Network News May/June 2010
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Asbestos FAQ for School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP3)
Our school is registered for SNUP but initial work has uncovered asbestos lagging under our floors. Is this cost covered by SNUP funding or do we have to pay for it out of other school funding?
The School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP3) is focused on upgrading schools’ internal cabling infrastructure in preparation for the use of ultra-fast broadband in their teaching and learning programmes. You can read more about the SNUP on the Ministry's website.
Some schools are finding that their SNUP work involves cutting into old materials that were built with asbestos products, such as:
- asbestos cement cladding
- textured ceiling coatings
- thermal insulation around pipes and boilers
- fire-protective linings on structural steel (limpet asbestos)
If your contractor advises you they have uncovered asbestos which affects the project, the first thing to do is to notify OSH before work goes any further. Working with asbestos is regulated under the Health and Safety in Employment (Asbestos) Regulations 1998 which require the work to be done by a person holding a certificate of competence, or by someone directly supervised by a person holding a certificate.
The OSH Guidelines for the Management and Removal of Asbestos expand on the requirements in the Regulations and provide guidance for employers and others on procedures to follow when working with asbestos and products that contain asbestos.
Any additional costs for removing asbestos as part of the SNUP are not part of the SNUP funding and will have to be met out of the school’s 5YA in the normal way, like any other building upgrade project.
In most cases this work will not qualify for additional funding as the asbestos does not create an urgent health and safety risk just by being present at the school. It only presents a hazard when it is exposed; in that situation, if your school does not have sufficient 5YA remaining, you can apply for additional unforeseen funding.
Additional funding may also be available under the Ministry’s Budget Plus funding policy if the cost of asbestos removal is more than 50% of your 5YA budget.
Playgrounds
Playground Standards
The Ministry has become aware that there may be a number of school playgrounds that do not comply with the New Zealand Standard for Playground Equipment and Surfacing (NZS 5828:2004). This is a mandatory Ministry requirement to ensure safety.
The Standard, as well as a handbook to help schools comply with the Standard, is available from Standards New Zealand.
Some of the issues are gaps being too wide causing entrapment and strangulation risk, and inadequate fall spaces.
What schools may not be aware of is that the playground equipment for sale in New Zealand may not always be designed and built in compliance with the Standard as there is no minimum standard for the design and manufacture of playground equipment. So when you are making purchasing decisions about playground equipment you should be asking if it complies with the Standard. You project manager should be able to help you.
Include inspection of your playground for compliance with the Standard and add it to your condition assessment checklist.
Funding and insurance for playgrounds
You can use Five Year Agreement (5YA) funding to build a playground provided this is not at the expense of other necessary work such as health and safety, infrastructure and modern learning environment upgrades.
Playgrounds built with 5YA are owned and insured by the Ministry and you will receive maintenance funding for them.
You can also use discretionary funding, such as fundraising and surplus operational funding, to build a playground. You must then use your discretionary funding to maintain, upgrade it and insure it.
Note: The Ministry’s risk management programme does not cover playgrounds built with discretionary funding.
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Risk Management (Disasters) - Reminder to Schools
Rubbish Bins
Remove all rubbish bins from the school grounds, but if rubbish bins are necessary while the school is open please place them against a fireproof wall or somewhere away from the school buildings.
There has been a very high incidence of arson to school buildings as a result of fires lit in rubbish bins over the last year.
Disaster Reporting
All disasters must be reported to the Network Facilitator at your local office.
You must get approval from the Network Facilitator before work commences.
Invoices for the work are to be sent to the Network Facilitator in a timely manner.
Note: If the Ministry does not receive project management documentation within one year, then the project budget will be withdrawn (unless specifically approved by the Ministry).
Preferred Suppliers of project management services update
We are pleased to that advise schools in the Central South, Manawatu-Wanganui, Taranaki and Waikato regions can now choose project managers from a list of preferred suppliers.
We encourage schools to review the preferred supplier list located on the Ministry’s website to save time and money when procuring a project manager. Schools must decide if they wish to use the preferred supplier list or the normal procurement processes available to them. If a school chooses to use the preferred supplier list, then they can only approach suppliers on the list. If a school approaches a supplier that is not on the list, they will need to restart the procurement process.
It is strongly recommended that schools approach three suppliers and speak with them to ensure there is a comfortable fit, as they could potentially be working together for five years. Being able to work together is more important than the contract price in the long term.
Prices supplied by preferred suppliers have been developed with a one-stop-shop service in mind and many suppliers have priced accordingly. Prices from non-preferred suppliers may be quite different.
Preferred supplier project managers have been extensively evaluated and have demonstrated that they can provide advice on 10-year property plans, capital building projects and property management advice.
For more information, please visit the Ministry’s website.
You are also welcome to contact Ministry's Senior Policy Analyst Mark Stallmann in the Property Management Group mark.stallmann@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]