Asbestos Awareness Training Class - 2-part certification course
Offered in Sessions 2 & 3
This workshop is for school custodial and maintenance staff who may perform activities in areas that could bring them in contact with but do not disturb known or presumed asbestos-containing building materials. This course meets EPA AHERA initial training and OSHA annual training requirements. Upon completion of both sessions, a certificate of completion will be provided.
Presenter: Beth Faria, Sr. Project Manager - Industrial Hygiene, Building Sciences, Atlas Technical Consultants LLC.
Automating Your Sports Field Preparation
Offered in Session 1
This session will focus on the integration of autonomous mowing and painting for athletic fields. We will discuss robotic mowers, line painting equipment, and how this technology can save time and money. This session provides a hands-on look at examples of the robots that carry out the work.
Presenters: Cody Schuster from Grasslands and Mark Zeytoonjian from Turff Robotics
Beyond Repairs: Preventive Maintenance, Safety Programs and Training
Offered in Session 1
Description coming
Presented by VSBIT/VEHI
Flooding and moisture and mold, oh my!
Offered in Session 1
Humid summers, flooding and plumbing and roof leaks can all lead to mold growth in schools. Mold can impact the health of students and staff, especially those with asthma or mold allergies. In this workshop, learn about mold, the health effects it can cause, what steps to take to prevent mold, and the key to fixing a mold problem.
Presenter: Michelle Thompson, VT Department of Health
Mastering Workplace Efficiency: Time Management and Skip-Cleaning Strategies
Offered in Session 1 and 3
This session will explore practical methods to enhance productivity and optimize cleaning processes. Attendees will learn essential time management skills, including creating effective task lists and prioritizing duties to minimize distractions and procrastination. We will also introduce skip-cleaning, a strategy to reduce costs and improve resource allocation. Through real-world examples and best practices, participants will gain actionable insights to implement these strategies and achieve greater workplace efficiency.
Presenters: Alex Austin, Hillyard, District Sales Manager & Derek Madden, St. Albans Town Ed. Center, Facilities Manager
PCB's
Offered in Session 3
Act 74: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Testing in Schools – How did we get here, what has changed, & what lies ahead?
In this session, we will cover the program’s conception and developments. We will discuss sampling conducted and detail resulting facility and learning environment related issues. The session will end with an opportunity for questions and answers focused on potential projections related to the future of school specific infrastructure in Vermont.
This session will be presented by Rob Montgomery. Rob is an Associate and the Office Leader of Fuss & O’Neill’s Williston, VT office. Rob has provided environmental consulting services throughout Vermont and New England for over 20 years.
Playground Safety and Maintenance
Offered in Session 2
Through experiences inspecting playgrounds, workshop presenter will take you through
the typical playground hazards seen at schools and then discuss how to correct them. A portion of this workshop will be conducted outside at the playground so attendees can look for hazards which may be present.
Presenter: Heidi Joyce, Multi-Line Risk Management Consultant and Certified Playground Safety Inspector, VSBIT
Properly Labeling Cleaning Chemicals: OSHA's Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals Program
Offered in Session 1
Do you have cleaning chemicals? Are they properly labeled? Do you have the Safety Data Sheets (no longer Material Safety Data Sheets) for those products? These are all questions a Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration (VOSHA) compliance officer may ask you. This workshop will discuss the regulatory obligations of employers under OSHA's 'new' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) and the Global Hazard Communication (HAZCOM) regulation.
Presenter: Shawn Barth, Project WorkSAFE, Vermont Department of Labor; Shawn Barth, Industrial Hygienist, Project WorkSAFE, Vermont Department of Labor
Restroom Cleaning – the Right way. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of the toughest area to keep clean and hygienic in any school!
Offered in all three sessions, limit 20 people per session, Preregistration Required
This hands-on workshop will first focus on manual cleaning, using hand tools and traditional chemical application followed by utilization of mechanized cleaning tools and discussion on the ergonomics and ease of cleaning using modern cleaning tools.
Presenters: Hillyard New England
Safety Systems of Vermont
Offered in Session 2
Description to come
School Safety Essentials for Facility Personnel
Offered in Session 2
Join us for an engaging and informative workshop designed specifically for school custodians and maintenance workers. This workshop will focus on the crucial role you play in ensuring a safe school environment. It will cover practical topics such as emergency preparedness, identifying and mitigating potential hazards, effective communication, and best practices for maintaining secure facilities. Learn how to enhance your skills and contribute to a safer school for students and staff alike.
Presenter: Sunni Erickson; Grants Program Manager, Vermont Emergency Management
Vermont Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (VMERS) Overview
Offered in Session 1
This workshop will provide detailed retirement information for employees who participate in VMERS.
Presenters: Jessica Parks, Retirement Specialist, and Erica Kew, Retirement Operations Program Technician, Office of the Vermont State Treasurer
Wish I had known that before: Lessons from Winooski
A 2-part workshop - Part 1: Panel Discussion, Part 2: Tour
This panel discussion will use the Winooski School Capital Project as a Case Study. After a brief summary of the project and its history and major features, a panel will focus on how the work of maintenance and custodial staff are affected by decisions made during a major capital renewal or construction project. Some questions that will be addressed include: How different are modern finish and HVAC systems and how are they different from what you are used to? Which types of systems or materials have positive or negative impacts on maintenance and custodial work? How can you influence the design team regarding material or equipment choices? How much planning should be done by facilities staff before construction is completed? How should a School Board be prepared for changes in maintenance personnel or equipment costs? The goal of this session is to increase overall readiness among VSCMA members in Vermont for major renovation projects and to help maintenance and facility teams be better prepared to influence school renovation and construction projects in a positive way as valued members of the project team
Cheyne Racine, Director of Facilities, Winooski SD; Lyall Smith, District Director of Property Services, Burlington SD; and Cam Featherstonhaugh, Senior Associate, TruexCullins