Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Kit
The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools
Kit (Kit) shows schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air problems at little or no cost using straightforward activities and in-house staff. Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
is co-sponsored by the National PTA, National Education Association, Council for American Private Education, Association of School Business Officials, American Federation of Teachers, and the American Lung Association.
Each school day, one in five Americans occupies a school building. For these people, " IAQ Tools for Schools offers sound guidance that gives school officials the ability to improve indoor air quality and create a healthier environment for children and staff," says Jacqueline D. McLeod, President of the American Lung Association. Also, good indoor air quality can contribute to a favorable learning environment for children and better productivity for teachers and staff. As each day passes, the 110,000 kindergarten through twelfth-grade schools in the U.S. are spending increasing amounts of their limited resources -- time and money -- in attempts to fix real or perceived indoor air quality problems. A report by the U.S. Government Accounting Office, the Condition of America's Schools [GAO Report HEHS-95-61, February 1995], notes that over half of the schools surveyed reported at least one environmental problem which affects indoor air quality. The voluntary guidance in Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools can save schools time and money so that attention can be directed to educating children.
EPA's new action kit includes checklists for all school employees, a flexible step-by-step guide for coordinating the checklists, and Indoor Air Quality Problem Solving Wheel, a fact-sheet on indoor air pollution issues, and sample policies and memos. "Teachers, education support and other school support staff have a lot to think about," says Keith Geiger, President of the National Education Association. "That is why this kit is so fantastic, it does so much of the thinking for you." In addition to the kit, the EPA, in conjunction with the cast and crew of the popular television series This Old House , has produced a short video about how to properly operate and maintain ventilation systems in schools.
The IAQ Tools for Schools Kit, individual IAQ Problem Solving Wheels, and Taking Action and Ventilation Basics Videos are available free of charge and can be obtained by calling the IAQ INFO Clearinghouse at 1-800-438-4318.
The IAQ Tools for Schools Kit (Second Edition, December 2000) is also available on CD-ROM. The CD includes all written materials in the Kit, such as the IAQ Backgrounder, IAQ Coordinator's Guide, Checklists (including the new "Walkthrough" checklist) and other forms in both Adobe PDF and MS Windows Pagemaker 6.5+ format. To order, call 1-800-438-4318, ask for EPA document number 402-C-00-002, August 2000.
The following components are contained in a folder with a velcro flap (all of the kit is available here as downloadable PDF files and HTML files (except for the IAQ Problem Solving Wheel and the Videos).
Contents of the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit
This recently revised (August 2000) 88 page guidance is designed to allow you to prevent and solve the majority of indoor air problems with minimal cost and involvement. The guide is broken up into three major sections: Basics; The IAQ Management Plan; and, Resolving IAQ Problems. In addition, there are 10 appendices which includes resources, and glossary and acronyms.
Make copies of the checklists and forms in this section so that the originals will be available for future use. The checklists and forms may be copied or modified according to your specific needs. Included in the PDF file are the following forms: Sample Memo for School Staff; Sample Memo for Parents; Sample Memo for Contract Service Providers; Sample Memo for Local News Media; Activate the IAQ Management Plan Checklist (2 pages); IAQ Coordinator's Checklist (2 pages); Checklists Log; Local IAQ Service Providers List; and Problem Solving Checklist (4 pages).
(available in both HTML and PDF)
| HTML | |
|---|---|
| Teacher's Classroom Checklist [8 pages] | teacher.pdf (247KB file) |
| Administrative Staff Checklist [4 pages] | adminstf.pdf (133KB file) |
| Health Officer/School Nurse Checklist [3 pages] | healthof.pdf (141KB file) |
| Ventilation Checklist and Log [16 pages] | ventilat.pdf (1.05MB file) |
| Building Maintenance Checklist [6 pages] | building.pdf (189KB file) |
| Food Service Checklist [3 pages] | foodserv.pdf (111KB file) |
| Waste Management Checklist [2 pages] | wastemgt.pdf (81KB file) |
| Renovation and Repairs Checklist [10 pages] | renovate.pdf (198KB file) |
| Walkthrough Inspection Checklist [5 pages] | walkthrough.pdf (70KB file) |
| Zipped file of all 9 checklists in PDF format [57 pages] | checklists.zip (2.14MB file) |
Individual IAQ Problem Solving Wheels are available free of charge and can be obtained by calling the IAQ INFO Clearinghouse at 1-800-438-4318.
Taking Action & Ventilation Basics Video
[EPA 402-V-98-001]
The Taking Action and Ventilation Basics Video is available free of charge and can be obtained by calling the IAQ INFO Clearinghouse at 1-800-438-4318.
For general information on Indoor Air Quality , you can call EPA's IAQINFO Hotline at (800) 438-4318.
