Assessment of Safety and Physical Environment factors in Governmental Primary Schools in Dammam Farhan M Al-Anezi

INTRODUCTION

Introduction Children spend a key part of their childhood in their primary school. Many of the factors in the school environment can be improved with careful planning and allocation of resources.

Safety in educational environment Although, classrooms are considered as relatively safe working environments, they can present potential risks. Blocked exits ,improper storage practices, electrical and fire hazards are the main potential safety concerns that could be found in the classroom, which may have a deteriorate effect on learning environment.

School hazards as fires and electrical safety could occur within the school building. Schools that lack appropriate heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, have poor lighting or acoustics, are badly maintained affect the learning performance of students.

Noise Noise control in the school environment is a real public health challenge. Moreover, adverse health effects of community noise in the school environment are expressed as non auditory effects of noise, such as annoyance, sleep disturbance, and cardiovascular effects.

Illumination (lighting) Recent evidence suggests that levels of light can significantly influence behavior. Studies have shown that poor lighting conditions lead to vision difficulties . Proper lighting conditions are known to reverse these problems and increase academic performance and productivity.

Ventilation Ventilation is usually achieved through ‘natural’ or ‘mechanical’ ventilation or a by combination of both. However, recent studies revealed that the average CO2 levels in classrooms often exceed the limit of 1000 ppm which might affect the learning processes.

Aim Of The Study

Evaluation of safety environment in primary schools facilities. The present study aimed to evaluate physical environment and safety performance in governmental primary schools facilities. Evaluation of safety environment in primary schools facilities. Assessment of Physical Environmental Factors as noise ,illumination and Carbon dioxide levels in students in classroom. Measure of ventilation rate inside school classrooms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Study Setting The assessment of safety and physical environmental factors were carried out in randomly selected 16 governmental primary schools located in Dammam city.

Sampling duration Measurements were conducted at two days in the week, for two months. Data were collected during normal teaching day activities in the selected governmental primary schools . Schools were grouped and classified into three types, governmental ,rental and aramco schools respectively. Four classes randomly selected for carrying out measurements of physical environment . Sampling of noise, illumination and ventilation were conducted at two time intervals (8:00 Am and 11:00Am)

Assessment Techniques Assessment of School safety environment were conducted using pre design safety survey checklist.

Assessment Techniques Physical Environment Assessment noise levels in different classroom using calibrated Sound Pressure level meter . Assessment of illumination levels in different classroom using Lux meter . Assessment of ventilation through CO2 monitoring levels in classroom using MIRAN.

Statistical Analysis The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis and presented graphically using SPSS software .

RESULTS AND Discussion

Fire safety Some of fire safety measures are absent in rental and governmental schools in comparison with aramco schools % School Type

Electrical safety Electrical wiring problems represent highest percentage of electrical safety in governmental and rental school

Exit Safety No Satisfied safety Exits in rental schools. % School Type

Security Safety Unsatisfied security safety are present in governmental and rental schools % School Type

Fall Safety Rental schools have minimum safety levels in ladders and playground condition % School Type

Life Safety Moderate life safety conditions in governmental and rental schools . % School Type

Accidents Criteria Governmental and rental schools have minimum levels of accidents records and training procedures. % School Type

Comparison between different noise levels in selected primary schools P -value Noise 11:00 am Mean± S.D 8:00 am 0.14 78.5 ±10.99 73.6 ± 8.74 Governmental 0.06 82.67±9.33 76.3±8.40 Rental 0.08 67±9.33 70.7± 7.17 Aramco

Noise levels higher than the WHO recommended levels of 35 dB

Comparison between different illumination levels in selected primary schools P-value Illumination 11:00 am Mean± S.D 8:00 am 0.01* 603±389 580± 371 Governmental 354±284 365± 270 Rental 1172±143 1140±176 Aramco

level of illumination exceeds the standard illumination value of 300 Lux

Comparison between different CO2 levels in selected primary schools P-value CO2 11:00 am Mean± S.D 8:00 am 0.01* 1343±947 1413± 973 Governmental 2150±913 2339±1000 Rental 0.04* 2086±718 1815±391 Aramco

All CO2 measured levels are exceeds the standard levels of 1000 PPM.

CONCLUSION

Safety measures All the studied primary schools except Aramco schools are poor in safety measures and criteria especially fire , electrical and exits safety which might affect the life of pupils, teachers and all schools buildings .  VS

Physical environment High level of noise. Reduced illumination bad ventilation systems ( high CO2 levels) greatly affect the learning process and reduce the pupil’s performance in the school classrooms.

RECOMMENDATION

Periodical safety inspections should be done at time intervals for monitoring safety conditions. Electronic repotting of School incidents /safety observations Adjusting the pupil’s number to the classroom area to overcome the crowding that affect learning processes. comprehensive awareness program to be conducted for safety.

By obligations, every primary school should have clinic for providing medical help to the injured cases and introduce first aid measurements. Adequate ventilation system should be applied. At least one school should have a CO2 sensor for continuous monitoring and recording. Using of classroom wall isolation materials to absorb noise to the recommended levels.

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