Indoor Air Quality - Tools for Schools Action Kit for Canadian Schools

Chapter 8: Classroom Checklist (Continued)

Local Exhaust Fans and Fume Hoods

Local exhaust fans and fume hoods can be used to prevent air pollutants from accumulating in, or spreading beyond, the local area or classroom. Local exhaust fans may be used to exhaust entire rooms such as bathrooms or locker rooms. Fume hoods are appropriate for activities that generate significant amounts of pollutants in a local area within a room, such as science experiments, spray painting, or welding.

Determine whether your classroom activities generate air pollutants and whether your classroom is equipped with local exhaust fans and/or fume hoods

If there are no activities that generate air pollutants, you do not need a local exhaust fan or fume hood.
If there are or may be activities that generate contaminants such as dust or fumes, notify the building operator. Note that fans must operate continuously when the source is present, not only when the room is occupied.
No major pollutant generating activities take place.
Fume hood and/or exhaust fan is in good condition.
Need fume hood and/or local exhaust fan, or need repairs.

Confirm that fume hoods and local exhaust fans function properly

Check for airflow when fans are on. (Hold a piece of tissue paper near the fan, or within the fume hood space. If the paper is pulled inward, the fan is operating properly.)
Fume hoods are not cracked, broken, or pulling away from the ceiling or wall.
Fan is not operated due to noise or mechanical problems.
No odours are present in adjacent rooms or halls.
Fans function; no odours found in adjacent areas.
Fume hood is in good repair.
Need help because the hood or exhaust fan does not seem to function properly.
Need help to assess whether a fume hood or exhaust fan is needed.

Confirm that fume hoods and fans are used whenever activities that generate pollutants take place

Train staff, students and others who use the classroom to use the fume hoods and fans appropriately.
Conduct pollutant-generating activities under the fume hood with the exhaust fan turned on.
Monitor their use throughout the year.
Fans and fume hoods are used properly.
Need help to ensure that the fans and fume hoods are used properly.

Special activities or special use areas may require additional considerations. The activities should comply with the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) program, and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) should be available for all appropriate materials. Some of these activities include:

Art/Crafts

Art supplies may emit contaminants during their use and storage. In addition, certain activities, such as firing ceramic kilns, may generate air contaminants or heat up the classroom, and cause discomfort to occupants.

Although potentially toxic supplies should have appropriate labelling, teachers should ensure that safety precautions are followed. Examples of art supplies and activities that may contribute to IAQ problems include:

• solvents
• inks
• adhesives and glues
• wax
• varnishes and lacquers
• powdered pigments
• acids
• clays/plaster/paper
• paints
• firing kilns
• spilled liquids

Learn about your arts and craft supplies

Check to see whether your supplies (noted above) are listed as toxic or non-toxic.
Discuss all art supplies and practices with the school administration to ensure that they comply with school policy.
Read labels and identify precautions regarding fumes or ventilation.
Materials and practices are appropriate.
Need help managing supplies, interpreting label warnings, or modifying activities.

Confirm that supplies are safe to use Prior to purchasing them or recommending products for purchase

Choose art supplies approved by school policy.
Consider how the supplies may be used and ensure that proper guidance is provided.
Supplies are safe to use.
Need help determining if supplies are safe.

Follow good safety, handling, and storage practices

Ensure appropriate procedures and supplies are available for controlling spills.
Label all hazardous supplies with date of receipt/preparation and pertinent precautionary information.
Tightly seal containers.
Follow recommended procedures for the disposal of used substances.
Secure compressed gas cylinders.
Ensure that supply storage areas are separate from classroom and properly ventilated.
Following good safety, handling and storage practices.
Need help developing good safety, handling, or storage practices.

Minimize exposure to hazardous materials

Substitute less or non-hazardous materials where possible.
Use local exhaust fans.
Isolate activities or operations that generate contaminants.
Use techniques that require the least amount of materials.
Exposure to contaminants is minimized.
Need help minimizing exposure to art supplies.

Science/Laboratory

Some supplies used as teaching aids in science laboratories may contribute to IAQ problems. Science experiments should be conducted in properly designed, well-ventilated rooms using fume hoods and local exhaust systems wherever appropriate. Basic safety precautions to prevent spills or other mishaps that cause air contamination should be followed at all times. Examples of science supplies or equipment that may contribute to IAQ problems include:

• solvents
• acids
• flammables
• caustics
• biological/microbiological agents
• compressed gases
• greenhouses, incubators

Learn about your supplies

Read labels and identify precautions regarding the ventilation of fumes.
Request information and Material Safety Data Sheets from suppliers and manufacturers.
Supplies reviewed.
Need help determining impacts of supplies.

