Safety Considerations

in the Family Studies Classroom

Written by

Yvonne Howard

Michelle Tkach

Reviewed by

Carole Booth

Denise Kelly

Edited and Managed by

Michelyn Putignano

July 2002
Contents

Rationale 4

Exceptional Students in the Family Studies Classroom7

Safety Considerations in the Family Studies Classroom - Food and Nutrition8

• Safety Issues and Concerns

  • Potential hazards in the Family Studies Classroom
  • Procedures for the Safe Use of Equipment
  • Procedures to Use in the Event of an Accident

Teaching and Assessment Tools14

•Getting Ready to Cook Diagnostic Test

•Letter to Parents/Guardians

•Safety Contract

• Food Allergies/Consideration

•Practical Safety Hazards Diagnostic Test

• Food Storage and Safety Overhead

• Food Lab Diagnostic Rubric

• Food Lab Completion Checklist

• Nutrition Matters Food Allergies … What’s the Scoop

• Classroom Safety Posters

• FAQ’s about Food Safety

• Bacterial Food borne Illness in Canada

• Food Safety Classroom Posters

•Ideas for Further Study/Enrichment

Food and Nutrition Sciences Resources 44

Safety Considerations in the Family Studies Classroom – Fashion46

Fashion –Safety Issues and Concerns47

The Facilities and Potential Hazards 47

Equipment and Operating Practice 48

Practice for Accident Prevention 49

Teaching and Assessment Tools 50

Getting Ready to Sew Diagnostic Test

Fashion Lab Activity Areas Scramble

Establishing Classroom Safety Rules Fill in the Blanks

Letter to Parents/Guardians

Fashion Safety Agreement

Teacher Classroom Safety Checklist

Personal safety habit evaluation

Safety posters

Resources 67

Appendices68

Peel District School Board Operating Procedures for Environmental

Health and Safety in Board Facilities

Toronto Public Health – Nutrition Matters Food Allergies … What’s

The Scoop?

Room To Sew

Choosing and Using Cutting Tools

RATIONALE

The information in this document represents a compilation of recommendations from the Ministry of Labour, The Ontario Health and Safety Act, the Ministry of Education and local School Boards on expectations regarding safety requirements in the family studies foods and fashion classroom, specifically the courses Fashion and Creative Expression (Grade 11, HNC30) The Fashion Industry (Grade12, HNB4O), and Foods and Nutrition Sciences (Grade 12, HFA4M). This material is also applicable to all other family studies courses with a practical component.

As in many family studies courses, practical and experiential education is valued and encouraged. With this in mind, teachers must ensure that safety requirements are known and that all safety procedures are strictly followed when students are involved in a lab or hands-on activity. It is important that students are aware of potentially hazardous situations and that the proper use of equipment be taught and practiced.

According to Facts and Figures Health and Safety on the Job from the Ministry of Labour (August 17, 2000) “Greater awareness of workplace health and safety risks, and more systematic training and supervision, translates into lower injury and illness rates.” From this same document the Legislation places a number of requirements on employers. These include:

  • Providing and maintaining a safe workplace, including equipment and protective devices;
  • Articulating a health and safety policy and developing a training program to carry it out;
  • Protecting workers from dangerous situations; and
  • Telling workers about any known hazard and providing training to work safely with the hazard.

How does this information translate to the high school curriculum? Workplace health and safety information and practices are “being woven into high school courses so they can be absorbed in context and seen to be integral to the subject.” The Achievement Chart for the Ontario Curriculum, Social Sciences and Humanities, Grade 11 and 12 (2000) encompasses the assessment of all of the curriculum expectations in the course. Within the Application category of the Achievement Chart reference is made to the student’s ability to “ use procedures, equipment, and technology safely and correctly” (level three).

As prepared by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, general guidelines for school workers include the following performance objectives as a general guide for working safely in schools:

  • Recognize workplace hazards.
  • Prevent accident and injury by safe work practices and use of personal protective equipment.
  • Deal with accidents and emergencies.
  • Understand duties and rights as given in occupational health and safety legislation.
  • Contact government departments to find additional health and safety information.

All teachers must familiarize themselves with their legal rights and duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1990. Schools are required to post a copy of the Act in a prominent location, often the staff room or the school office. Contact your principal or board health and safety officer if you require clarification on the Act. The Act states that an employer (the board) has the responsibility to provide a safe workplace and that the employee (the teacher) has the duty to work in a safe manner. Students must also be made aware of their rights and responsibilities to work in a safe manner. Students must be provided with a safe work environment but at the same time it is their responsibility to inform the teacher of any hazards that may exist.

