NINE MILE FALLS, WA — A custodian at Lakeside High School who sued the Nine Miles Falls School District after becoming distraught from being forced to clean up the scene of a student’s 2004 suicide had her lawsuit reinstated Tuesday by the Washington Court of Appeals after it was dismissed in January 2008, according to the Spokesman-Review.
Debbie Rothwell claims she stayed at work until after 4 a.m. cleaning the mess of blood, brain and bone all alone and became "emotionally distraught and physically ill" before returning to the school less than four hours later at Superintendent Michael Green's orders to serve cookies and coffee to grieving students and keep the media away from the school, the story stated.
William Powell, Rothwell's lawyer, said: "There are people who do clean up the mess after one of these horrible murders or suicides happen. But the superintendent in this case chose not to do that. He should have known better."
The heart of the case is whether Rothwell’s claim of post-traumatic stress disorder falls under the Industrial Injury Act, which prohibits lawsuits based on industry injury or occupational disease, the story noted.
According to the story, Judges John A. Schultheis and Dennis J. Sweeney originally ruled the incident was not the result of one work order and therefore was not covered by the Industrial Injury Act, a ruling that was overturned by the Court of Appeals.
Rothwell seeks unspecified damages from the district in the lawsuit, the story added.
Click here to read the complete article.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Recession hits immigrant janitorial forces hard
LOS ANGELES — Immigrants, including those working in janitorial services, have been hit harder than native-born Americans by the recession, with larger increases in joblessness among both educated and uneducated workers, according to an article in the LA Times.
The heavily immigrant sector of janitorial services is reeling from widespread job losses, according to a California study, the article said.
Downturns in the home financing industry in Orange County and among high-tech firms in Silicon Valley have particularly hurt, said Mike Garcia, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 1877, which represents about 25,000 janitors statewide, according to the article.
San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc. recently cut its janitorial staff to 108 from 210 — a move the union is protesting, the article noted.
"We've never experienced this kind of pressure on janitors before," Garcia said in the article.
The heavily immigrant sector of janitorial services is reeling from widespread job losses, according to a California study, the article said.
Downturns in the home financing industry in Orange County and among high-tech firms in Silicon Valley have particularly hurt, said Mike Garcia, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 1877, which represents about 25,000 janitors statewide, according to the article.
San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc. recently cut its janitorial staff to 108 from 210 — a move the union is protesting, the article noted.
"We've never experienced this kind of pressure on janitors before," Garcia said in the article.
Swine Flu fears close school district for a week
RIO GRANDE CITY, TX — Rio Grande City School District officials have closed all district schools and encouraged the nearly 10,000 students in the district to stay home amid fears of swine flu, according to The Brownsville Herald.
According to the story, this week is the testing period for theTexas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test used in primary and secondary schools to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science and social studies skills required under Texas education standards.
Rio Grande City schools Superintendent Roel Gonzalez said: “I have too many kids who are absent and too many kids who are sick trying to come in and take the [TAKS] test. It's just causing too many problems. They watch the news from Mexico and there's a high level of anxiety, so I visited a bunch of schools today and I just felt so bad. One kid had a fever ... he vomited on his answer sheet and still wanted to take the test.”
The district decided closing all campuses was a wise choice because several students were showing up to school and exhibiting flu-like symptoms that could potentially spread to other students and their friends and family, the story stated.
Custodians are taking advantage of the school closings by sanitizing and disinfecting common areas and high-touch surfaces around throughout each school, the story noted.
Some custodians have decided to leave the thermostat at 62 degrees through the weekend in an effort to kill off any germs left behind, the story added.
According to the story, this week is the testing period for theTexas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test used in primary and secondary schools to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science and social studies skills required under Texas education standards.
Rio Grande City schools Superintendent Roel Gonzalez said: “I have too many kids who are absent and too many kids who are sick trying to come in and take the [TAKS] test. It's just causing too many problems. They watch the news from Mexico and there's a high level of anxiety, so I visited a bunch of schools today and I just felt so bad. One kid had a fever ... he vomited on his answer sheet and still wanted to take the test.”
The district decided closing all campuses was a wise choice because several students were showing up to school and exhibiting flu-like symptoms that could potentially spread to other students and their friends and family, the story stated.
Custodians are taking advantage of the school closings by sanitizing and disinfecting common areas and high-touch surfaces around throughout each school, the story noted.
Some custodians have decided to leave the thermostat at 62 degrees through the weekend in an effort to kill off any germs left behind, the story added.
Infections Alert for Institutions of Higher Education
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Infections Alert for Institutions of Higher Education
Page last updated May 1, 2009, 1:30 AM ET
CDC has identified cases of H1N1 influenza virus infection in people in a number of states. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases.
The same virus has been found in people in Mexico, the United States and Canada and is being reported in other countries as well. Symptoms for H1N1 flu have included fever, headache, upper respiratory tract symptoms (cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea), myalgia, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea. Illnesses among persons infected with H1N1 flu virus have mostly been treated at home, but some cases have been hospitalized and deaths have been reported. It is anticipated that many more cases, including cases that require hospitalizations and some that result in death, will occur. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases are expected in the coming days and weeks.
CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. The World Health Organization has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level. In response to these developments, CDC is recommending that states, communities, institutions and individuals assess their emergency response plans and capacities.
