TTUTA declares La Romaine Secondary a fire hazard

Two weeks after a fire at the La Romaine Secondary school, approximately 40 teachers walked off the job on Tuesday after the Electoral Inspectorate issued a letter to the principal identifying electrical violations in almost every room in the school.

Teachers said in spite of the health and safety violations, a school supervisor who visited the school in the aftermath, instructed them to return to work today, after the two days of public holidays, or else they would be penalised.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai who sanctioned the teachers walk, advised that they not return to school once the problems continue to exist. Doodhai said the school is a fire hazard, recalling that on May 19 there was a fire in the science lab which resulted in the fire services being called in and school dismissed early.

This fire prompted a visit from the electrical inspectorate and the subsequent discovery of the problems.

“The association advised teachers to initiate a refusal to work on the basis of health and safety concerns. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) is very clear that in a situation like this the absence of workers from the job does not constitute action being taken against them.”

The electoral inspectorate in a three-page letter issued to principal Rajesh Sirju on May 25, indicated that the existing electrical installation at the Church Street, La Romaine, premises does not comply with the requirements of Section 4 of the Electrical Inspection Act Chp 54;72. Teachers said they were never notified of the problems until someone got wind of the letter on Tuesday.

The letter advised that steps be taken to improve the installation in compliance with specific regulations of the Trinidad and Tobago Electrical Wiring Code, National Electrical Code and all other relevant codes and rules implemented and adopted by the Chiel Electrical Inspector.

That arrangements are made with a licensed electrical wireman to rectify the defects following which the premises would have to be re-inspected. Failure to comply before August 21, the electoral inspectorate said, will result in disconnection of the service to the school.

The letter identified problems in Block No 1, in the multi-purpose hall, cafeteria, administrator/staff room and music room. These infractions range from obsolete wiring and accessories, faulty lamp, switches and receptacle outlets, damaged and burned conductor to faulty emergency fixtures. It advised that all unused opening throughout the installation be blanked off, to properly secure all conduit enclosure and accessories to the structure, replace all missing blank covers, install control switch for socket outlets above six feet among other corrective measures.

Similar defects were found in Block 2, in the electrical room, AV/IT room, library area and dean room. In Block 3, the electrical defects were identified in main panel area in the electrical room, specialist room/drama room, food and nutrition lab, cosmetology lab, agricultural science room, maintenance room and toilet area as well as in the lab area.

Although school closed early on Tuesday, CSEC Information Technology students were allowed to write the exams in another part of the school.

Doodhai said writing CSEC does not have anything to with the teachers as external invigilators are employed by the Ministry of Education to supervise the exam.