would have to rely on square-footage numbers, which can be an inaccurate way of calculating utility bills. The Carma system has also been used to help cross-reference the board’s historical utility bills against invoices from the local utility company. The local utility has agreed to use the Carma system as the basis for the board’s demand billing to ensure its accuracy.

SCDSB has been introducing new heating and cooling technologies at some of their secondary and elementary schools, such as ground source heating. Utilizing metering data, they will be able to conduct a comparison analysis to determine how efficiently this new technology is working.

Using the submetering data from their existing schools can be valuable information when it comes time to design and build new facilities. While equipment efficiency is important, the goal is to reach total building and envelope efficiency. This is achieved

through examining how energy is currently being used in existing buildings and applying that knowledge to new construction, both for architectural and mechanical design. Metering data can be provided to designers to illustrate how it is possible to replicate energy efficiencies in existing schools.

Energy intensity goals can also be set using metering information. SCDSB aims for a total ekWh/sf of 10 for new elementary schools and 12 for new secondary schools. While these are aggressive numbers, they can be achieved by helping to engage occupants in behavioural change.

When students, teachers and guests walk into Fred C. Cook elementary school, not only are they entering a recently constructed facility, they are also greeted by a Carma energy-monitoring display in the main lobby. The built-in television monitor displays real-time electricity, gas and water usage that helps to reinforce energy conservation messages within the school. “We really liked the visually appealing graphics of the posters, the energy content is age appropriate and we can put our own branding on the displays, including school announcements on the TV carousel if we want to,” explains Kalalian.

“There is definitely a lot of curiosity when it comes to the lobby energy displays. The students and teachers want to know more,” says Jessica Kukac, Environmental Systems Coordinator at SCDSB. The appetite to have access to the energy information is high and can also be used to help drive curriculum and reinforce classroom assignments.

Maintenance and Environmental Services is moving forward implementing the board’s first phase of its Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan, which includes auditing and retrofitting nine schools. The facilities were selected with the assistance of data derived from the Carma system to help determine what, if any, lighting, mechanical or building automation system upgrades could be implemented to maximize energy efficiencies.

SCDSB is progressing with their environmental and energy initiatives with understanding actual building performance. “We have the ability to suggest and implement new programs because we have data to back up our proposals,” Kukac explains. “Our success on energy efficiencies comes from data.” »

The Millwork Solutions Company

Rick Ellul

District Sales Manager Mississauga Office TF: 866-805-7089 Tel: 416-659-1298 rick.ellul@ca.belimo.com

32 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

BELIMO Aircontrols (CAN) Inc.

5845 Kennedy Road Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 2G3 www.belimo.ca

Proudly Canadian, serving the industrial, commercial & institutional construction industry since 1994

– JOHN D. LASSEL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

johnl@baywoodinteriors.com

830 TRILLIUM DRIVE, KITCHENER, ON 4OLL &REE s www.baywoodinteriors.com

586437_Baywood_Interiors.indd 1

11/05/12 2:24 PM

A New Way of Collecting Waste Developed with the end user in mind, the Molok® Deep Collection™ system is a semi-underground waste solution that is changing the way waste and recyclables are collected. The vertical, semi-underground design of the Molok® system means that only 40 per cent of the container is visible while the remaining 60 per cent is underground. This system offers a solution to problems often associated with waste, while also providing a variety of benefits. Learn how the Molok® Deep Collection™ system can help your school reduce maintenance and operating costs, as well as helping you to become more environmentally friendly.

Smaller Footprint Due to its vertical, semi-underground design, only 40 per cent of the container is visible above ground, with the rest directly below. This design results in a much smaller footprint compared to conventional collection containers. Requiring less space for waste collection can help in relieving crowding issues. Further contributing to the flexibility of the Molok® Deep Collection™ system is the manner in which containers are emptied. Molok® containers are emptied through the bottom of the reusable lifting liner. The collector simply attaches the hoist to the lifting loop, positions the liner over the truck and pulls a rope to release the contents.

With the main well remaining stationary and the lifting liner being vertically removed by crane, there are significantly fewer restrictions for the siting of Molok® containers. Containers can be placed behind shrubs, sidewalks, and fences, and approached for emptying from almost any direction.

Lowering Operating Costs The use of Molok® Deep Collection™ containers will provide lower operating costs over the lifetime of the school. The vertical, semi-underground design uses gravity to compact the waste. This results in greater container capacity, thus reducing service frequency and, by extension, operating costs. Since waste in Molok® containers needs only to be collected when full, Molok® containers can easily accommodate collection needs in the changing seasons. In the lower-use summer months, the large capacity and reduced odours allows waste to be stored for longer periods, further reducing collection frequencies and costs. Using multiple Molok® containers for collecting waste, recyclables, organics and used cooking oil will also contribute to reduced operating costs,

as source separation and appropriate collection frequencies will take place.

Reduced Maintenance The Molok® Deep Collection™ system can help reduce the maintenance required for waste collection and waste collection areas.

