Medina County Health Department inspects school buildings and playground equipment, if present, twice per year, in accordance with Ohio Department of Health (ODH) guidelines and Ohio Revised Code 3707.26. Our inspectors look at the physical condition of the buildings, overall building sanitation, and the overall condition and safety of the school playground equipment. This is done in an effort to assure the health and safety of school students and school staff. The school cafeterias are inspected as part of our Food Protection Program.
The following are some examples of the things our inspectors look for during a routine school building/playground inspection:
Grounds & Building Exterior:
- All buildings in good general repair
- No excessive idling of buses or other vehicles
- No trip hazards
- Grounds clean, orderly, and well maintained
- No evidence of water damage or conditions that could lead to water intrusion into the building
- Walls and windows intact
Playgrounds
- All playground equipment in general good repair
- Enough depth of absorbent surfacing material
- Sufficient use zones around equipment
- No head entrapment hazards
- No protruding bolts that could cause entanglement of the body or clothing
School Indoor Environments
- Doors properly installed and maintained
- Sanitary conditions, with no evidence of moisture, water damage, or mold
- No evidence of pests
- Furniture and toys cleanable, clean, and in good repair
- Portable furniture items (such as folded cafeteria tables) not accessible to students or secured to the wall or floor while not in use
- Televisions and heavy equipment secured to carts
- Chemicals and cleaning products inaccessible to students
- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available for all chemicals, including those not provided by the school
- Carpeting in good condition, secured to the floor; no tripping hazards
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and components in good condition; working quietly
- Classroom pets and related supplies properly maintained
- All plumbing fixtures in good repair
- Lighting provided at an adequate level of foot-candles (FC)
- No storage of items in hallways that may block traffic and/or exiting the building
- Stair treads and handrails in good repair
Specialty Classrooms (Science, Visual Arts, Industrial Arts):
- Food and drinks prohibited
- No excessive dust or sediment
- Personal Protective Equipment available and in good repair
- Fume hoods in use when hazardous airborne chemicals are generated
- All containers of chemicals properly labeled
- Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) accessible to staff for all classroom chemicals
- Chemical storage rooms and cabinets locked or not accessible to students
- Science chemicals properly stored
- Emergency showers and eyewash stations operational and unobstructed
- First aid and chemical spill kits supplied and accessible
- In Art and Industrial Arts classrooms: no use or storage of powdered pigments, powdered clays, highly toxic products, or materials containing heavy metals
- Kilns with proper local exhaust systems
- All Industrial Arts equipment in good repair, with safety guards
- Electrical cords in good condition
Restrooms:
- All plumbing fixtures clean, operable, and in good repair
- Soap, toilet tissue, and hand drying towels or devices available
- Hot and cold water at all sinks
- Hand washing posters visible from all sinks
Indoor Athletic Facilities and Locker Rooms:
- All gym equipment and furnishings in good repair
- Hot and cold running water at all showers that are operational
- Shower stalls not used for storage
Weightlifting equipment and benches in good repair
Please call our office at 330-723-9688, option 3 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. with questions regarding this program.