***Version française au bas de la page*** “Police search for suspects in elementary school arson in Brampton, causing millions in damage”: this type of headline is an unfortunate side effect of the school closures. Arsonists and vandals generally seek properties that are vacant or where operations are temporarily shut down. It is public knowledge that schools have been closed since…
***Version française au bas de la page*** The following are proactive steps that can be taken to minimize damage in advance of flood conditions and may assist in reducing the impact of flooding on your school building. These preparations are equally important during school closures. These practical steps can be taken immediately to reduce your risk profile: Include flood hazard…
***Version française au bas de la page*** “During the COVID-19 pandemic, with adolescents likely to use digital platforms even more for personal or educational purposes, there could be a concurrent increase in cyberbullying, an expert warned. When smartphones and social media became ubiquitous for students, cyberbullying rates went up,” Sameer Hinduja, PhD, professor of criminology and criminal justice at Florida…
***Version française au bas de la page*** The spring and summer months are generally the time that school boards are entering into various construction projects. With the Ford government identifying construction as an essential business our members, have several questions pertaining to their own construction projects, such as: Should we continue with our construction projects? What type of correspondence should…
On March 30 it was announced that Ontario is issuing a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to close all outdoor recreational amenities, such as sports fields and playgrounds, effective immediately. The following are some tips to consider for alerting the public of the closure, reprinted by permission of the author, Scott Belair. Scott is…
***Version française au bas de la page*** Unfortunately, it is in times like these, when it is known that many businesses have closed their doors, that there is an added risk to property owners. During school closures an inspection program can help reduce water damage, accidental fire, vandalism and deter arson. Inspections should be conducted every 48 hours to ensure the…
***Version française au bas de la page*** Recent news articles have been published about the closure of public use playground equipment amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19. The concern is valid given that, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the virus can survive up to three days on plastic and stainless-steel surfaces (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200317-covid-19-how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces). Some municipalities have made…
***Version française au bas de la page*** School boards who regularly organize events, activities or sporting programs within their own board or with other school boards or independent schools in their region will often prefer to have these events organized and operated by an athletic association. The question arises, is the athletic association covered by OSBIE’s Commercial General Liability insurance…
***Version française au bas de la page*** Slip and fall (or loss of balance) claims have the highest percentage of liability claims frequency across OSBIE membership. The following is an example of a slip and fall claim and how liability was determined. Description of loss The claimant (the injured person) lost balance in the parking lot (right where the yellow…
***Version française au bas de la page*** With the ongoing withdrawal of services, we’ve received inquiries about managing school activities during this time. Here are some examples that have been brought to our attention along with OSBIE’s recommendations. School event now deemed a non-sanctioned school event Example: A local university is scheduled to host a secondary school event. The event…
