***Version française au bas de la page*** While inspections should occur year-round, now that the snow is melting it’s an excellent time to perform detailed site inspections to assess any hazards that may have occurred over the winter. Under the Occupiers Liability Act, occupiers of property (school boards) are responsible to ensure that the premises are reasonably safe for all…
Students love to help. It gives them a sense of responsibility and the feeling of being a valued member of the school community. Common types of student helper tasks include stacking chairs, moving desks, AV carts, and emptying recycling bins. While well-intentioned, the risk management concerns related to having student “helpers” assist with moving furniture and equipment or performing maintenance…
***Version française au bas de la page*** This year’s long range winter forecast – SNOW!!! Since our inception, slips and falls due to ice and snow remain the most frequent cause of loss and source of claims. Resulting injuries range from sprains to fractures to closed head injuries. Slip and fall incidents are also one of the more preventable situations….
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 Time: 2:00 PM EDT Speaker: Allison Palis, OSBIE Session Description: While playground equipment may be closed to students during the school day due to COVID-19, it is important that maintenance and inspection routines continue for those community members that use the equipment after-hours and on weekends. During this webinar we will discuss: The CAN/CSA Z614…
While COVID-19 has resulted in the cancellation of many activities and events, we are pleased to share that OSBIE presentations are not one of them! OSBIE is offering a series of webinars during the month of June at no charge for our members. Here’s a chance to sharpen and enhance your insurance and risk management knowledge from the comfort of…
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*** Schools have always been regarded as short-term evacuation centers. With the schools currently being shut down indefinitely in conjunction with community needs to deal with COVID-19, we believe there is a chance that our members may be approached to help support their communities. We would expect most, if not all, school boards have…
***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*** 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…