Teacher’s responsibilities with respect to safety are also addressed by a number of other pieces of legislation. Within the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the following framework describes how to comply with the requirements. For the purpose of this application, the supervisor represents teaching staff, the workspace represents the classroom and the worker be the student then the responsibilities are clear.

As a supervisor in the workspace one shall:

  • Ensure that a worker complies with the Act and regulations.
  • Ensure that any equipment, protective devises or clothing required by the Act, a regulation or employer are used or worn by a worker.
  • Advise a worker of any potential or actual danger to the health or safety of the worker of which the supervisor is aware.
  • Take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker.

Within the Education Act a teacher’s legal obligations regarding safety are also addressed. Teachers:

“In addition to the duties assigned to the teacher under the Act and by the Board, a Teacher shall;

(g) Ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in courses and activities for which the teacher is responsible.”

Regulation 298, Section 20 (formerly Reg. 262, Section 21) - Duties of Teachers

Teachers must according to the Education Act:

  • Exemplify safe behaviour in teaching practices and procedures,
  • Instruct students in general and specific safety precautions and ensure the use of personal protection equipment where it is required,
  • Implement documented safety education programmes in accordance with school board policies and the regulations and standards of other regulatory bodies,
  • Maintain proper order and discipline in the classroom and while on duty in the school or on school grounds, and
  • Report any serious accidents to the administration indicating the cause and the treatment given, together with corrective actions taken.

The Standards of Practice for Teachers published by the Ontario Teachers College states that teachers will establish a safe and supportive learning environment for students.

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is another piece of legislation that both teachers and students should be aware of.WHIMS is essential to the employee’s right to know. It consists of warning labels that identify the nature of a hazard (e.g. flammable, poisonous, biohazardous); material safety data sheets (MSDS) that describe the nature of the material, what harmful effects it may have, and how to work safely with it; and training so that employees will understand the labels and data sheets fully. It is illegal for an employer to use or store a hazardous material without applying a WHMIS label and providing an MSDS and training so all workers can work safely with it. Check with your health and safety representative at your school and board for more information on WHMIS.

Specific information from local district school boards vary. Operating procedures for environmental Health and Safety in board facilities describe in detail the procedures for subject specific instructional program. Included in this document (see appendix) you will find an excerpt from the Peel District School Board of Education Section 2, subsection 2.20.1 Safety in family studies. This will provide some information on how one board has implemented recommendations and may be adapted for use in other school boards. However, by law your employer must provide you with a safe and healthy workplace therefore the school board will have particular procedures designed for your school. Contact your local district school board office and/or your local federation for the health and safety guidelines specific to your board.

Finally, our personal liability as family studies teachers is critical; thus the responsibility we have to our students and to ourselves is paramount. Historically, teachers supervising in a sewing lab have been subject to charges of negligence as well as jointly liable for damages of $56,000 (The Supreme Court of Ontario August 1990). The permanent and tragic physical disability to the student should not or cannot ever be overlooked.

Exceptional Students in the Family Studies Classroom

In our role as teachers we are required to observe, identify and plan program that meets the needs of all students within our classes. The nature of the family studies program often makes it an appropriate choice for students with special needs. It can be very challenging to design program that meets those needs. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) must be developed and maintained for every student who has been identified as exceptional. An IEP may also be prepared for a student who is receiving additional support but has not been identified as exceptional through the IPRC process. The IEP:

• identifies the student’s learning expectations

• outlines how the school will help the student meet those expectations

• identifies the school and community resources that will be used

• identifies the methods by which the student’s progress will be reviewed

(Program Planning and Assessment 2000)

In most cases the expectations stated in a student’s IEP will be the same or similar to those stated in the curriculum policy document. Accommodations may be made to teaching and learning strategies that do not change the expectations outlined in the curriculum and therefore do not affect the granting of credits for completed work. In some cases students require modifications to course expectations. It is up to the principal to determine whether the student has met the requirements for credit in the course when modifications have been made.

Students with physical impairments may require accommodations be made to the classroom and the equipment in the food or clothing lab. For example, the teacher may need to ensure barrier-free access to kitchen appliances in the food lab. The number of students who can work in a lab area may need to be reduced to allow wheelchair accessibility. Accommodations may need to be made to sewing machines or other equipment that require fine or large motor skills. Students working in a group will need to divide tasks according to student ability.

In the process of planning for exceptional students, teachers must take into account the individual students strengths, needs, learning expectations and accommodations identified in the student’s IEP. Teachers must also be selective when choosing resources, teaching and learning strategies and appropriate assessment techniques. In the family studies classroom the use of specialized equipment may also be required.

