Student Injured as Floor in C Building Gives Way
Health & Safety Committee Needed

September 16, 2008

On Sept. 11 a student in Marie McFaul’s math class in C252 was quietly taking notes, when the floor beneath his chair suddenly gave way. The leg of his chair plunged through the hole in the floor, dumping the student on the floor.

The student was embarrassed and reported pain in his left shoulder and neck which he may have hit the table when he went down.

Marie called security, reported the accident and requested assistance. Then she waited almost 15 minutes for someone to show up.

The Public Safety officer who arrived was friendly and helpful, took statements and pictures of the accident scene.

But when Marie asked for an accident report, she was told they didn’t have one, and that she should look on the website. When she couldn’t find one on the website, she was told they would fax it to her.

There was clearly no process in place to report an accident, to evacuate the room, or to protect other students from an unsafe and potentially dangerous situation.

So Marie took matters into her own hands and moved the class to room C257 since she and her students were concerned about the integrity of the floor in C252.

Marie also posted a note on the door warning others of the danger.

The next day, she filled out the accident report, which said to return it to the “Safety Manager”. She called Public Safety, and was told to turn it in to Human Resources. When she tried to call HR, she was unable to connect with a live person. So she emailed it to her dean and associate dean.

What needs to happen around here to get the administration to take health and safety issues seriously?

Does the floor need to cave in? Oh, that already happened….

Does the ceiling need to fall in? Oh, that already happened…
Remember the Main Building, where a 5th floor hallway ceiling collapsed?

Or the C Building Music Department where a chunk of concrete fell out of the ceiling?

Or the T Building, where massive water damage caused the collapse of 4th floor ceilings several years ago and the collapse of a ceiling over the front entrance this spring?

Our new Emergency Procedures Guide doesn’t have a chapter on what to do if the ceiling or the floor falls in, but you’d think they’d respond to a call on the emergency phone, or have an accident report handy.

This recent incident points up the urgent and continuing need for a comprehensive District-wide response, for all issues related to health and safety.

We need safety training, offered by WisCOSH under a grant from OSHA, on our rights under the law.

We need a Hazard Communication Program and current Material Safety Data Sheets, to inform us of chemical hazards and controls in our work areas.

We need a Chemical Hygiene/Lab Safety Program to protect the health of faculty, students, and staff in our science labs.

We need Chemical Spill procedures and training in all of our labs and shops.

We need an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan, and a District-wide IAQ Coordinator, to implement the Tools for Schools/Tools for Techs action plan and ensure a team-based approach to problem-solving.

Last spring Dr. Cole agreed that the college needed a Joint Health and Safety Committee, with administration and union representation to ensure everyone’s right under federal and state law to a safe workplace free of recognized hazards. It is time to get that committee organized!