Sample School Walkthrough Report
Background
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that causes recurrent and distressing episodes of
wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing.
Exacerbations can be triggered by exposure to allergens or irritants, respiratory infections and
exercise. The environment, both indoor and outdoor, plays an important role in the exacerbation of
asthma symptoms in people who already have asthma.
One in 14 Minnesota children (an estimated 85,000) currently have asthma.1 Among Minnesota
children with asthma, more than half had an asthma attack in the past year.2 Children in the U.S.
miss about 14 million school days each year due to asthma.3
While exposure to allergens and irritants found inside of schools can trigger asthma symptoms in
sensitive individuals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emphasizes these five:
 Animals
 Dust mites
 Mold/moisture
 Pests
 Secondhand smoke
Minnesota School Walkthroughs
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Asthma Program has developed a school asthma
walkthough checklist that focuses on low to no cost solutions for addressing environmental asthma
triggers. MDH staff has conducted 32 walkthroughs in urban and rural school buildings, and in a
variety of K-12 classrooms. The most common problems seen in the school environmental asthma
walkthroughs can be grouped into two categories.
Common Building Related Problems
 Carpet next to moisture sources such as sinks, drinking fountains & water coolers
 Ceiling stains: evidence of moisture problem
 Entrances without walk-off mats
 No school bus idling policy
 Common pests: ants, mice, silverfish
 Reduction in custodial staff
Common Occupant Related Problems
 Plants: too many; no water trays; over watering; dead leaves/plants/insect infestations
 Refrigerators on carpet
 Personal appliances such as microwave oven or coffee makers placed on or near carpet
 Upholstered furniture brought from homes of staff
 Consumer products such as air fresheners (plug-in, solid, spray can) and cleaning products
 Animals in classroom: seen more frequently in elementary grade classrooms
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Sample School Walkthrough Report
Excessive clutter: seen more frequently in elementary grade classrooms
MDH Recommendations
The MDH recommendations for addressing these problems are:
Building Related Problems and Recommendations
 Carpet near sinks
o Recommendation: As carpet is replaced, place hard flooring around the sink area and
other sources of water
 Ceiling stains
o Recommendation: Replace tiles; look for source of the moisture
 Walk-off mats
o Recommendation: All entrances need walk-off mats
 Pests / bus idling
o Recommendation: Develop and implement integrated pest management & no bus
idling policies
o Recommendation: Remind staff about Integrated Pest Management policy including
the following steps
 Clean dirty dishes before leaving school for the day
 Promptly clean up food spills
 Clean the inside of appliances such as microwave ovens and popcorn poppers
after each use
 Place covers on food storage containers
 Store food and cooking ingredients in plastic containers
Occupant Related Problems and Recommendations
 Plants
o Recommendation: limit number of plants, require watering trays and encourage
regular maintenance (such as discarding dead leaves) of plants
 Small refrigerators (on carpet)
o Recommendation: Prohibit personal refrigerators or require an impervious surface
such as rubber tray
 Upholstered furniture / stuffed toys
o Recommendation: District-purchased items only or suggest small items that are
washable in hot water
o Wash items in hot water on a regular basis
 Consumer products from home
o Remove products that emit strong odors or particles
o Encourage the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products (“green”
products)
 Animals in classrooms
o Recommendation: Remove animals from school, if possible; if not, keep animals in
cages or localized areas and away from upholstered furniture and carpets
 Clutter (dust collector)
o Recommendation: Remind staff that papers & general clutter is difficult to clean,
collects dust and can worsen existing breathing problems such as asthma
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Sample School Walkthrough Report
On (insert date), Laura Oatman accompanied (insert walkthrough participants names and titles)
on a walkthrough of (insert school name). The school district has an Indoor Air Quality
Management Plan and all of the buildings were well maintained. The building specific observations
and recommendations are provided on pages (insert page numbers).
For additional information contact:
Laura Oatman
Minnesota Department of Health Asthma Program
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
651-201-5914
laura.oatman@state.mn.us
The school walkthrough checklists and sample walkthrough report are available at
http://www.health.state.mn.us/asthma/schools.html
References
1. Minnesota Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006
2. National Survey of Children’s Health, 2003 http://nschdata.org/Content/Default.aspx
3. Mannino DM, Homa DM, Akinbami LJ, Moorman JE, Gwynn C, Redd S. Surveillance for
Asthma-United States, 1980-1999. MMWR March 29, 2002; 51 (No.SS-1):1-13.
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Sample School Walkthrough Report
School
Address
Date
Participants
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(insert school name)
(insert address)
(insert date of walkthrough)
(insert names of walkthrough participants)
General Observations
Plants
o A few classrooms had too many plants (proper maintenance is difficult)
o Water trays were not always used (excess water can drip on carpet causing mold
growth)
o A few plants had standing water in the water tray (promotes growth of biological
agents)
o Insect infestations were observed on several plants
o Dead leaves (mold and cleaning issues)
Carpet is located near water sources such as sinks (mold growth occurs if carpet becomes
wet)
Upholstered furniture and pillows were seen in classrooms (can be a source of dust mites)
Excess clutter was noticed in a few classrooms (excess clutter can be a “dust collector” and
is difficult to clean) and dust was observed on light fixtures & window blinds
Personal appliances such as small refrigerators were seen in several classrooms; the
appliances were placed directly on carpeting
Air fresheners were found in several classrooms; the odors & particles released by these
products could trigger an asthma episode in sensitive students and staff.
Stained ceiling tiles were observed in 15 rooms
The ventilation system was partially blocked in a few classrooms (limits air circulation)
Evidence of pests (droppings) were observed in two classrooms and teachers’ lounge, and
open containers of food were seen in a few rooms
Recommendations
Plants
o Recommendation: limit number of plants, require watering trays and encourage
regular maintenance (such as tossing dead leaves) of plants
Carpet near sinks
o Recommendation: when carpet is replaced, use hard flooring around the sink area
Upholstered furniture / stuffed toys
o Recommendation: District-purchased items only or suggest small items that are
washable in hot water
o Wash small items in hot water on a regular basis
Clutter (dust collector) and dust on fixtures
o Recommendation: Remind staff that papers & general clutter is difficult to clean,
collects dust and can worsen existing breathing problems such as asthma
o Light fixtures and other surfaces should be cleaned (dusted) at least once a year
Minnesota Department of Health Asthma Program
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Sample School Walkthrough Report
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Personal appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves and coffee makers
o Recommendation: Only allow district-purchased appliances or require the use of an
impervious surface such as rubber tray under the appliance
Consumer products such as cleaning agents, wipes and air fresheners
o Recommendation: Remove consumer products that release strong odors or particles
o Recommendation: Purchase environmentally preferable cleaning products (“green”
products)
Stained ceiling tiles
o Recommendation: Ask school staff to report problems to the appropriate person
Blocked ventilation system
o Recommendation: Remind staff that to maintain good air quality inside their
classrooms, it is important that objects not be placed in front of ventilation system
Mice and other pests
o Recommendation: Clean up mouse droppings in the teachers’ lounge and classrooms
o Recommendation: Remind staff about district’s Integrated Pest Management policy
including the following steps
 Clean dirty dishes before leaving school for the day
 Promptly clean up food spills
 Clean the inside of appliances such as microwave ovens and popcorn poppers
after each use
 Place covers on food storage containers including cooking grease
 Store food and cooking ingredients in plastic containers
Minnesota Department of Health Asthma Program
November 2009
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