Once the Molok® containers are installed, they will remain in place for at least 20 years, providing durability with minimal annual maintenance. The need to replace or repair Molok® containers is almost non-existent, resulting in continued savings. Molok® containers also do not require an enclosure, saving on additional building and maintenance costs. The contained design of Molok® containers securely keeps the waste inside, preventing litter from being spread across the property. Additionally, the lower temperatures underground slow bacterial development, significantly reducing odours, thus preventing insects and urban wildlife from being attracted to the area. The emptying method further contributes to the cleanliness. Since waste is being lifted out instead of being tipped, the smelly, insect-attracting drippings that are normally associated with waste collection are non-existent. The use of Molok® containers on schools grounds will reduce the amount of maintenance required for the waste area, as well as reduce the cleaning and litter picking that would regularly be required by staff.

Appearance and Hygiene With an aesthetically pleasing design, multiple options for the exterior facade, and the ability to be incorporated into landscaping, Molok® containers do not have to be hidden away. Containers can be directly incorporated into a site plan in prominent and convenient locations. Further contributing to this flexibility of placement are the reduced odours due to the lower underground temperatures mentioned previously. Additionally, the self-closing user lid prevents the escape of contained waste and disturbance from wildlife and insects.

The Molok® Deep Collection™ system is an effective waste solution for any property. Millions of happy users enjoy the benefits of this sys¬tem every day, including a fast-growing number of Ontario schools. To learn more about the system, please visit www.MolokNA.com or contact us at 1-877-558-5576. » Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

33

Don’t Be Driven To Distraction

A message from the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association Ever since the automobile was first invented, there have been distractions that can pull the driver’s attention away from the task at hand. In the past, those distractions were limited to people inside and objects outside the vehicle, such as animals, pedestrians, traffic, and road conditions. However, modern technology has provided new distractions to the driver: music and DVD players, cell phones, laptops, tablets, GPS devices, etc. Recent studies show that even if a driver uses hands-free technology to access these devices, they are still a distraction hazard.

No matter how good we think we are at multitasking, we all have a limited capacity to process the information received by our senses. As the amount of sensory information increases, it becomes more difficult for the brain to process that information. We may believe we’re multitasking, but we’re just reducing our ability to pay attention to each task.

Types of Distractions Anything that takes your full attention away from driving can be considered a distraction. In general, there are four types of distractions.

Visual – a visual distraction occurs when a driver looks at anything other than the road ahead of them. Visual distractions are not limited to exterior items such as billboards or scenery; they also include interior visual distractions, like adjusting the seat or steering wheel.

Audible – an audible distraction can include someone talking to you either in person or on the phone, listening to the car radio or a music player, or paying attention to noises outside of the vehicle.

Physical – a physical distraction can happen when a driver performs an action that isn’t related to driving and that action causes them to remove a hand from the steering wheel. This can include drinking a coffee or reaching for something close by.

Psychological – a psychological distraction occurs when a driver is thinking about something not related to driving the vehicle.

Those thoughts are usually related to stressful situations at home or at work.

Preventing Distracted Driving We may never be able to remove completely the distractions of modern life while we’re driving. However, there are some things we can do to lessen them. The most important one is to be aware 34 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2015

that our attention needs to be on the road. In addition, there are things you can do before driving and while driving to limit your distractions.

Before driving • Allow for plenty of time – We’ve all been in the situation where we’re running late because we’ve left late. Most of us try to save time by multi-tasking while we drive. If you give yourself extra time in the morning to get ready, you can eliminate this problem.

• Pre-trip inspection – Checking your vehicle before you get in will help you identify a potential problem before it’s too late.

• Map it out – Before travelling, map out your route or destination first. Put your travel information into your GPS while you’re still parked.

• Be comfortable – Before putting the car in gear, make sure you’re in a comfortable sitting position. Adjust the temperature controls, mirrors, and steering wheel, and set up your music (find your favourite radio station or plug in your MP3 player).

• Keep it clean – Things like pop cans, wrappers, coffee cups, or sports equipment can all become a distraction by moving or rolling around on the floor. By cleaning your car, you can limit this distraction.

While Driving • Use hands-free devices – In Ontario, it’s against the law to use hand-held communication and entertainment devices while driving. Although hands-free devices are permitted, the best practice is not to make or receive any phone calls while operating a vehicle. Let all phone calls go directly to your voicemail.

• Refuse to answer emails or text messages – Each time you read a text or an email, you’re taking your eyes off of the road for a minimum of four seconds. By not looking at your text messages or emails while driving, you will reduce a possible distraction.

• Eat, drink, and groom at home – Give yourself the time to eat, drink, and do your personal grooming at home before you get into your vehicle. Driving should be your main focus.

• Stay relaxed and alert – It’s important to stay relaxed and alert while driving. Stress and fatigue can lessen your ability to react.

By following those best practices regularly, you will be able to reduce distractions, focus more on the task of driving, and identify any potential hazards that may arise during your trip.

For further information, visit www.ihsa.ca. »

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