A Fall River school is facing significant penalties following a federal safety inspection. Resiliency Preparatory Academy has been fined more than $80,000 for multiple violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, including rules related to asbestos management, according to a Fall River School Committee member.
The findings have prompted calls for an emergency meeting to address the health and safety of students and staff at the school. School Committee member Collin Dias revealed the information on Friday, expressing serious concerns about the district's response to the violations.
Key Takeaways
- Resiliency Preparatory Academy in Fall River was fined over $80,000 by OSHA.
- Violations include breaches of general OSHA regulations and specific asbestos-related rules.
- School Committee member Collin Dias is calling for an emergency meeting to address the safety concerns.
- Dias criticized the superintendent's response plan as inadequate and urged public action.
Details of the OSHA Violations
The penalties against Resiliency Preparatory Academy (RPA) stem from an OSHA inspection conducted earlier in September. According to information released by Collin Dias, the inspection uncovered numerous safety failures, leading to the substantial fine. While the full report details are pending public release, the violations are confirmed to involve general safety protocols and the handling of asbestos.
Asbestos is a hazardous material that was commonly used in building construction for many years. When disturbed, its fibers can become airborne and, if inhaled, can cause serious long-term health problems, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. Schools are required to follow strict federal and state regulations for managing asbestos-containing materials to prevent exposure.
What is OSHA?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency responsible for ensuring safe and healthful working conditions for employees. It sets and enforces standards and provides training, outreach, education, and assistance. Fines are levied against employers who fail to comply with these standards.
The fine, exceeding $80,000, indicates that the violations were likely considered serious by the agency. Such penalties are typically reserved for situations where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known about.
School Committee Member Demands Action
In a public statement, School Committee member Collin Dias voiced strong criticism of the situation and the district's initial handling of the report. He expressed alarm over the potential risks posed to the school community.
“The report itself, along with the superintendent’s inadequate one-page plan, causes me to openly question the health and safety of the students and staff at RPA,” Dias stated.
Dias announced his intention to push for immediate action from district and city leadership. He is formally requesting that Mayor Paul Coogan, who also serves as the chair of the school committee, convene an emergency session to address the matter publicly.
“I will be calling for Mayor Paul Coogan to convene an emergency meeting of the school committee so this issue can be addressed as soon as possible, and before staff and students return to school on Monday,” Dias added. This highlights the urgency of the situation, with a desire to resolve it before the start of the next school week.
Criticism of the Superintendent's Plan
A key point of contention for Dias is what he described as an “inadequate one-page plan” submitted by Superintendent Tracy Curley. This suggests that the district's proposed corrective actions may not be comprehensive enough to satisfy committee members or fully address the scope of the OSHA findings.
The specifics of the superintendent's plan have not been made public, but Dias's characterization implies it lacks the necessary detail and urgency to ensure the immediate safety of the school environment. Dias also indicated he released correspondence from the superintendent related to the issue.
The Role of a School Committee
School committees or boards of education are responsible for setting policy for a school district and providing oversight. This includes ensuring that all schools are safe for students and staff and that the district complies with all federal, state, and local regulations. A member calling for an emergency meeting signals a significant breakdown in normal operations or a major safety concern.
Public Urged to Seek Answers
In his statement, Dias not only called on his fellow committee members and the mayor to act but also encouraged parents and the public to get involved. He specifically named the school's principal and the district superintendent as the officials who should be providing answers.
“I encourage the public to reach out to both the principal of RPA, Stacey Monette, and superintendent Tracy Curley to demand answers—I will be doing the same,” he urged. This call to action aims to apply public pressure on the administration to be transparent about the safety violations and the steps being taken to fix them.
The final line of his statement underscored his primary concern: “The health and safety of our staff and students must be our TOP priority.”
Next Steps and Potential Consequences
The immediate future will likely involve a response from the mayor's office regarding the request for an emergency meeting. If a meeting is held, the school committee will publicly discuss the OSHA report, question the superintendent about the response plan, and determine the next course of action.
Potential actions could include:
- Temporarily closing affected areas of the school for remediation.
- Hiring outside experts to verify that all safety issues, particularly those related to asbestos, have been corrected.
- Revising district-wide safety protocols and inspection schedules to prevent future occurrences.
- A formal review of the administration's handling of the incident.
The Fall River school district now faces the dual challenge of addressing the serious safety violations identified by OSHA and restoring the trust of parents, staff, and the wider community. The outcome of the proposed emergency meeting will be a critical first step in this process.
