Cooperative Link: Winter 2007

Mankato Area Public Schools recognized as MNSTAR worksite

Workplace safety and health representatives from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) recognized Mankato Area Public Schools’ administrative office for its achievement as a MNSTAR (Minnesota Star) worksite. The recognition ceremony took place on January 22, 2007 in Mankato.

MNSTAR is a Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) program that recognizes worksites where managers and employees work together to develop safety and health management systems that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses.

“I applaud Mankato Area Public Schools’ efforts to achieve this award and provide a valuable lesson about how to keep its employees safe and healthy,” said Scott Brener, Department of Labor and Industry commissioner.
Mankato Area Public Schools employs more than 1,000 staff members, serving nearly 7,000 students while maintaining more than 1.4 million square feet of facility space.

“At Mankato Area Public Schools, safety and health are top priorities and essential underpinnings required to meet our educational goals,” said Ed Waltman, superintendent of schools. “Recognition as a MNSTAR worksite is a significant safety accomplishment by our employees, school board and district administrators, and I thank everyone for their ongoing commitment to safety.”

Brener and other DLI representatives will commemorate the school’s employee-employer relationship by presenting a MNSTAR flag and a certificate that exempts the facility for three years from MNOSHA Compliance scheduled inspections.

MNSTAR began in Minnesota in January 1999, and is modeled after the federal OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which began in 1982. Mankato Area Public Schools is the 17th MNSTAR worksite in Minnesota. There are currently more than 1,100 companies nationwide that have met the program requirements. For more information, visit www.doli.state.mn.us/mnstar.html.




SCSC News Calendar of Events *Programs and Services* Accounting Briefs / Assessment Leadership / Carl Perkins / Center for Academic Excellence / Cooperative Purchasing / Health and Safety / High-STEP / Insurance New Conference/ / NCLB/AYP / SOCRATES / Special Education *Student Enrichment Programs* Chess Tournament / Fine Arts Conference / Knowledge Bowl / Math Masters / MN Academic Decathlon / Student Inventors / "Water is Life" Art Contest / Young Writer's Conference / Winter Issue Home Page Previous Issues of Cooperative Link Return to SCSC Home Page	HEALTH AND SAFETY Mankato Area Public Schools recognized as MNSTAR worksite Workplace safety and health representatives from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) recognized Mankato Area Public Schools’ administrative office for its achievement as a MNSTAR (Minnesota Star) worksite. The recognition ceremony took place on January 22, 2007 in Mankato. MNSTAR is a Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) program that recognizes worksites where managers and employees work together to develop safety and health management systems that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses. “I applaud Mankato Area Public Schools’ efforts to achieve this award and provide a valuable lesson about how to keep its employees safe and healthy,” said Scott Brener, Department of Labor and Industry commissioner. Mankato Area Public Schools employs more than 1,000 staff members, serving nearly 7,000 students while maintaining more than 1.4 million square feet of facility space. “At Mankato Area Public Schools, safety and health are top priorities and essential underpinnings required to meet our educational goals,” said Ed Waltman, superintendent of schools. “Recognition as a MNSTAR worksite is a significant safety accomplishment by our employees, school board and district administrators, and I thank everyone for their ongoing commitment to safety.” Brener and other DLI representatives will commemorate the school’s employee-employer relationship by presenting a MNSTAR flag and a certificate that exempts the facility for three years from MNOSHA Compliance scheduled inspections. MNSTAR began in Minnesota in January 1999, and is modeled after the federal OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which began in 1982. Mankato Area Public Schools is the 17th MNSTAR worksite in Minnesota. There are currently more than 1,100 companies nationwide that have met the program requirements. For more information, visit www.doli.state.mn.us/mnstar.html. > Next Health and Safety Article: Pandemic Planning	This newsletter is also available as an Acrobat PDF (2.4 MB) Free Acrobat Reader required for viewing.