How Educational Institutions can Provide a Clean and Safe Learning Environment

Educational Institutions are primarily a place of learning, but they are also a place where students and staff spend a great deal of their time. This means that these institutions have a duty of car to properly look after these hundreds, and sometimes thousands of people who spend the majority of their week on campus for several years at a time.

Part of this duty of care involves provide a clean, hygienic and safe environment for everyone. It is therefore important that schools, colleges and universities take certain steps to ensure this kind of environment so that their staff and students can be healthy, happy and as productive as possible. PHS offers affordable and convenient hygiene solutions to more than 24,000 educational institutions to help them do just that.

Let’s take a look at the top ways educational institutions can provide a clean and safe learning and working environment for their students and staff.

Why Schools and Universities Should Worry About Hygiene

Hygiene and safety is an area of critical importance, however it is also an area that even the top educational institutes sometimes overlook, or fail to give the attention it deserves. With the competitive nature of today’s education sector it is perhaps understandable that schools and colleges are consumed with courses, learning outcomes and student numbers. Equally, most students are more focused on receiving a highly-graded paper, rather than worrying about their health and hygiene.

However, this is something that really shouldn’t be overlooked because it is actually critically important. Failing to provide proper hygiene standards can lead to increased illness rates among both staff and students, which is damaging to everyone’s learning. Additionally this can be very damaging to the institution’s reputation. Given how competitive it is with many universities fighting to fill student places, superior hygiene and cleanliness can give an educational institution the edge over their competitors.

How Educational Institutions can Provide a Hygienic Environment

1. Ensure the highest standards of cleanliness in the washrooms

Of course, all areas should be kept sparklingly clean at all times, but the washrooms are of the utmost importance. Studies have found that public washrooms on average contain 500,000 bacterial cells per square inch of bathroom surface. You can imagine how this represents a huge risk for spreading illness! Have adequate cleaning systems, and be vigilant in checking them to ensure they are conducted properly at all times. Also make sure washrooms are consistently and properly stocked with consumables such as hand wash and paper towels to aid with proper hygiene.

2. Ensure all areas are free of hazards

It is important to keep the same occupational health and safety rules in mind as you would in an office or any kind of workplace. A college is essentially a place of work for both students and staff, and there are many potential hazards in any workplace. These can include trip hazards like computer cords, slippery floors and ergonomic hazards from poorly designed chairs and desks. Certain areas, the chemistry lab for example, will have very specific hazards which require particular attention. Have proper processes and systems and place to avoid common hazards, and make sure all people are educated on these.

3. Monitor indoor air quality

Another area for potential health concern is the indoor air quality. The air inside buildings can become less than optimal and even hazardous, due to various factors such as contaminants from construction or building works, pollutants brought in from outside through air-conditioning systems, mould from untreated moisture or damp and indoor accumulation of Radon. All of these things can cause respiratory disorders and other health problems, which can become serious and even fatal with prolonged exposure. As part of their duty of care to their staff and students, educational institutions should regularly check indoor air quality using professional means to ensure the levels of pollutants, particles and dust are within acceptable levels, and take the necessary steps to address any issues which are identified.

4. Provide adequate waste collection and disposal issues

With so many people studying, working, eating and drinking on campus, it is not surprising that waste control can become an issue, especially around finals or exam time. Educational institutions must ensure they adequately deal with the literally mountains of waste which accumulate on site every day. This is not just a practical issue, it is also a question of health and hygiene: improper waste management can lead to the spread of bacteria and viruses, causing people to come sick. It may also cause accidents and represent other safety hazards for the people working and studying in that space. Every school or college needs to have a proper system in place which will remove the waste from common areas in a timely manner and dispose of it properly. It is also important to remember environmental concerns here, and make sure that all items are recycled wherever possible, and hazardous materials such as electronics, computers and laboratory chemicals are disposed of responsibly.

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