School Construction Safety and Health Issues

Security goes beyond the day-to-day routine and takes on a whole new meaning when a school district begins renovating and adding to existing facilities. In this situation, administrators need additional measures to keep students, teachers and staff safe, as well as to keep construction workers safe. General safety and security standards should be enforced. Health and safety, as well as educational capabilities while classes are in session, must be maintained.

Establish a School District Emergency Plan

The district emergency plan must be updated to accommodate the construction process, including an updated emergency exit plan, with, if necessary, temporary exits. Provisions must be made for an emergency evacuation and relocation or release of students and staff in the event of a construction incident.

Contractor Safety Plans

The specifications should require all contractors and subcontractors supply a safety plan to the municipality and Superintendent of Schools or school Principal for review and comment.

Construction Workers Wear I.D. Tags

Require all construction workers to wear identification badges with their company logo on them. If a teacher or staff person sees someone in the building without an identification badge, that person can be questioned and escorted to the office.

Consider Education and Construction Activity Coordination 

Construction scheduling can greatly reduce construction operations interfering with student education. For example, isolate students and teachers from the noise of jackhammers and power saws by doing this type of work outside of school hours or constructing physical barriers between education areas and construction areas. Consider noise abatement so that operations do not exceed 60 decibels in occupied spaces.

Require Onsite Supervision

Have someone in place to oversee the construction process and workers. Full-time site supervisors are the school district’s eyes and ears to what’s going on. Oversight and monitoring of the construction workers is also making sure they’re not doing things they shouldn’t be doing. It’s about providing highly competent and experienced onsite management. Have someone onsite that knows what to look for and what recommendations can be made to mitigate the problems that arise. Monitor construction activities for compliance with minimum requirements of a certificate of occupancy and to ensure there are no safety violations.

Erect Physical Barriers to Keep Student Areas and Construction Areas Separated

Keeping students and workers separated as much as possible has benefits that go beyond security to include noise and vibration reduction for better concentration during the education process. Provisions must be made to prevent the passage of dust and contaminants into occupied parts of the building. Gypsum board must be used in areas were fire could occur, and heavy-duty plastic may be used only for a vapor, fine dust, or air infiltration barrier, and not to separate occupied spaces from construction areas. Barrier separation between workers and students is for everyone’s welfare. Because elementary students are interested in the construction, windows can be put in solid barriers so students can see what’s happening.

Erect Physical Barriers Around the Construction Site

Outdoor construction areas need to be secured by fences. The purpose is mostly to keep curious students from gaining entrance to the construction area where they can harm themselves. Physical barriers also keep curious neighbors and visitors safe. Fences must be maintained around supplies and debris. Gates must be locked unless a worker is in attendance to prevent unauthorized entry.

Require That Contractors Keep the Equipment and Supplies Locked

If effective physical barriers are in place, that alone should ensure that supplies and equipment are safe. However, do go a step farther and require contractors to keep everything locked. Store construction materials in a safe and secure manner. It’s the responsibility of the construction companies to secure their areas.

Overhead Protection and Warning Signs

Make sure that overhead protection is provided and warning signs posted.

Limit the Entries That Construction Workers Can Use

Establish certain doorways that workers can go in and out of in the areas where they are working. Working doorways are completely separate from entrances where students are located. This creates a staging area that allows for trailers, vehicles and storage to be separated from the rest of the school.

Fire Hazard Prevention

Make sure that equipment does not block exits, and fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are maintained. Smoking should not take place on school property.

Hold Fire Drills

Fire drills should be held to familiarize students and staff with temporary exits and revised emergency exits and plans.

Maintain Safe and Adequate Ventilation

Maintenance of exiting and ventilation requires plans and specifications for isolating equipment, materials, people, dust, fumes, odors, and noise during construction. Establish details on how adequate ventilation will be maintained.

Control Chemical Fumes, Gases, Dust and Other Contaminants

Bid specifications must allow time for “off gassing” of volatile organic compounds, specifically glues, paints, furniture, carpeting, wall coverings and drapery. Building materials or furnishings which “off-gas” chemical fumes or other contaminants must be aired out in a well ventilated, heated warehouse before brought to the school for installation or an “off-gassing” period must be scheduled between installation and use of the space. If work generates toxic gases that cannot be contained, it must be done while school is not in session. Material safety data sheets must be located on site for all products used during construction.

Treat Hazardous Materials As Hazardous

Perform pre-construction testing and planning so that safety is address in bid specifications. All areas to be disturbed during renovation or demolition must be tested for lead and asbestos and procedures to protect occupant health must be included in the final construction documents for bidding. Assure that all asbestos and lead abatement protocols are in compliance with state and federal laws. Testing and mitigation of radon should be conducted. Independent testing laboratories should be specified for independent verification of hazardous materials and testing and monitoring should be on going for the removal and exit transportation of the hazardous material. These laws are established to protect students, faculty, and construction workers.

When it comes to a construction project, safety and security is a very important issue. It’s up to everyone to keep their eyes and ears open all the time, not only construction personnel but also teachers and principals. Everyone must identify issues as they come up and, if there are concerns, put them on the table to deal with them.

Most importantly, school construction needs to be conducted with our children’s health and safety firmly in mind.