Procedure #NP418.0, Dividing Partitions

Application

Board Procedure #NP418.0, Dividing Partitions addresses the roles and responsibilities of individuals authorized and required to operate and service dividing partitions in Board facilities.

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Stakeholder Groups with Responsibilities Under this Policy

 

Relationship to Board priorities

Environment – Effective and Sustainable Educational Programs: Implementing measures to improve safety in school and workplace improvement plans.

Student Achievement and Well-Being – Continuously increasing student achievement and well-being through a culture of caring and learning, which emphasizes safe and supportive schools and workplaces.

Stewardship of Board Resources – Aligning human and financial resources with Board priorities by:

This procedure is also aligned with the Plant Services Commitment Statement.

 

Implementation Timelines

Immediately.

 

Summary of Changes

Overview of Major Changes to the Document

New definition highlights authorized persons.

Supervisors of Facility Services (SoFS) and Caretakers’ roles have been more formally outlined including:

Principals’ responsibilities have been revised to reflect:

Administrative Services’ responsibilities have been added to reflect process for identifying municipal representatives who require training and arranging for waiver completion.

Identified Municipal Representatives’ responsibilities have been added to reflect training and waiver requirements.

Authorized Persons’ responsibilities have been revised to reflect safety measures and the process for reporting damaged or unsafe dividing partitions.

Who is affected by these changes and what is the impact on current practice?

Principals are now required to:

Administrative Services are now required to:

Authorized Persons are now required to:

Feedback, Timelines and Next Steps

Revisions to the Dividing Partitions Procedure were approved at the September 23, 2014 Senior Team Meeting. This procedure will be posted and adopted by the system as a working document. Comments will be received for six school months and will be considered by the appropriate staff and committees in April 2015.

Questions about the content of the Dividing Partitions procedure should be raised with your principal, manager or supervisor. If additional clarification is required, principals, managers and supervisors may contact Jerry Stoangi, Senior Manager of Plant Services and Pierre Schipper, Manager of Facility Services (Operations).

In accordance with Board Policy #285.0Board Policies, Procedures and Supporting Documents, the Board welcomes all comments and suggestions on Board policy and procedure.

Input is an important component of the review process. If you feel a policy and/or procedure needs to be revised, it is most helpful if you outline clearly the specific section(s) of the policy and/or procedure in which you are not comfortable, the reason(s) for your concern(s) and also suggest specific alternate wording to reflect your position.

Specific recommendations should be submitted via e-mail to policy.committee@yrdsb.ca, or to the attention of the Assistant Manager, Board and Trustee Services by fax at 905-727-3984 or in hard copy at the following mailing address:

York Region District School Board The Education Centre – Aurora

Attention: Assistant Manager, Board and Trustee Services 60 Wellington Street West, Box 40

Aurora, ON L4G 3H2

Questions regarding the policy and procedure review process can be directed to the Assistant Manager, Board and Trustee Services at policy.committee@yrdsb.ca or 905-727-0022 extension 2217.

   

 

Document History and Previous Versions

Approved April 2007

Revision Drafted September 23, 2014

Working Document September 2014

 


It is the expectation of the York Region District School Board that all employees, students and persons invited to or visiting Board property, or partaking/volunteering in Board or school-sponsored events and activities, will respect the policies and procedures of the Board.


 

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Board Procedure #NP418.0 Dividing Partitions

Document Integration Project Format

The Dividing Partitions procedure outlines the roles and responsibilities of individuals authorized and required to safely operate and service dividing partitions in Board facilities.

 

1. Definitions

 

1.1 Authorized Persons

Authorized persons are individuals who have been trained and authorized by Plant Services and/or the Board’s Health & Safety Department to operate dividing partitions. This includes, but is not limited to: Supervisors of Facility Services, Caretakers, teaching staff and identified municipal representatives.

For non-Board staff, namely municipal staff, a Board waiver provided by the Board’s Administrative Services must be signed after completing training.

For electrically operated dividing partitions where two individuals are required to activate two key switches in unison to operate the partition: if there is only one trained authorized person on site, then one key switch shall be operated by the authorized person while the other switch may be operated by an adult (18 years of age and older). The trained authorized person shall provide the untrained adult with a brief orientation of the responsibilities of the untrained person before partition operation.

 

1.2 Dividing Partitions

Dividing partitions are installed flexible wall systems that enable facilities to divide rooms as needed. These are also known as movable walls, dividing curtains and accordion partitions. Dividing partitions are manually or electrically operated.

