School Safety - Environmental Health Services - Health Department of Northwest Michigan

School Inspections

Are our area schools safe? Children spend approximately 60% of their lives in the school environment between the ages of 5 and 18. For the past six years the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency has been conducting public and parochial school inspections, as well as, reviewing plans for proposed educational facilities. The intent of this program is to assure a safe and healthy learning environment for students, staff and visitors to our schools. This unique program allows us the opportunity to have an impact on the lives of more than 20,000 of our citizens annually and continues to be an asset to our community.

Facility inspections are designed to target environmental health and safety issues on many levels. These inspections entail making observations and consulting with staff on problem areas associated with fire safety, electrical safety, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, indoor air quality, hazardous materials, water supply and wastewater systems, refuse, pest control, lighting, playground equipment, asbestos, radon, personal protective equipment, first aid, blood borne pathogens, plumbing, and general sanitation. Educational facilities are evaluated under the authority of the Michigan Public Health Code - Act 368, P.A. 1978 as amended, using current state and federal regulation, industry standards and guidelines consistent public health practices.

The school program, as it exists today, is conducted in a non-regulatory fashion. The role of our department, with the exception of water supply and wastewater disposal issues, is to simply identify potential problems and to offer practical solutions. Our findings are then made available to school administrations for voluntary correction. We are pleased to say that we have been very well received by the numerous schools and districts with whom we advise.

Another facet of our school program is the review of engineered plans for new facilities or remodeling and renovation projects. Plan review allows our department to assess each school before construction or renovation ensues. To facilitate the review process, a comprehensive checklist has been developed and refined over the past several years. Through this approach we can "head-off' any potential problems while the school is still in the planning stages. Our goal is to establish good communication between our office, school administrations, engineers and architects and regulatory agencies.

It is our hope that, through our school program, we can continue to work together to maintain a safe and healthful environment for our children and to foster good working relationships with area schools and school districts. Through cooperation we have made many positive changes in our school facilities, resulting in the reduction of many hazards and creating a safer environment instrumental to the education process.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ)

Asthma and other respiratory illnesses have been escalating in epidemic proportion in recent history. Indoor air quality has been a major contributor and continues to be an area in need of attention. The indoor air quality in school buildings can be problematic for people with asthma or other respiratory problems. This can be attributed to a number of "asthma triggers" such as; poor ventilation, improper maintenance of heating and cooling units, humidity, molds and mildews, chemicals, etc. In order to improve the indoor air quality in your facility, work must be done proactively with staff, students, parents, local health agencies and community organizations.

To address indoor air quality concerns in the school environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a set of tools to address IAQ issues and to recommend effective remedial practices. IAQ Tools for Schools Kit shows schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air quality in their facility. The kit includes checklists, background information, samples, policies, recommended IAQ management plans, and a host of other useful resources. More information can be retrieved from the EPA website.

NWMCHA encourages schools, local health organizations, asthma groups, healthy school coalitions, parent groups and others concerned about improving the indoor air quality in schools to educate themselves and get involved in a proactive pursuit of safer school environments.

CHECK YOUR CLASSROOM

What can be done to keep your classroom environment safe for children? There are several safety items that are frequently overlooked in most classroom settings. Below are four suggestions to make your room a safer environment.

Electrical cords are a major contributor to trip and fall accidents and should be secured whenever possible. All hanging cords, wires and power cords that traverse normal foot traffic areas can be gathered via clips, tie wraps, tape or other fasteners and secured to table legs and furniture or equipped with molded protective covers.

Unit Heatilators/ventilators are the "lungs" of your classroom. These units are responsible for keeping your room comfortable and maintaining its air quality (fresh air exchange, temperature and humidity). Many classrooms use their unit heatilator/ventilator as a storage shelf or keep it hidden behind classroom furniture. Proper functioning and maintenance of these units requires that they be unobstructed at all times. A good rule of thumb is to create an obstruction-free zone around these units of about three feet.

Many classroom related accidents occur from improper handling of hazardous chemicals. All potentially hazardous chemicals should be properly labeled and stored in areas that are locked and inaccessible to students. Many common chemicals are overlooked or thought of as non-hazardous. For example, check your classroom for glues, paints, thinners, aerosols, pesticides etc.

OSHA requires that personal protective equipment must be available and in good sanitary condition for students who are potentially exposed to skin and eye irritants, flying projectiles or intense light and noise. Gloves, safety glasses or goggles, face shields, welding hoods, ear muffs/plugs, aprons and lab coats are all examples of PPE.

SAFER CLEANUP

It is ironic that many household chemicals used for cleaning are actually themselves dangerous, spreading hazardous pollutants into the indoor environment. The expansion of the chemical industry after World War II has introduced numerous products to the market that contain carcinogens and other hazardous constituents, such as benzene, tetrachloroethylene, dichlorobenzene, methylene chloride and others. Recent EPA studies have shown that many of the most hazardous chemicals are found indoors at twenty times the levels found outdoors. There are no major federal laws governing indoor air pollution. Therefore, we, as adults, bear the responsibility to provide a safe indoor environment for our children.

Children are the most at risk. Many times children are near the user of chemicals and therefore can be exposed to a high level of toxic vapors, fumes, mists, etc. to which their bodies are especially vulnerable. The high breathing rate of children accelerates inhalation of pollutants relative to their body size.

We can't just stop cleaning. What alternative means can be used to clean our homes and classrooms? The best thing we can do is to reduce the use of hazardous products and/or substitute them with newly available commercial lines of nontoxic products. In the school environment, only products provided by maintenance personnel should be used or stored in the classroom. Labels are rarely read, but provide all the information needed about a particular product, such as dangers, application instructions, and emergency protocols - ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. Adults can also be sure to provide better ventilation when products are in use and store them in well-ventilated areas out of reach of children.

Facts:

The average American family household keeps 3 to 10 gallons of hazardous materials in their home.
Hazardous materials are defined by the EPA as flammable, reactive, corrosive or toxic.
Common household Hazardous materials include but are not limited to paint, paint thinner, polish, wood preservative, oil, glue, aerosols, air fresheners, disinfectants, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, bleach, furniture strippers, stains and varnishes, motor oil, car batteries, antifreeze, transmission fluid, brake fluid...

THE PLAYGROUND

Playgrounds are a source of fun for children of all ages, but can also be very hazardous. The overall impact of playground related injuries reaches far beyond the immediate accident. Injuries may result in loss of school days, expensive long-term medical costs, and in some cases, permanent disabilities and /or possibility of lawsuit.

Most playground injuries are minor, but the potential for serious injury is always present. Common injuries include falls, being hit with a moving piece of equipment, catching a finger or limb, scraping equipment (bolt screw etc.) And others.

Four major playground-risk areas were identified through our inspection program: 1) inadequate protective surfaces, 2) improper placement of equipment, 3) poor maintenance of equipment, and 4) improper use of equipment. Factors I through 3 can be corrected by replacement, maintenance and/or supervision. Factor 4, however, involves proper education and diligent supervision.

We must keep in mind that the very nature of play includes freedom to be inventive, creative and exploratory. Socially, playgrounds should promote problem-solving, decision-making, and creative expression through manipulating and interpreting the environment. The playground should promote social interaction rather than isolation, cooperation rather than competition, role playing and creativity rather than prescribed structured behavior, but most of all, safety.

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