Top Four Spring Compliance Task Areas for Districts

As we transition into spring, districts are gearing up for a variety of compliance tasks to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. Sometimes the tasks that you must only complete once or twice a year are the easiest to forget. Below we’ve included some OSHA and state-specific compliance tasks that we recommend you complete in April or May.

Four Compliance Areas for Districts this Spring

1. Chemical Inventory

Districts must ensure that all chemicals are properly labeled, stored, and disposed of in compliance with state and federal guidelines. Expired or unused substances pose a potential hazard and must be safely disposed of to mitigate risks to students, staff, and the environment.

This task is required by various regulatory bodies, including OSHA in compliant states, as well as California, Arkansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee, to name a few. By conducting regular audits of chemical storage areas and adhering to disposal protocols, administrators mitigate the risk of accidents and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.

2. Safety Drills

Safety drills are a cornerstone of emergency preparedness in schools, providing students and staff with essential training to respond effectively to various crisis scenarios. Districts must conduct a range of drills to simulate emergency situations and rehearse evacuation procedures. This time of year, many states require one or multiple of the following drills:

      Fire drills: Practicing evacuation routes and procedures in the event of a fire emergency.

      Tornado drills: Sheltering in designated safe areas to prepare for tornado threats.

      School bus evacuation drills: Training students on safe evacuation procedures in the event of a bus-related emergency.

      Shelter-in-place drills: Practicing procedures for seeking shelter indoors during hazardous situations, such as severe weather or security threats.

      Earthquake drills: Simulating responses to seismic activity and practicing drop, cover, and hold-on techniques.

By conducting these drills regularly and incorporating feedback from participants, districts enhance preparedness and readiness to respond to emergencies swiftly and effectively.

3. Reporting Obligations

Compliance with reporting requirements is essential for transparency, accountability, and regulatory adherence in districts. District leaders must submit or post various reports to document incidents, initiatives, and compliance efforts. Some key reporting obligations include:

• Posting – summary of reported harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents (Ohio)
• Reporting physical restraint and seclusion (Illinois, Ohio, Oregon)
• Criminal organization report (Indiana)
• Professional development report (Oklahoma)
• Authorized staff access to records (Utah)
• Nutrition report and physical activity report (Kentucky)

By fulfilling reporting obligations promptly and accurately, school districts demonstrate their commitment to transparency, accountability, and regulatory compliance.

4. State-Specific Requirements

Each state, and even each school district, can have different mandates and obligations based on their specific environment and unique governing bodies. Below are some state-specific springtime compliance tasks to keep in mind:

• School Health Survey (Texas)
• Distribute Missing Children Notice (Ohio)
• Post & Distribute Child Abuse Information (North Carolina)
• Submit Suicide Prevention Training Compliance (New Jersey)
• School Safety Audit (New Jersey)
• Schedule Campus Safety Tour (Kentucky)

Compliance can be overwhelming, and this is by no means a comprehensive list of all the OSHA or state-specific requirements for April and May but merely serves as a reminder and prompt to help you navigate this time of year. It can also be a great time to evaluate your processes and tools in place to tackle your districts ongoing compliance.

Are you confident that you’ve completed all your districts mandated compliance tasks? Did you spend a disproportionate amount of time determining what needed to be done, by who, and then ensuring completion? If you’re looking for a way to save time and one place to quickly check your district’s outstanding compliance tasks, it might be time to upgrade to an automated online solution.