The term dividing partitions includes all of the above noted partition types.

 

1.2.1 Common Types of Dividing Partitions

 

Movable Walls

Movable walls are hinged wall sections typically installed in classrooms and gymnasiums which divide or enclose the space by opening and/or folding in sections running along a horizontal track. The movable walls the Board installs in gymnasiums are electrically operated and movable walls installed in classrooms are manually operated.

 

Dividing Curtains

Dividing curtains are walls typically installed in gymnasiums and divide or enclose the space by lowering and/or raising from the ceiling to the floor running along a vertical track. Dividing curtains the Board installs are only electrically operated.

 

2. Responsibilities

 

2.1 The Director of Education shall:

  1. allocate staff and resources to support the Dividing Partitions procedure.

 

2.2 Associate Director - Corporate and School Services shall:

  1. provide the resources and direction necessary to ensure the Dividing Partitions procedure is adhered to by those responsible.

 

2.3 Plant Services shall:

  1. ensure all caretaking staff responsible for operating and maintaining dividing partitions are familiar with and abide by the requirements of the Dividing Partitions procedure and any relevant supporting documents;

  2. oversee the installation, replacement and maintenance of all dividing partitions;

  3. develop and maintain design and installation specifications for all new dividing partitions;

  4. be financially responsible for the maintenance and service of all dividing partitions;

  5. act upon all service requests received through the Repair & Replacement (R&R) system or directly from Assistant Managers Maintenance;

  6. arrange regular preventative maintenance inspections for all dividing partitions by a Board-approved service contractor;

  7. in conjunction with the Health and Safety Department, develop and facilitate a training program to be attended by all authorized staff on the safe operation of dividing partitions; and

  8. maintain a database of trained Plant Services staff members.

 

2.4 The Health and Safety Department shall:

  1. maintain a database of trained teachers, principals, vice-principals and any other non-Plant Services and non-Board staff members; and

  2. periodically or by request, provide schools with a list of trained staff members.

 

2.5 Supervisors of Facility Services and Caretakers shall:

  1. be familiar with and abide by the requirements set-out in the Dividing Partitions procedure and any relevant supporting documents;

  2. participate in a training program provided by Plant Services;

  3. support the day-to-day operation and use of dividing partitions;

  4. perform routine monthly inspections for all dividing partitions in service as outlined in the Plant Services Life & Safety Binder – Operable Dividing Partition Inspection Log;

  5. where possible, open or close dividing partition before room occupants enter a space;

  6. not tamper with or make mechanisms ineffective with tie-down devices to dividing partition key switches;

  7. when necessary, investigate and act upon maintenance or operational issues, including;

  8. contact the appropriate Assistant Manager, Maintenance if the school principal and/or site manager or designate requests that a previously locked dividing partition initially instructed to be left permanently open or closed is to be brought back into service so that;

 

2.6 Principals shall:

  1. be familiar with and implement the requirements set-out in the Dividing Partitions procedure and any relevant supporting documents;

  2. during normal school operating periods:

 

2.7 Administrative Services shall:

  1. on an annual basis, and as required, identify any municipal representatives who require dividing partition training; and

  2. arrange for trained municipal representatives to complete the waiver authorizing the operation of dividing partitions.

 

2.8 Identified Municipal Representatives (as directed by Administrative Services) shall:

  1. be familiar with and abide by the requirements in the Dividing Partitions procedure and any relevant supporting documents;

  2. participate in a training program provided by the Plant Services Department; and

  3. complete a Board waiver authorizing the operation of dividing partitions.

 

2.9 Authorized Persons shall:

  1. be familiar with the Dividing Partitions procedure and any relevant supporting documents;

  2. not operate dividing partitions unless successfully completed the Plant Services training program;

  3. if only one trained person is available, but two key operators are required, provide untrained adult with a brief orientation of the responsibilities before partition operation;

  4. where possible, open or close dividing partition before room occupants enter a space;

  5. not damage, vandalize, encumber access to or otherwise make inoperable dividing partitions;

  6. not tamper with or make mechanisms ineffective with tie-down devices to dividing partition key switches; and

  7. immediately contact on-site caretaking staff, the school principal/site manager or designate to report damaged or unsafe dividing partitions.

 

3. Department

Plant Services

 

4. Procedure History

Approved April 2007

Revision Drafted September 23, 2014

Working Document September 2014