PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HCS “TRAIN THE TRAINER” PROGRAM

The Camden County Educational Services Commission (CCESC) offers training programs to assist school districts and other governmental entities to comply with the new Hazard Communication Standards (HCS). The training component of the Right to Know (RTK) regulations have been replaced by the HCS training requirements. Under RTK, employees were required to be trained within thirty days of the date of hire. Now HCS requires training for employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals prior to working with the chemicals and whenever a new chemical arrives on location. This means that new hires must be trained before they start working and all employees must be trained/informed every time a new hazardous chemical is introduced to the workplace and exposure is possible. As a result, it is imperative that an employer be able to provide training in a timely and efficient manner. To assist school districts and municipalities in meeting this requirement, CCESC offers two different HCS “Train the Trainer” Programs to qualify individuals to conduct HCS training sessions.

The first HCS “Train the Trainer” Program consists of a three hour class for “technically qualified” staff only. “Technically qualified” staff is defined by PEOSH as “…a registered nurse or a person who has a bachelor’s degree or higher in… health education, chemistry or a related field and understands the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.” Individuals attending this session must present certification or other documentation as evidence of meeting the “technically qualified” requirement.

The second HCS “Train the Trainer” Program consists of five full day sessions and targeted for individuals who are not technically qualified. That is, there are no pre-qualifications for those interested in attending.

For more information, contact Harry E. Schwartzer at 856-784-2100.

ON-LINE TRAINING INSERVICE SEMINARS

The Camden County Educational Services Commission (CCESC) in conjunction with the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission (MOESC) offers an On-Line Training In-Service Seminar (OTIS) to assist school districts fulfill their responsibilities under NJAC 6A:16-10.2(a)(6) to provide annual training for all staff concerning child abuse and neglect.

OTIS is a one-hour course of instruction accessible through the internet using individual access codes. Participants have 30 days to complete the program. Professional development credits are then issued to those who complete the course. Districts are notified and a document is forwarded for the staff member’s personnel file.

The OTIS Child Abuse and Neglect Program was created to instruct teachers, school counselors, school nurses, special education professionals, administrators, volunteers, coaches and other school staff about their responsibilities with regard to the laws dealing with the reporting of child abuse. The objectives of the program are:

• To understand why educators should be concerned with child abuse and neglect
• To learn the definitions, prevalence, and long term consequences of child abuse and neglect
• To recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect
• To know the procedure for reporting child abuse and neglect
• To be familiar with New Jersey laws relating to the responsibility to report child abuse and neglect and the penalties for failure to do so
• To understand the requirement for all boards of education to have a child abuse and neglect policy

For more information, contact Harry E. Schwartzer at 856-784-2100.