School Safety Inspection Checklist

• Safety inspections can ensure that schools can protect students and staff.school house image by Tanya McConnell from Fotolia.com
  
  Many people view the primary role of schools as education and socialization of children. However, schools also provide another valuable resource: they keep children safe and secure. Schools can house thousands of students, teachers, administrators and other staff members, and in the event of an emergency these people must be kept safe from outside influences and from each other. Because of this necessity, many schools undergo regular safety inspections.
  
  

Electrical

• There are a number of potential safety hazards that can arise from electrical difficulties, and they should all be included in a safety inspection.
  
  All communication equipment should function properly. This includes public address systems, as well as telephones to individual rooms or personal communication devices (phones or walkie talkies) used among the staff. In the event of an emergency, school administrators or emergency personnel must be able to communicate with each other and with the students to provide safety instructions.
  
  Inspect all electrical wires and outlets. Frayed or damaged wires must be replaced to avoid the risk of electrocution or fire. All outlets that do not have wires plugged into them should be covered with grounding pins so that they are protected from water or from accidental shocking.
  
  Inspectors should also check lighting in all areas. Proper lighting should be provided in classrooms, offices and hallways to avoid injury or strain. Test the emergency lights, which activate in the event that main electrical power fails; these lights must work properly, to allow people to escape in the event of an emergency.
  
  

Hazardous Materials

• A school building contains a variety of hazardous materials that can pose serious danger to students.
  
  All cleaning products should be clearly labeled with their contents, as well as with a hazardous material warning. This also goes for medications available through a school nurse or doctor.
  
  Maintenance staff should never leave tools unattended, and teachers who work with dangerous tools, such as shop teachers, should supervise students at all times. All dangerous tools accessible by students should include some type of guard or protector to avoid students accidentally harming themselves.
  
  

Fire Hazards

• The occupants of the school building must have proper means of escaping in the event of a fire. This is defined as the "means of egress," or the ability of people to leave the building in the event of a fire.
  
  There must be a proper number of door exits that swing outward to allow for escape during an emergency; the number of doors required varies depending on ordinances and the size of the building. These exits must not be blocked, which would slow the escapees in the event of an emergency; all emergency egress points should also be labeled with lighted exit signs.