School Safety Inspection Checklist
This school facility checklist plays a significant role in ensuring the quality of education, as it is almost the sole method by which governments can ensure and evaluate the safety of their students and employees working in the school. Moreover, governments are unable to implement the national policies and goals without school inspection.
MaintainX
07/22/2022
School Safety Inspection Checklist
This school facility checklist plays a significant role in ensuring the quality of education, as it is almost the sole method by which governments can ensure and evaluate the safety of their students and employees working in the school. Moreover, governments are unable to implement the national policies and goals without school inspection.
School:
Date:
Inspected by:
FLOORS AND WALKWAYS
Are walkways and stairways kept clear of obstructions?
Are buckets and mops available to clean up spills so no one will slip?
Are non-slip mats, grates, or slip-free coatings used in wet areas to prevent falls?
Do stairways have handrails?
Are carpets and rugs causing a potential trip hazard?
LADDERS AND FALL PROTECTION
Are the appropriate ladders for the job available and in good condition?
Are they inspected before each use?
Do ladders have safety feet?
Are non-metal ladders used when there is a chance of electric shock?
Have maintenance workers, custodians and grounds workers been trained in ladder safety?
Is there a fall protection plan in place?
If work is done at heights above 7½ feet, is fall protection used (e.g., a lifeline and harness)?
Do teachers and other staff have access to step stools
Have they been instructed not to stand on unsafe surfaces or furniture?
FIRE SAFETY
Are there at least two fre exits for each classroom and any other work areas? Check with your local fre department for their recommendations.
Are fre exits clearly marked and pathways to the exits clear?
Have employees been told what to do in case of a fre or other emergency?
Are there fire extinguishers of the correct type in or close to each classroom and any other work areas?
Are the locations of fre extinguishers clearly marked?
Do fre extinguishers have up-to-date inspection tags, and are they inspected monthly?
Do employees know how to use the fre extinguishers?
Are the fre alarm system and sprinkler system regularly tested?
Are there regular fre drills?
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
Have employees who use machinery been told how to recognize when a machine has been locked out (electrical power turned of)?
Are electrical cords in good condition (no fraying or other defects)?
Are power tools and other equipment in good condition?
Is all electrical equipment, including power tools, properly grounded?
Are there enough outlets so extension cords don’t have to be used?
Are cords kept out of areas where someone could trip over them, or where they could be damaged?
LIGHTING
Is there adequate lighting throughout the school, including outdoors for after-school activities?
Are the areas around all machines well lighted?
Are outside pathways and parking lots adequately lighted at night?
MACHINE GUARDING AND MECHANICAL SAFETY
Are machines securely attached to the foor?
Do machines in work areas and vocational classrooms have guards on them?
Have employees been told to report missing machine guards to their supervisors?
Do employees know how to turn of machines in an emergency?
Have employees been trained in how to work safely around machines?
Are emergency cut-of switches easily located and identifed, and do employees know where they are?
OTHER SAFETY ISSUES
Are hot surfaces in school kitchens and cafeterias guarded to prevent accidental contact?
Are sharp objects properly stored so they don’t present a hazard?
Are any trenches properly shored?
Do furniture and equipment have seismic restraints or bracing?
Is shelving secured to walls?
Is there a security system to protect against intruders who might commit an assault in the school?
Is the district’s water fountain fushing program in place?
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Are chemicals (including pesticides, laboratory chemicals, art supplies, and cleaning products) properly labeled and stored?
Are fammable and combustible liquids inside the school buildings stored in fammable liquids cabinets?
Has an inventory been done of toxic substances used in the school?
Has monitoring been done to make sure exposure levels are within legal limits?
Have the buildings been assessed for potential lead paint hazards, and have Cal/OSHA Lead in Construction Standard requirements been followed?
Have the buildings been assessed for asbestos and has AHERA Compliance been maintained?
Are records of monitoring results available to employees?
Are maintenance workers and other employees told where Material Safety Data Sheets on chemicals are kept?
Is there adequate ventilation to keep levels of dust, vapors, gases, and fumes as low as possible?
Are local exhaust ventilation systems (such as fume hoods) provided in science labs where toxic chemicals are used, and are they tested regularly?
Is annual training being conducted for all employees who use chemicals?
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS, SANITATION, AND HOUSEKEEPING
Are adequate toilet facilities provided and well maintained?
Are there sinks with hot and cold water, and disposable hand towels?
Are insects and rodents adequately controlled?
Are there clean eating areas separate from work and chemical storage areas?
Are there enough trash containers and are they well-maintained, leak-proof, and emptied regularly?
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
Can employees get help when lifting more than 30 pounds (as per NIOSH’s recommendation)?
Have employees been trained in proper lifting methods?
Are mechanical lifting devices available if needed?
Are job tasks that require repetitive movements varied or rotated?
Are computer workstations set up to avoid awkward postures and to ft the individual needs of workers?
Are employees able to avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time?
NOISE
Do workers feel noise levels are comfortable?
Is there a program for noise reduction?
Do workers know when and where hearing protection is necessary?
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Is personal protective equipment (PPE) provided as needed (coveralls, gloves, eye protection, respirators, earplugs, etc.)?
Have workers using PPE been trained in its proper use?
Is PPE cleaned, maintained, and stored properly?
Are multiple sizes of PPE available to ft diferent workers?
If respirators are used, have workers been ft-tested and is there a Respiratory Protection Program?
In addition to doing a walkaround inspection to identify possible hazards, you can also check for the following general workplace issues.
GENERAL WORKPLACE ISSUES
Does the workplace have a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) as required by Cal/OSHA, and has a responsible person been identifed?
Have all employees received health and safety training?
Is there someone in the school trained in frst aid and CPR? Who?
Is there a written Emergency Action Plan and have all employees and students been trained in what to do during an emergency?
Source: MaintainX (Community Member)