Follow good safety, handling, and storage practices

Obtain guidance and policy documents from the school administration.
Ensure that appropriate procedures and supplies are available for spill control (e.g., absorbent materials to control the spread of spills).
Label all chemicals accurately with date of receipt/preparation and pertinent precautionary information.
Store supplies according to manufacturers' recommendations.
Follow recommended procedures for the disposal of used substances.
Secure compressed gas cylinders.
Ensure that storage areas are separate from main classroom area and ventilated separately.
Following good safety, handling, and storage practices.
Need help developing good safety, handling, or storage practices.

Minimize exposure to hazardous materials

Review teaching curriculum and ensure that only the materials required for current lessons are present.
Use diluted substances rather than concentrates wherever possible.
Use techniques that require the least quantity of hazardous materials.
Ensure that fume hoods capture inhalable particles, gases, and vapours released within them.
Confirm that exhaust fans operate.
Exposure to hazardous materials minimized.
All unnecessary materials are properly disposed of.
Need help minimizing exposure to supplies.
Need help reviewing curriculum and/or disposing of unnecessary materials.

Industrial/Vocational Education Supplies

Industrial and vocational education materials and operations can create IAQ problems. Examples of the kinds of activities and supplies that may contribute to IAQ problems include:

• machining
• solvents
• grinding
• fuels
• painting
• soldering
• welding
• baking/heating
• adhesives

Learn about your supplies

Read labels and identify precautions regarding fumes or ventilation.
Request informati on and Material Safety Data Sheets from suppliers and manufacturers.
Supplies reviewed.
Need help determining impacts of industrial/vocational supplies.

Follow good safety, handling, and storage practices

Obtain guidance and policy documents from the school administration.
Ensure that appropriate procedures and supplies are available for spill control (e.g., absorbent materials to control the spread of spills).
Store supplies according to manufacturers' recommendations.
Follow recommended procedures for disposal of used substances.
Secure compressed gas cylinders.
Ensure that storage areas are separate from classroom and ventilated.
Following good safety, handling, and storage practices.
Need help developing good safety, handling, or storage practices.

Minimize exposure to hazardous materials

Use instructional techniques that require the least amount of materials.
Ensure that fume hoods capture all inhalable particles, gases, and vapours released within them.
Use the equipment correctly. Discuss equipment use and operation with the building operators, and determine who is responsible for maintaining and cleaning special equipment such as dust/fume collectors, cyclones and electrostatic precipitators.
Confirm that exhaust fans operate.
Confirm that special equipment functions and is properly maintained.
Exposure to hazardous materials minimized.
Need help minimizing exposure to materials.

Locker Rooms/Areas

Locker room conditions that affect indoor air quality include standing water, high humidity, warm temperatures, and damp or dirty clothing. In addition, some of the methods necessary to control germs and odours in the locker room (e.g., the use of disinfectants) may themselves contribute to indoor air quality problems if used improperly (e.g., sprayed into the air instead of directly onto surfaces).

Verify that showers and other locker room areas are cleaned regularly and properly

Use chemical cleaners and disinfectants when areas are unoccupied.
Run exhaust fans to remove moisture and odours.
Run showers, basins, and drinking fountains weekly to ensure that service water does not stagnate in supply lines and drain traps are flushed and filled.
Flush toilets once per week.
Pour water down floor drains as required.
Locker room and showers are cleaned regularly and properly.
Need help to ensure showers and locker rooms are cleaned regularly and properly.

Maintain cleanliness and reduce excess moisture in the locker room

Remove wet towels regularly.
Wash and dry soiled practice uniforms regularly.
Encourage students to clean lockers and take soiled clothes home regularly.
Operate exhaust fans to remove moisture.
Soiled clothes and towels are removed regularly.
Need help to ensure soiled clothes or towels are removed regularly.

Problem Summary

All activities on this checklist have been completed and no help is required.

OR

A list of problems and/or assistance required is attached.

Comments Form

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit for Canadian Schools

We anticipate revising the Tools for Schools Action Kit in the future. To help us ensure that the Kit meets the needs of those who are using it, please send us your comments about how easy or difficult you found the Kit to use. Suggestions for how to make the Kit more useful are especially welcome. If
a reply is requested, please provide your name, address and phone number along with the completed sheet and mail it to:

• Health Canada
  Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch
  Indoor Environments Division
  Room 120, Environmental Health Centre (P.L. 0801D)
  Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2

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