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>>Hi, my name is Lane Kessler, and I’m a Registered Sanitarian in the Environmental
Division of the Medina County Health Department. I inspect all of the school buildings in Medina
County. We conduct inspections of all public and private school buildings in Medina County
twice each year. We inspect everything from the small elementary schools and private schools
up to the large high schools and career centers. During playground inspections, we use these
gauges to check for potential head or body entrapment hazards on playground equipment.
We also check for things like protruding bolts using these gauges or any type of separations
in equipment that can potentially entangle a child’s body, or clothing, or any type
of jewelry that they may be wearing. We use this tool to measure the depth of the absorbent
material such as wood chips or pea gravel on the playground surface. During our general
school inspections we take a variety of environmental measurements in each classroom. This meter
measures carbon dioxide levels and we do that to ensure that they are not too high to impair
students’ learning abilities. We also measure temperature and relative humidity using this
meter to make sure they fall within the recommended acceptable levels. This is a light meter which
we use to measure the lighting in any areas where students may be reading or studying
to ensure that it’s sufficient level just to protect their eyes. One of the most important
aspects of our inspections, especially in high schools or career centers, are inspections
of science, visual arts, and industrial arts classrooms. In those classrooms we check to
make sure that MSDS, or Material Safety Data Sheets, are available for all of the chemicals
or art products in the classroom. We also check for functioning fume hoods, the presence
of emergency showers and eye wash devices, and proper first aid kits and chemical spill
kits. So the next time you’re dropping your children or grandchildren off at school, remember
that inspectors from the Medina County Health Department conducted a comprehensive inspection
of all the school grounds, playgrounds, and facilities to ensure that it is a safe and
healthy learning environment for the children.