TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
No. T-06-03
School Business Services
Contact: Julie Wammack
School Transportation Management Section
Department of Education
(850) 245-9795
John L. Winn, Commissioner
Safely Transporting Oxygen-Dependent Students
SC 205-9795
in School Buses
DATE:
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December
8
, 2005
TO:
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School District Transportation Directors
FROM:
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Ronnie H. McCallister, Program Director
School Transportation Management Section
SUBJECT:
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Safely Transporting Oxygen-Dependent Students in School Buses
Ensuring access to educational programs requires that school districts safely transport students to
and from school each day. Transporting oxygen-dependent students requires that school bus
operators and school bus attendants be informed about their specific needs and trained to handle
them appropriately. We encourage local school districts to collaborate with local health
departments to develop training programs that cover the special considerations and services for
these students. As with all students, safety must be the first priority.
Tragically, a bus evacuating nursing home residents fleeing Hurricane Rita caught fire on
Interstate 45 just south of Dallas on September 23, 2005, and 23 of the 45 passengers were
killed. Several passengers and the driver escaped from the fire, which authorities said was fed
by 18 oxygen bottles in the passenger compartment and the cargo hold. A Texas Department of
Public Safety report, based on an inspection two hours after the bus burned, found that brakes on
the left rear wheel were "not maintained in good working order" and that a brake pad had
"missing portions of lining" because it was so worn down.
This bus was not a school bus, and the apparent primary cause of the fire, faulty brakes, would
not be a factor in Florida school districts, given the high standards for inspection of our buses.
However, this tragedy emphasizes the importance of reviewing policies and procedures
regarding the transportation of oxygen in school buses.
Oxygen itself does not burn, but it supports and accelerates combustion; therefore, the biggest
hazard of oxygen is the increased risk of fire. In oxygen-enriched atmospheres, almost every
material will burn. The more oxygen that is present, the easier it is for a fire to ignite, and the
fire will be bigger, faster, and hotter than in “normal” air.
Technical Assistance Note T-06-03
December
8
, 2005
Page Two
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently released a document entitled “Guidance
for the Safe Transportation of Medical Oxygen for Personal Use on Buses and Trains.” The
DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recommends that bus and train
operators take precautions to ensure that medical oxygen being transported for passengers’
personal use is handled and transported safely. We have attached a copy of this document for
your information. School bus operators should adopt the following recommendations from the
DOT’s document:
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Transport oxygen in a school bus only when medically necessary.
•
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Transport oxygen cylinders in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The
manufacturer’s instructions and precautions are usually printed on a label attached to the
cylinder.
•
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Before allowing the oxygen cylinder on board, inspect each cylinder to ensure that it is
free of cracks or leaks, including the area around the valve and pressure relief device.
Listen for leaks; do not load leaking cylinders on the bus. Visually inspect the cylinders
for dents, gouges, or pits. A cylinder that is dented, gouged, or pitted should not be
transported.
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Limit the number of cylinders to be transported on board the bus to the extent practicable.
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Carry the cylinder carefully using both hands; oxygen cylinders are susceptible to valve
damage if dropped. Do not drag or roll a cylinder, and never carry a cylinder by the
valve or regulator.
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Secure each cylinder to prevent movement and leakage. Each cylinder should be loaded
and secured in an upright position.
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Secure oxygen cylinders away from sources of heat or potential sparks, since the release
of oxygen from a cylinder could accelerate a fire.
For securing oxygen cylinders, the “National School Transportation Specifications and
Procedures, May 2000,” recommends that all portable equipment should be secured at the
mounting location to withstand a pulling force of at least five times the weight of the item.
The Maryland State Department of Education, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, and the Maryland State School Health Council in June 2002, released a document
entitled, “Maryland State Guidelines: Management of the Needs of the Oxygen Dependent
Student.” This document covers all aspects of an oxygen-dependent student’s day, and Chapter
4 focuses on transporting the oxygen-dependent student and equipment. It can be accessed at the
following website:
http://www.nasdpts.org/documents/MarylandOxygenGuidelines.pdf.
School districts throughout the state are transporting an increasing number of students using
liquid oxygen rather than compressed gas oxygen. The cylinders/containers holding liquid
oxygen are smaller than the compressed gas cylinders and have some specific requirements for
securement. The Maryland State Guidelines contain the following specific information regarding
the transportation of liquid oxygen.
•
Liquid oxygen containers should be secured in an upright position to prevent leakage.
Technical Assistance Note T-06-03
December
8
, 2005
Page Three
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Liquid oxygen containers should be secured to prevent contact with cryogenic material.
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Liquid oxygen containers must be stored in a well-ventilated area.
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All oxygen containers should be secured in a location that would allow all passengers
free access to or egress from emergency exits.
District personnel may also wish to review the Department’s previous Technical Assistance
Note, No. T-94-15, issued on this subject in December 1993. Finally, we encourage district
transportation departments to ensure that each school bus emergency evacuation plan takes into
consideration how to handle oxygen-dependent students.
If you have questions or need more information, please contact Julie Wammack at
Julie.Wammack@fldoe.org or (850) 245-9795.
RHM:jw
Attachments:
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Guidance for the Safe Transportation of Medical Oxygen for Personal Use on
Buses and Trains
cc:
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Superintendents
Charter School Contacts
