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Environmental Health & Safety
The Northwest Service Cooperative provides health and safety services to schools, cities, counties, and government agencies. Services include OSHA compliance issues, asbestos testing, indoor air quality testing, and drug and alcohol testing for district bus drivers.
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The Northwest Service Cooperative contracts with school districts in the region to provide health and safety services. This includes OSHA compliance issues that range from training to management plans and inspections. We also provide asbestos testing and project management, indoor air quality testing, and drug and alcohol testing for district bus drivers.
NWSC Environmental Health & Safety Programs
The Northwest Service Cooperative hosts a Health, Safety, and Management Assistance (HSEM) Program for regional school districts. Designed to provide on-site regional health, safety, and environmental management assistance to school districts, these services assist districts in identifying, prioritizing and scheduling health and safety capital projects and in the development and betterment of written programs.
Health & Safety Services
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Health and Safety can offer schools and other governmental agencies a variety of programs and services including:
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Accident Reduction Program
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Asbestos: inspection, reporting, air monitoring and design
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Blood borne pathogens
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Chemical hygiene
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Community Right to Know
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Compliance documentation
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Compressed gas
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Confined space entry
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DOT Drug & Alcohol compliance testing
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Emergency Action Plan
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Hazardous Communications (Employee Right to Know)
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Hazardous Waste Management
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Lockout/Tagout
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Mock OSHA Inspections
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Personal Protective Equipment
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Storage Tanks: testing, monitoring, remediation, and underground
Meet the Environmental Health & Safety Team
H & S Management Assistance Services
The Health & Safety (H&S) Management Assistance program provides consultation and coordination of services related to the management of environmental health and safety concerns for school districts. These services may include:
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Assist schools in identifying and prioritizing health and safety programs.
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Annual on-site school district visits that include mock-OSHA inspections and review of safety programs to ensure compliance with Federal and State rules and regulations
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Work with the MN Dept of Education and other Service Cooperatives in the development of future health & safety workshops, meetings, trainings, etc.
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District liaison with the MN Dept of Education for questions/concerns related to Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) funding
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MN Dept of Education contact person for more information on district LTFM/H&S projects and interpretation of fundability approvals
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Personalized service in summarizing communications informing schools of timelines when LTFM reports and other plans need to be submitted to the MDE and review of those plans
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Assistance in determining allowable vs non-allowable LTFM/H&S projects and expenditures
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Assistance in coding LTFM/H&S projects
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Local availability and expertise in assisting with OSHA and LTFM/H&S questions and concerns
The Consultant
Barb has worked in the health and safety field since 1991, working with both the public and private sector. She specializes in working with counties, school districts and both small and large businesses in the northwest corner of Minnesota. Barb has worked with the Northwest Service Cooperative for over 20 years providing H&S Management Consulting Services. She specializes in mock-OSHA inspections, safety program reviews, assists districts with H&S/LTFM funding, and is a liaison between districts in the northwest region and the MN Dept of Education. Her heart is in working to make our schools a safe and healthy place to work and attend. She is always available to answer questions or provide assistance.
For more information,contact:
Barb Schmitz
218-465-4009 or
218-280-9180