A Note from the Workplace Safety Committee
The North Schuylkill School District Workplace Safety Committee was established in December 2009 under Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Section 129.
To ensure broad representation, North Schuylkill includes administration, teachers, building staff, transportation personnel, custodians, cafeteria workers, and central office employees. This diversity guarantees that safety recommendations address the unique hazards of each work area. Committee members complete mandatory annual training approved by the Department of Labor and Industry, which keeps their hazard identification and loss prevention strategies both current and compliant with state regulations.
Meetings are held monthly and rotate through different district facilities so members can conduct on-site walkthroughs and complete standardized safety checklists. This hands-on approach ensures that building-specific hazards are identified and addressed promptly. After each meeting, minutes and key safety bulletins are shared on staff bulletin boards and via email to maintain transparency and keep every employee informed of recent findings and planned corrective actions.
A proactive stance on incident reporting underpins the committee’s work. Staff are encouraged to report workplace accidents or near misses within 24 hours so that root cause analyses can guide preventive measures. Each month, the committee reviews these reports and collaboratively develops solutions, a practice credited by many districts with reducing injuries, lowering hidden costs, and boosting overall safety awareness. Annual certification and program evaluations complete the committee’s cycle, ensuring North Schuylkill’s safety practices remain effective, compliant, and responsive to emerging workplace risks.