Health Officer/School Nurse
This checklist
discusses
three major topic
areas:
Student Health Records
Maintenance
Public Health and Personal
Hygiene Education
Health Officer's Office
Instructions:
1. Read the MO
Backgrounder.
2. Read each item on this
Checklist
3. Check the diamond(s) as
appropriate px check the
circle if you need
additional help with an
activity.
4. Return this checklist to
the IAQ Coordinator and
keep a copy for future
reference.
Name:
Room or Area:
School:
Date Completed:
Signature:
MAINTAIN STUDENT
HEALTH RECORDS
There is evidence to suggest that
children, pregnant women, and senior
citizens are more likely to develop
health problems from poor air quality
than most adults. Indoor Air Quality
(IAQ) problems are most likely to
affect those with preexisting health
conditions and those who are exposed
to tobacco smoke. Student health
records should include information
about known allergies and other
medically documented conditions,
such as asthma, as well as any reported
sensitivity to chemicals. Privacy
considerations may limit the student
health information that can be dis-
closed, but to the extent possible,
information about students' potential
sensitivity to IAQ problems should be
provided to teachers. This is especially
true for classes involving potential
irritants (e.g., gaseous or particle
emissions from art, science, industrial/
.vocational education sources). Health
records and records of health-related
complaints by students and staff are
useful for evaluating potential IAQ-
related complaints.
Include information about
sensitivities to IAQ problems in
student hearth records
Allergies, including reports of
chemical sensitivities
Asthma
O Completed health records
exist for each student
O Health records are being
updated
O Need help obtaining
information about student
allergies and other health
factors
Track hearth-related complaints by
students and staff
Keep a log of health complaints
that notes the symptoms, location
and time of symptom onset, and
exposure to pollutant sources
Watch for trends in health
complaints, especially m timing
. or location of complaints
O Have a comprehensive
health complaint logging
system
O Developing a comprehen-
sive health complaint logging
system
O Need help developing a
comprehensive health
complaint logging system
Recognize indicators that liaafth
problems may be IAQ-nlal»d
Complaints are associated with
particular times of the dav at <*ec
Other occupants in the same area
experience similar problems
The problem abates or ceases,
either immediately or gradualK.
when an occupant leaves the
building and recurs when the
occupant returns
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The school has recently been
renovated or refurnished
The occupant has recently started
working with new or different
materials or equipment
New cleaning or pesticide prod-
ucts or practices have been
introduced into the school
Smoking is allowed in the school
A new warm-blooded animal has
been introduced into the classroom
O Understand indicators of
IAQ-rdated problems
O Need help understanding
indicators of TAQ-related
problems
HEALTH AND
HYGIENE EDUCATION
Schools are unique buildings from a
public health perspective because they
accommodate more people within a
smaller area than most buildings. This
proximity increases the potential for
airborne contaminants (germs, odors,
and constituents of personal products)
to pass between students. Raising
awareness about the effects of personal
habits on the well-being of others can
help reduce lAQ-related problems.
Obtain Indoor Air Quality: An
Introduction for Health Professionals
Contact TAQ INFO,
800-438-4318
O Already have this EPA
guidance document
O Guide is on order
O Cannot obtain the guide
Inform students and staff about the
importance of good hygiene in
preventing the spread of airborne
contagious diseases
Provide written materials to
students (local public health
agencies may have information
suitable for older students)
Provide individual instruction/
counseling where necessary
O Written materials and
counseling available
O Compiling information for
counseling and distribution
O Need help compiling
information or implementing
counseling program
Provide information about IAQ
and health
Help teachers develop activities
that reduce exposure to indoor air
pollutants forstudents with IAQ
sensitivities, such as those with
asthma or allergies (contact the
American Lung Association [ALA]
the National Association of School
'Nurses [NASN] or the Asthma and
Allergy Foundation of America
[AAFA]). Contact information is
available in the IAQ Coordinator's
Guide.
Collaborate with parent-teacher
groups to offer family IAQ educa-
tion programs
Conduct a workshop for teachers
on health issues that covers IAQ
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O Have provided ;
information to parents and
staff
O Developing information
and education programs for
parents and staff
O Need help developing
information and education
program for parents and staff
Establish an information and
counseling program regarding
smoking
Provide free literature on smoking
and secondhand smoke
Sponsor a quit-smoking program
and similar counseling programs in
collaboration with the ALA
O "No Smoking" information
and programs in place
O "No Smoking" information
and programs in planning
O Need help with a "No
Smoking" program
HEALTH OFFICER'S OFFICE
Since the health office may be
frequented by sick students and staff, it
is important to take steps that can help
prevent transmission of airborne
diseases to uninfected students and
staff (see your IAQ Coordinator for
help with the following activities).
Ensure that the ventilation system
is properly operating
Ventilation system is'operated
when the area(s) is occupied
Provide an adequate amount of
outdoor air to the area(s). There
should be at least 15 cubic feet of
outdoor air supplied per occupant
Air filters are clean and properly
installed
0 Air removed from the area(s)
does not circulate through the
ventilation system into other
occupied areas
O Ventilation system
operating adequately
O Need help with ventilation
related activities
NO PROBLEMS
TO REPORT. I
have completed all
activities on this
Checklist and I do
not need help in any
areas.
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