Search CCRI 
Return to Environmental Health and Safety Committee List of Meeting Dates Page
Community College of Rhode Island
Environmental/Safety Committee Meeting Minutes
Date: Wednesday,
14 January 2004
From: Mary Pecchia
Subject: Environmental Committee Meeting Minutes12-9-03
To: Steve Marginson
Re: Environmental/Safety Committee Meeting Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on December 9, 2003 at the
Flanagan Campus
Attendees: Stephen Marginson (KC),
Manny Terezakis (FC), Joanne Jacobs (FC),
Jim Ellis (KC), Richard Robinson (FC), Mary Pecchia (FC), Edna
Mattson,
Lou Rainone (KC), George Sousa (FC), Bill Mercer (KC), Kathy
Twining (KC), Bob Antonson (FC), Dennis Melander (KC), Regina Cobb (NC)
PLEASE NOTE: Bulleted comments require action. Please be
prepared to update the committee at the next meeting or by date
listed where applicable. Thanks.
Steve asked Manny to take the floor first since he had forwarded a
list of 11 items for the agenda. Manny handed out a copy of
what he forwarded for the agenda and listed below are a few of the
items that he brought to group since the others were being handled
with the department they pertained to.
# 10 – Status of planned discussion with RIDOH on cancer concerns at
Flanagan Campus. –
Manny is trying to contact the team of experts that were invited
here before to address these concerns and ask them to come back to
the campus to address the situation once again.
Joanne Jacobs suggested that the team of experts meet with a few
members of this Environmental Committee first to give them
information on the concerns of the people at the Flanagan Campus
#11 – Manny, Jimmy and Dick attended a conference regarding steps to
take to safeguard against vandalism as well as acts of terrorism on
campus. One of the key points made were to keep all science
labs and physical plant areas locked when not in use since most hold
toxic gases, etc.
Steve asked George and Bill to send a directive from their offices
to always lock the physical plant areas.
# 4 – Manny has received complaints about the air quality created by
the copier on the second floor near payroll and accounting at the
Knight Campus. These copiers are special types which are able
to print checks.
Special copiers with special toners may be needed to be changed to
something less damaging to the air. Steve would like a
re-inspection of the area done.
# 9 – A fire alarm in the Flanagan Campus darkroom is necessary.
Talk of a yellow alert light being put in there was taken under
advisement and Steve would like Honeywell to be called for
suggestions and something to be put in place there ASAP.
Kathy Twining wondered if the committee had heard of a problem with
the rugs in the new tutoring room at the Knight Campus. Steve
said he hadn’t heard complaints and that there shouldn’t be since
the rugs are new.
Joanne thanked the Smoking Committee for its help with the new
smoking policy. She said it seemed to be working well.
Steve agreed and expressed his gratitude and said how impressed he
was with how well it was working.
There are a few issues still remaining as far as the logistics with
regards to the new smoking policy. They are listed below:
Kathy stated that the smoking hut at Knight Campus near the Administration
area is too far away from the building. Steve will take it under
advisement and see what can be done.
The hut on the north side of the Flanagan Campus will be moved soon.
There is still inconsistency regarding verbiage on signage, the web,
etc.
The policy is still not listed in the student handbook. Joanne
should get another copy to Ron Schertz.
Joann asked what was being done with the ceiling at Flanagan in Mod
1 since the ceiling was exposed.
Dennis explained that the VAV boxes are being change and the tiles
will be replaced soon.
Bob said that when the fire alarm in the Field house at Flanagan
sounds the Security Department does not get a call. The line
was cut years ago and never repaired.
Steve would like George to look into that ASAP. Also, it was
mentioned that the phone inside of the garage behind the field house
at Flanagan does not have a phone in it and physical plant is
requesting a phone line that at least dials out to security in case
of emergency. Dick will contact Phil Garofolini once
again on this.
Bob asked what was done after the Department of Health made
suggestions for clean-up of the sewer back-up at the Flanagan
Campus. Seems there are still particles of toilet tissue, etc.
left on the floor and on equipment in some areas of the ground
floor.
Steve asked Danny/George to have an additional clean up done in the
areas that need it using outside contractors if necessary.
Manny said some of the floor drains were being covered up in rooms
that have not needed them, but after this spill he wondered whether
that should be done.
Steve asked Dennis and Manny to determine together which drains
should be covered.
The issue of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) should be addressed
with all the employees of all physical plant departments, so that in
such an emergency they know that the equipment is available.
Dick said the biggest complaint that the Department of Health had,
was that it was not called immediately. Plans are now in place
to call them as soon as such an emergency comes about.
Evidently, there is a law whereby the Department of Health should be
called if in fact the building loses power. Dick will work on
getting that in writing.
Jimmy announced that there is a Pre-Bid meeting for Sonitrol/Alarm
System on December 29th at 10:00a.m. at the Liston Campus in the
Security Area.
Jimmy said that Phil Garofolini is working on putting emergency wall
phones in the new section of the Liston Campus along with the Field
houses at both campuses.
FESCO will soon be handling the expired fire extinguishers at all
campuses.
There is a meeting coming up regarding the new fire codes and Jimmy
wanted to know who might be interested in attending with him.
Steve told Jimmy to ask who he deemed appropriate.
Jimmy said the telephones would be shut down on December 13 and 14
to work on the phone system.
Both Jimmy and Dick agreed that they could use more help in
enforcing the smoking policy. Dick said he is now finding more
people smoking in the bathrooms.
Steve asked Jimmy about the issue with the Nextel phones not being
able to get reception in some parts of the Flanagan Campus.
Steve told Dick to call Bruce Barrett and switch service carriers if
necessary.
Bill Mercer said the P.O. for the grease removal has been issued.
The fire alarm in the garage at the Knight Campus is now working.
Dennis asked that a communication be sent to all employees, staff
and students that there is no admittance into construction areas.
Our insurance does not cover anything that may happen in those areas
to individuals who are not authorized to be there. Also, OSHA
is on-site more now than ever and the fines imposed are very high.
Mary will send an email from Steve to reiterate that fact that there
is “No Admittance in Construction Areas without Authorization”.
Steve welcomed and introduced Regina Cobb, the Director of the
Therapeutic Massage Program in Newport. Most of her issues
will come about when construction of the Newport Campus is underway.
Mary will put her on the list of invitees for these meetings.
Edna expressed her concern that there is no student nurse on any of
the campuses, and wondered if anything was being done. Steve
did not know what was being done in that area.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:30a.m.
This page last modified on: October 31, 2007
