Developing a safety inspection checklist for your school is a great way to reduce or eliminate hazards and help ensure the safety of students and employees. The first step in developing a checklist is to perform a hazard assessment. A hazard assessment will help identify the dangers associated with a specific department or functional area. You can perform the assessment yourself or assemble a team consisting of representatives from different departments as this will offer a fresh perspective and spot potential hazards overlooked by others. If you choose to create a team, educate members on the purpose of hazard assessments, their importance and how to identify hazards that pose a risk.
Once you are ready to begin an assessment, first create a list of all the locations to evaluate, keeping in mind classroom hazards may vary based on their specialties. Typical areas in a school where a hazard assessment may be completed include:
- Classrooms
- Libraries/Media Centers
- Hallways/Stairways/Elevators
- Cafeteria
- Kitchen
- Maintenance and Janitorial Areas
- Mechanical and Boiler Rooms
- Gymnasium and Auditoriums
- Restrooms
- Parking Lots/Playgrounds
- Administrative Offices
- Athletic Facilities (indoor and outdoor)
- Bus Depots
- Landscaping & Lawncare activities
- Common Areas
Once you have compiled a list of the locations you would like to include, pick one to start with and begin your assessment. Evaluate the workspace for potential hazards and document them on your hazard assessment form. Hazards can include physical hazards, such as water on the floor or the potential for being struck by an object such as a baseball or debris thrown from a lawn mower. There may also be potential for exposure to chemicals, such as laboratory chemicals, janitorial chemicals or fuels & oils. Biological hazards (insect or animal bites) and environmental hazards (excessive noise or temperature extremes) should also be considered in your evaluations.
The potential hazards you document will vary from area to area and may differ depending on the unique aspects of your school. Below are some common hazards to consider, but keep an open-mind and ensure that each completed hazard assessment identifies all potential and actual hazards found in a specific location:
- Slips, Trips and Falls - resulting from spills, melting snow, ice, damaged flooring or transitions, poor housekeeping, open drawers, extension cords, hoses or sawdust.
- Chemical Hazards – including chemicals used in classrooms and cleaning supplies.
- Heat Generating Devices – Bunsen burners, space heaters, stoves, ovens, deep fryers, boilers, equipment engines, etc. These hazards not only have the potential for directly causing a burn if they are touched, but also the potential for starting a fire if not handled or used properly.
- Lacerations – knives, saws, paper cutters, scissors, maintenance and lawncare equipment, broken glass, and anything with sharp edges.
- Falls from Heights - risks associated with working at heights, whether indoors or outdoors. Ladders, step stools, scissor lifts & bucket trucks, catwalks, roof work, loading docks, etc.
- Guarding of Equipment & Machinery - Ensure that guards are in place and secure on all saws, blades, power tools, gears, belts & pulleys, and all equipment and machinery with moving parts or where hazards exist.
- Fire Prevention - Check for blocked fire extinguishers, exit routes and exit doors. Make sure that staff is familiar with the school’s Fire Prevention and Emergency Action Plans.
- Lifting Hazards - If lifting items is required as part of a job, practice safe lifting techniques and use material handling equipment.
- Electrical Hazards - Inspect power tools, extension cords, receptacles / outlets and circuit breaker boxes for damage.
Based on the findings of your hazard assessments, you can now develop an inspection checklist to be used to help prevent injuries resulting from known or potential hazards. To be most effective, conduct inspections regularly, document your results, communicate your findings, implement corrective measures, and most importantly, follow through to ensure they are effective. Remember, the purpose of the hazard assessment and checklist is to ensure a safe workplace for students and employees.