The Healthful School:

Recognizing environmental factors play a major role in the health and safety of both students and staff, schools should attend to the social and emotional environment as well as to the physical environment .

Physical Environment /Health Office / Classroom Environment / Laboratories / Food Programs / Outdoor Activities / School Playground / Americans with Disabilities Act

Physical Environment

The School Nurse, in accordance with local administrative policy, and using OSHA guidelines as a resource (OSHA, Federal Register, 29 CPR, Parts 1910.1030, pages 64175 to 64182), should implement universal, precautions for all staff as an infection control measure against blood borne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials. Job descriptions should identify specific staff at risk for exposure to Hepatitis B. These staff should be counseled about Hepatitis B prophylaxis, and all staff must be made aware of the importance of immediately notifying administration and a medical provider should an exposure occur. All potentially infectious materials shall be disposed of in accordance with OSHA guidelines.

Biological Hazards

Biological hazards besides bacteria and viruses also exist, e.g., molds, parasites, poisonous plants, insects and animals. Therefore, science teachers must also follow universal precautions. Animals used in classrooms should be limited to caged varieties, e.g., rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, or laboratory mice and rats. Only teachers or assigned students (with parental permission) using proper protective equipment should handle and feed animals. If bites occur, the local law enforcement officer should be notified and the health department may be contacted for advice on how to proceed.

Health Office

The health office should be located near the administrative offices where students, parents and staff may find easy access. The health office must provide toilet and hand washing facilities (soap and warm, running water) to ensure appropriate infection control procedures are maintained during the management of ill and/or injured students.

Adequate privacy, space, and cots (1:400 students) should be available to allow students who become ill students to rest. Students with contagious diseases must be excluded according to public health guidelines.

Students' right to confidentiality must always be protected; therefore, health records should be maintained in locked files and appropriate telephone services should always be available in the health office.

A model plan for structuring a health office is available from the Nebraska Health and Human Services, School Health Program. Guidelines for suggested materials and supplies are found later in this section. (See School Health Equipment & Supplies later in this section.)

The Classroom Environment

The plant management staff shall maintain appropriate environmental standards for temperature, humidity, noise, and light. They should perform preventive maintenance assuring adequate ventilation and removal of environmental contaminants such as pesticides, improperly diluted cleaning agents, combustion gases from cafeterias and laboratories, and cigarette smoke. It is critical that all schools establish a smoke-free and tobacco-free environment not only to address the air quality issue, but also to reinforce health teaching about the hazards of tobacco use and the dangers of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

Classroom Temperature and Humidity

All staff should be aware that temperature extremes affect performance and health. Comfort depends on the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity and air movement. Classroom temperatures should be set at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and at a high of 79 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. Optimum humidity levels, taken at the level of the seated student, should be between 40 and 60 percent. (Refer to Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act. 71-5701 to 71-5713.)

Science , Industrial and Fine Arts Labs

The staff responsible for science, industrial and fine arts labs must adhere to safety recommendations regarding proper storage of chemicals, availability of safety equipment and protective gear, and the use of safety practices. Teachers should complete each experiment themselves before assigning it to students. All students should be familiar with emergency procedures. Protective eye wear and proper eye washing facilities should be available. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on all chemicals should be provided to the health office.

All waste products should be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner. All asbestos fiber identification and removal must be in accordance with federal and local standards and guidelines. All schools must test for lead if they did not identify and replace water coolers containing lead components. (Refer to Nebraska Asbestos Control Act, 71-6301 to 71-6317; and Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act, 71-5301 to 71-5313.)

School Lunch and Breakfast Programs

The health promoting quality of school breakfast and lunch programs must be assured. Foods should be prepared in a healthful manner and served attractively to provide powerful messages to students that equate nutritional choices with positive health consequences. Vending machines should be turned off during lunch hours. Indeed, school policy should support replacing vending machine 'junk food' with healthy food choices.

Outdoor Student Activities

The staff should utilize the heat and humidity index and wind-chill factor to determine whether conditions are safe for outdoor student activities. Sun stroke and heat exhaustion are likely to occur when the heat index reaches 105 0 (Fahrenheit). Bitter cold will cause human flesh to freeze in one hour at a temperature of 18 ° (Fahrenheit) and a wind speed of 22 miles per hour. Therefore, children should be kept indoors at a very cold wind-chill equivalent of 15 - (F).

School Playground

All school playgrounds should have adequate surface protection under equipment to soften falls. Playground equipment should be developmentally appropriate and inspected regularly to ensure proper maintenance and safety. Students should be supervised by adequate numbers of adults during play. Factors contributing to the largest number and most severe injuries on the playground should be reviewed regularly and addressed. Prevention should be taught in the classroom.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 guarantees people with disabilities equal access to employment, transportation, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications. School must either remove physical barriers or provide alternative methods of providing services. (See Section VII, for a summary of the Act.)