FILE:  GAMF

Cf:  GAMFB

EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND SAFETY

The East Feliciana Parish School Board recognizes the importance of protecting the health and welfare of students, teachers, and other employees of the educational system from the spread of communicable diseases.  The transfer of certain diseases by contact with body fluids may pose a health risk to students, teachers and employees. Therefore, decisions regarding the type of educational and care setting for an infected person should be based on the behavior, neurologic development, and physical interaction with others in that setting.  The risk in the school setting should also be considered since children may have a greater risk of encountering infectious agents in a school setting than at home.

It is imperative that the school system respect the infected individual's right to privacy; therefore, knowledge that a child or an employee has a communicable disease should be confined to those persons who have a direct need to know.  Those persons should be provided with appropriate information and should be made aware of the requirements of confidentiality; however, as with any contagious disease, the public health department shall be notified.

HANDLING BODY FLUIDS IN SCHOOL

All personnel shall be required to follow specific guidelines in the handling of body fluids in the school setting.  While the risk of infection may be low, contact with body fluids shall be minimized.  Every employee shall be acquainted with the necessary requirements for minimizing contact with body fluids.  Employees who do not use all precautions outlined in the guidelines for handling body fluids may be subject to disciplinary action. An employee having contact with any body fluids shall make a complete written report of the incident and submit it to the Superintendent or his or her designee.

Adopted:  August 4, 1998

Ref:   20 USC 1400-1482 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

29 USC 706 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Other Rehabilitation Services)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:436, 17:437

Health and Safety, Bulletin 135, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 8-4-98

East Feliciana Parish School Board