For post secondary institutions of higher education, CDC recommends that you:
Review your institutions plans for responding to a public health emergency and make sure they are up to date.
Know local/state plans for institutions of higher education in the event of a mild or severe disease outbreak. This information may be available from state or local health authorities, (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/index.html).
Ask your campus health center to develop and implement a system to track and report (to the local health department) influenza-like illness (an illness with at least fever and sore throat or cough) among students.
Persons with influenza-like-illness should consult their physician and the institution should consult with their local or state health department for recommendations on identifying persons with H1N1 flu and ways to prevent spread of this virus.
Institutions of higher education should promote everyday preventive actions for students and staff:
1) Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
2) Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
3) Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
4) Avoid close contact with sick people.
5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
6) If you get influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home from work or school except to seek medical care and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Monitor the postings on the CDC web site and that of your local and state health departments and follow local health department advice about possible closure of colleges and universities
Contact your local public health department if you have questions or suspected cases.
Institutions of higher education can help protect the health of their staff and their students by calling attention to the every day preventive actions that can be taken to prevent the spread of influenza. (Please consider posting or distributing the everyday actions to prevent the spread of influenza attached with this memo across campus including residential dorms).
Review and implement, if needed, CDC Guidelines and Recommendations for Preventing the Spread of Influenza (the Flu) in a declared pandemic. (See appendix 7, Pandemic Influenza Community Mitigation Interim Planning Guide for Colleges and Universities, available as at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/commitigation.html.
Page last updated May 1, 2009, 1:30 AM ET
CDC has identified cases of H1N1 influenza virus infection in people in a number of states. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases.
The same virus has been found in people in Mexico, the United States and Canada and is being reported in other countries as well. Symptoms for H1N1 flu have included fever, headache, upper respiratory tract symptoms (cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea), myalgia, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea. Illnesses among persons infected with H1N1 flu virus have mostly been treated at home, but some cases have been hospitalized and deaths have been reported. It is anticipated that many more cases, including cases that require hospitalizations and some that result in death, will occur. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases are expected in the coming days and weeks.
CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. The World Health Organization has raised the worldwide pandemic alert level. In response to these developments, CDC is recommending that states, communities, institutions and individuals assess their emergency response plans and capacities.
For post secondary institutions of higher education, CDC recommends that you:
Review your institutions plans for responding to a public health emergency and make sure they are up to date.
Know local/state plans for institutions of higher education in the event of a mild or severe disease outbreak. This information may be available from state or local health authorities, (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/index.html).
Ask your campus health center to develop and implement a system to track and report (to the local health department) influenza-like illness (an illness with at least fever and sore throat or cough) among students.
Persons with influenza-like-illness should consult their physician and the institution should consult with their local or state health department for recommendations on identifying persons with H1N1 flu and ways to prevent spread of this virus.
Institutions of higher education should promote everyday preventive actions for students and staff:
1) Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
2) Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
3) Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
4) Avoid close contact with sick people.
5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
6) If you get influenza-like illness symptoms, stay home from work or school except to seek medical care and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Monitor the postings on the CDC web site and that of your local and state health departments and follow local health department advice about possible closure of colleges and universities
Contact your local public health department if you have questions or suspected cases.
Institutions of higher education can help protect the health of their staff and their students by calling attention to the every day preventive actions that can be taken to prevent the spread of influenza. (Please consider posting or distributing the everyday actions to prevent the spread of influenza attached with this memo across campus including residential dorms).
Review and implement, if needed, CDC Guidelines and Recommendations for Preventing the Spread of Influenza (the Flu) in a declared pandemic. (See appendix 7, Pandemic Influenza Community Mitigation Interim Planning Guide for Colleges and Universities, available as at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/commitigation.html.
CDC: H1N1 (Swine Flu)
Center for Diseanse and Prevention
Your online Source for Credible Health Information
Up to date information on the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
Your online Source for Credible Health Information
Up to date information on the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
Swine Flu: Cleaning and Disinfection Tips to Prevent Cross-Contamination
ISSA will host a webinar, “Swine Flu: Cleaning and Disinfection Tips to Prevent Cross-Contamination,” May 7 at 11 a.m. CST. The presentation will be led by HCI Consulting Group Partner Beatrix Babcock, a health care consulting veteran who helped develop the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS).
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ISSA Offers Swine Flu/Pandemic Resources
ISSA Offers Swine Flu/Pandemic Resources
April 27, 2009 - Because of its recent spread and toll in Mexico City , Mexico , and worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization are concerned that the swine flu that hit there could be a new, stronger strain of the virus. Accordingly, the U.S. government declared a public health emergency yesterday in response to the swine flu outbreak.
With the threat of a swine flu pandemic and cleaning’s role in pandemic preparation, ISSA has compiled the following resources for members to consult.
• ISSA Article: Swine Flu Precautions
• ISSA News: Globe Braces to Combat Swine Flu
• Pandemic Presentation from ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2007
• Swine Influenza Updates from CDC
• Video: Pandemic Preparation with Dave Forney
• ISSA Article: Swine Flu Precautions
• ISSA News: Globe Braces to Combat Swine Flu
• Pandemic Presentation from ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2007
• Swine Influenza Updates from CDC
• Video: Pandemic Preparation with Dave Forney
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