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| A short time after the Oct 19/98 meeting at which custodian Fisher expressed concern about student access to dangerous cleaning chemicals and Principal Buckley & Vice Principal Al Lalonde kissed Fisher off on all points making Custodian Fisher feel like he was beat up and Head Custodian Stutter feel like he really didn't count, the school received the following letter The letter below indicates that a custodian suffered an eye injury while mixing cleaning chemicals, the same chemicals that Principal Buckley said that the students would have to consume a lot of to harm them. Fisher was vindicated. It can be said that Principal Buckley, the on-site custodial supervisor received little or no training to carry out those duties and thus placed the students and staff at risk. Remember the opening statement on page one discussed the switch from a full time custodian supervisor to the each principal being the on-site supervisor. Dispite this letter of warning the custodian room door was found to be left open and unlocked for another 16 days, when the young children had full access to the chemicals stored inside. Note that in the upper right hand corner the initial MB for Principal Buckley having received and read the letter, yet she did virtually nothing about the dangers that Fisher pointed out to her. |
| THINGS FISHER DID TO TRY AND MAKE THE SCHOOL SAFER |
| Attached an identification name tag to the open pail of chemicals. Placed a chemical warning sign for teachers in the 4 plex custodian room. Notified the Head Custodian that the door was open and unlocked. Removed the concentrated cleaning chemicals from the custodian room. Placed the spray bottles of chemicals on the top shelf. Returned bottles of chemicals found in classroom to the custodian room. Purchased with his own money a y shaped hose so hot water could be mixed cooler. Removed all obsolete bottles of chemicals from the custodian room. Placed ID labels on all unmarked chemical spray bottles. Notified the Head Custodian that the WHMIS Binder was obsolete. Posted a notice for teachers to keep the custodian room door locked when unoccupied. In contrast Principal did virtually nothing except to talk to the teachers and to order a sign for the door, she did not even make up a tempoary door sign or have the teachers monitor that the door was kept locked. Of course Buckley did not think the children would get to the chemicals in the unlocked room and that "we were making a big thing out of nothing" (see page 6 item #1 thru#7). |
| WESTBANK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
| UNSAFE CONDITIONS |