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• Assessment of environmental factors including lighting, ventilation, temperature, noise, and sanitation facilities.
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• Assessment of environmental factors that may be harmful to health of a child with asthma, including tobacco smoke, cockroaches, mold, pollen, dust mites, animal dander, mice droppings, chalk dust, cleaning agents, scented and unscented personal care products, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), laboratory chemicals, unvented fumes, and vehicle exhaust.
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• Reduce exposure to mites. Dust mites may be found in schools in carpeting, upholstered furniture, stuffed animals or toys, and pillows. Stuffed animals or toys, as well as pillows for taking naps, are used mostly in the primary grade.
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• Clean up mold and control moisture by reducing indoor humidity, responding promptly when signs of moisture and/or mold are sighted, or when leaks or spills occur.
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• Establish procedures to ensure the schools’ compliance with maintenance schedules of heating, ventilation, and plumbing systems.
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• Establish procedures to minimize human exposure to the exhaust of school buses and other vehicles. School bus drivers should turn off diesel school bus engines as soon as they arrive at a loading or unloading area and not restart until ready to depart, and park at a sufficient distance from school buildings.
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• Ensure that all school construction or renovation projects provide minimum exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens, irritants, hazardous chemicals, pollutants, and sunlight. Live animals with fur or feathers should not be kept inside classroom buildings with the exception of assistive animals such as seeing-eye dogs.
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• Create a smoke-free environment. No student, staff member, or school visitor should be permitted to smoke, inhale, dip, or chew tobacco at any time on school grounds, including non-school hours. No use of electronic cigarettes should be allowed in and around any school properties or at any school event.
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• The school/district office should be responsible for daily monitoring of Air Quality Index (AQI). School officials should make decisions about reducing students’ exposure to air pollution based on individual risk factors. Provide indoor alternatives for student physical activity on days with poor air quality.
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• Integrated pest management (IPM) and control programs should be designed and implemented to prevent pest infestations and minimize human exposure to pesticides in all school buildings and on all school grounds.
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