Identifying Health and Safety Hazards in Educational Settings: A Building Walkthrough Toolkit

A wide variety of health and safety hazards pose risks to staff and students in educational settings. Staff and other members of the community can play a crucial role in recording, reporting, and resolving such hazards by conducting building walkthroughs of indoor spaces, such as classrooms, cafeterias, gyms, libraries, and locker rooms. They can identify poor ventilation; inadequate or ineffective air filtration systems; shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE); a lack of safe cleaning and disinfecting supplies; the presence of rodents, insects, and other pests; and other problems.
The National Education Association (NEA) created the building walkthrough toolkit to improve the health and safety of students and staff however, it is still an employer’s fundamental responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment. The building walkthrough toolkit is intended for all educational settings—from preschools to institutions of higher education. The toolkit was designed to be used in public schools and other educational settings and features hazard mapping guidance, health surveys, and comprehensive checklists for building walkthroughs related to mold, indoor air quality (IAQ), building ventilation, and construction and renovation.