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Cleaning and Maintenance
Effective operation and maintenance procedures are critically important to protect building systems and building occupants. Student, teacher, and staff health and productivity can suffer when school building systems fail to operate as designed.
School and district-level maintenance programs can be designed to help prevent IAQ problems.
An effective maintenance plan should:
- include policies to ensure regular inspection and maintenance of building systems, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems;
- provide guidance for cleaning staff to ensure that they clean thoroughly, follow instructions on cleaning supply labels, use the safest and most effective products, and handle and dispose of cleaning supplies safely;
- determine waste management protocols for food waste and chemicals, such as cleaning products, art supplies, and chemicals used in science labs, and communicates information about safely disposing of wastes to control odors and reduce contaminants and pests;
- require reporting of all spills to ensure that moisture issues are addressed within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth;
and,
- address renovation and repair guidelines to minimize dust, fumes, and off-gassing from construction materials, new furniture, and carpets, and ensure that renovations or construction do not interfere with good ventilation practices
For more information on designing a good IAQ maintenance plan read the Building and Grounds Maintenance Backgrounder document and review the checklists included in the IAQ TfS Action Kit.
For more general information on EPA's school maintenance programs, visit the Healthy School Environments Website.