Crime & Safety

Hadley School to be Reinspected This Week For Fire Safety

The school business manager said last week that the majority of items mentioned in the Aug. 29, fire safety inspection have been corrected.

 

Deputy Fire Chief James Potts and Town Building Inspector Richard Baldacci inspected Hadley School for fire safety late last month, finding items including paper decorations that needed to be corrected.

School Business Manager Ed Cronin said at last week's School Committe meeting that the majority of the items on the inspection list had been corrected.

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The deputy chief said in an interview on Friday that he will reinspect the school this week, following up on the Aug. 29 inspection.

Some teachers were over zealous using paper to decorate their rooms, he said.

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He has seen improvement in fire safety at Hadley over the last year.

The school had more issues last year, he said.

"They've worked really hard over there," he said.

The Hadley inspection is part of the department's annual review of all school buildings. The department will inspect the district's other schools, as well.

Here are all the items mentioned in the department's memo on the Aug. 29 inspection:

The following violations found throughout the building.  Many of these issues are widespread and must be corrected.

 

  • Ceiling Tiles throughout the building were out of place, missing or damaged.  These must be replaced.
  • Paper, and string hung from overhead light fixtures and or ceiling.  Paper hung on doors.
  • String, fishing line or similar materials hung on walls, over windows or doors. 
  • Fire Evacuation plans are missing in some rooms and in others they were hung over the door and out of the line of sight.
  • Exposed cables and wires throughout the building these appeared to pose a trip or entanglement hazard. 
    • Computer network cables should be enclosed or bundled to eliminate the hazard especially in the computer lab.
  • Non-fire rated curtains over closets and windows. 
  • Materials must have a fire rating to be used.   Documentation which verifies fire rating should be on fire in the school and at the fire department.
  • Electrical Panels through out the building are missing cover screws or doors will not close or latch.
  • Exposed electrical wiring or junction boxes.
  • Emergency exit doors do not open easily.  In the case of the Art room it would not open at all.
  • Hallway doors were found propped in the open position.
  • Fire extinguishers are about to expire.

Specific issues were identified in the following locations:

  • Basement Level
    • Exposed wiring over archway to girls bathroom
    • Electrical panel missing cover screws
    • Combustible trash and leaves built up in stairwell outside cafeteria exit
    • Combustible storage in electrical room
  • Art Room
    • Emergency lighting over door not working
    • Emergency door will not open
  • Gymnasium
    • Insulation peeling off heating pipes next to the cut through door
    • Back stage- holes must be sealed, access panels must be covered
    • Exposed cables/ wires must be covered
  • Mrs. B’s room
    • Combustible materials hanging from the ceiling and materials over the door.
    • Clothes line strung over windows exceed maximum allowable materials allowed to be displayed by law.
    • Light fixtures falling out of ceiling
    • Exposed lathes ( holes in plaster) in storages closet
  • Mrs. Bucklin
    • Extension chord strung over drop ceiling.
  • 3rd Floor Left / rear
    • String over windows
  • 3rd Floor Top/front (right)
    • String over windows
    • Clips for hanging materials from the ceiling
  • Computer Room
    • Extinguisher must be inspected and tagged
    • Computer Cables through out the room pose entanglement and tripping hazards
  • Room 306
    • Holes in the walls and exposed wooden lathes
  • Mrs. Sanchez
    • Room exceeds allowable combustible materials that may be hung.
    • Non fire rated curtains need to be replaced with rated shades.
    • String outside in hallway ( A better solution is needed to display student work)
  • Music Room
    • Exposed wires and unsecured electrical panel door.
  • Mrs. Clains
    • Displayed combustible materials well over regulation.
    • Combustible curtains over windows and closets.
    • String over windows


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