Asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) are located in several District schools. Certified ECS staff inspects these materials semi-annually to ensure they remain in good condition. Every District school or facility is provided an Asbestos Management Plan, whether the facility has asbestos-containing materials or not. These US-EPA mandated plans are available for review at any time. In addition, ECS provides asbestos training for all custodians and facilities employees through e-learning.

ECS manages the Hazard Communication Program (HAZCOM-GHS) which provides guidance to District employees regarding chemical hazards in the workplace. Program components include: employee training, chemical inventories, maintaining Safety Data Sheets and ensuring that chemical containers are labeled correctly in order to properly communicate potential hazards.

Prior to purchasing a property, certified ECS staff conducts a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials’ Standard E 1527 (also known as a Pre-Purchase Audit), to identify any potential or existing environmental conditions on a property. Potential health and safety conditions are investigated, along with previous and current uses of the property, which includes: chemical use, waste disposal, and storage tanks.

District operations generate hazardous and industrial waste during routine services related to academic programs, maintenance, and construction. Many different types of wastes are generated such as used oil and solvents from Transportation facilities, unused or expired chemicals from our school science labs, rechargeable batteries, and fluorescent light bulbs containing mercury. ECS coordinates the proper disposal and/or recycling of regulated wastes.

ECS oversees Federal, State, and Local regulations that govern the storage and safe use of petroleum products including gasoline, diesel fuel and lubricants. In addition, ECS responds to leaks from hydraulic systems such as elevators or vehicular lifts. ECS is responsible for the District’s Federal SPCC compliance and serves as a first-responder for small spill incidents. In case of a spill, call ECS at 684-5154 or School Police at 434-8700. DO NOT notify the State Warning Point at the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). ECS responds and coordinates between all responders to the spill and notifies other offices as required.

ECS conducts radon testing for all District educational facilities in accordance with Federal law and Florida Department of Health (FDOH) regulations. ECS submits reports annually to the FDOH Bureau of Environmental Health Radon Program and are posted on its State Facility Radon Data Search webpage.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent man-made chemicals that were manufactured from 1929-1977 and were widely used in building materials, including caulking, sealants, paints and adhesives, in addition to electrical products. The US-EPA provides guidance for reducing potential exposure to PCBs in schools. ECS staff is responsible for District compliance with regulatory guidelines including testing for the presence of PCBs. ECS works to ensure PCBs are not released during construction activities or repairs and replacement of electrical products.