Safety Considerations

in the Family Studies Classroom

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Written by

Yvonne Howard

Reviewed by

Carole Booth

Denise Kelly

Edited and Managed by

Michelyn Putignano

July 2002

FOODS AND NUTRITION – SAFETY ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Since the prerequisite for Food and Nutrition Sciences (HFA4M) is, “Any university, university/college, or college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English or Canadian and world studies,” it is likely that many students taking the course will not have received the necessary training to work in a safe and healthy manner in the family studies classroom. There are no expectations that refer to health and safety in the family studies classroom contained in the curriculum document but safety is implicit in many of the expectations. The curriculum policy document for Social Sciences and Humanities, Grade 11 and 12 (2000) states:

In family studies courses, teachers must take particular care to ensure that safety

Requirements are met and safety procedures followed when students are involved in practical activities. Students must be made aware of any health or safety hazards that might be connected with the activities in which they are engaged and must be coached in the proper use of safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers. Schools must provide pre-placement health and safety instruction for students in work experience and cooperative education programs. Employers are expected to provide placement-specific health and safety training as part of a student’s learning plan. (page 141)

HFA4M contains the following specific expectations that require an understanding and application of health and safety requirements in the family studies lab environment:

SO1.05 – plan menus for, select, and prepare foods, taking into consideration economic, geographical, and seasonal factors that affect the availability of ingredients.

S02.03 – plan a menu for, select, and prepare foods that would meet selected dietary needs during the stages of life

PR2.07 – use available resources, including computer technology, both to plan a menu consisting of foods that will maintain good health, and to select and prepare those foods

PR1.05 – demonstrate how to use equipment correctly to prepare and store foods for maximum nutrient retention (e.g. steamer, pressure cooker, freezer).

PR3. 03 – design, cost, market, produce, and evaluate a food product (e.g. flavoured vinegar, sugared nutmeats, seasonal cookies).

GC1.05 – demonstrate an understanding of the scientific principles of a variety of types of food preparation (e.g. starch cookery, gluten development, protein cookery).

GC1.05 – plan, prepare, and serve (using available ingredients and technology) specific foods prepared in the style of a variety of ethnic and/or Native cuisines, and draw comparisons among them.

SC1.06 – prepare a menu using some new food products or recipes, and evaluate the results

The Food and Nutrition course offers opportunities for practical application of knowledge gained in the course.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN THE FAMILY STUDIES KITCHEN

Most family studies kitchens are set up to resemble a home kitchen environment. Hazards that are present in the home may also be present in the family studies kitchen. Stoves, knives, small equipment, electrical appliances, kitchen cabinets and drawers all hold the potential for injury. Some hazards such as accidental ingestion of a poisonous cleanser may be not present as many boards prohibit the use of such products in schools. However there are many opportunities for accidents to occur in the kitchen, and virtually all equipment used has the potential to contribute to an accident. Personal safety is a primary concern in the kitchen and must be addressed before students are allowed to cook. All students must be made aware of the potential hazards and what to do in case an accident occurs. It is important that students are not made anxious of working in the kitchen but that they understand that it is possible to prepare food in a safe manner. It should be stressed that accidents in the food lab are infrequent.

Since students are preparing and consuming food in the family studies kitchen, they must be aware of the potential for food borne illnesses and how to prevent these. Again, basic rules and their consistent application will ensure that the food prepared and eaten is safe. Media attention about food borne illnesses has raised the awareness of the general public. Students may need to be reassured that the preparation of healthy food is possible by following the basic procedures they have learned in class.

Safety is always of primary importance in a food lab situation. Hazards can be divided into two types; physical and food.

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Cuts
  • Burns
  • Electrical shock
  • Poisonings
  • Choking
  • Slips and Falls
  • Fires

FOOD SAFETY

  • Contaminants
  • Personal cleanliness
  • Kitchen cleanliness
  • Storage of food
  • Allergic reactions to food

Refer to the Teacher Resource Section for overheads/ student worksheet/ teaching and learning strategies dealing with the above topics.

PROCEDURES FOR THE SAFE USE OF EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE FAMILY STUDIES FOOD LAB

Safety is an integral part of the family studies program. The physical appearance and organization of the lab should emphasize safety. Maintenance of all equipment must be done on a regular basis to ensure a safe working environment for all students and staff. Safety posters and other types of reminders should be evident throughout the classroom.

The following procedures are applicable to most family studies food labs. They will need to be adjusted to the particular classroom environments. All procedures should be discussed with students before the use of any equipment.

1. General Responsibility

~

The following suggestions will ensure that students work efficiently and safely. Students should:

• be familiar with the location and use of safety equipment.

• follow safety rules at all times; always follow the teacher's instructions; work

efficiently, quietly and carefully.

• share responsibilities and work with others.

• keep work surfaces orderly; arrange utensils conveniently; crowding the work

space causes confusion, spills and accidents; wipe up all spills immediately.