Education Unit 2: Project Assignment - Facilities Safety

Use the following questions to think about ways of increasing safety and security in your school. For more information, see Mitigating Hazards in School Facilities, http://www.ncef.org/safeschools/index.cfm

Room No __A-9____ Location __Marshall Elementary School______________________________________________ Date ____08/18/2026__________

© 2008, National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities

at the National Institute of Building Sciences

1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 888-552-0624 www.ncef.org

Prepared under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

1. Main Entry

■ Is the main point of entry at the front of the school and readily identifiable?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Is the main entry, or a supervised and controlled designated secondary entry, the closest entry option for visitors approaching after parking?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Are the areas directly outside and inside the main entry well-lit, sheltered from the elements, and spacious enough to avoid becoming overcrowded? Are entry walkways and doors wide enough to avoid overcrowding at peak times?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ If there is covered seating at the main entry, does it obstruct circulation pathways?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Do signs spell out behavioral expectations, access-restrictions, and applicable local and state regulations?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Where security screening is warranted, does the entry have adequate space for queuing, equipment, and pulling students aside for more thorough investigation? If built-in metal detectors are going to be used, have manufacturers been contacted to determine space needs?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: During my discussion with Principal Rawls, he said metal detectors were not initially considered necessary because the school is an elementary setting. However, he is open to reconsidering this safety measure as security needs continue to evolve. Student and staff safety should always remain a priority.

2. Secondary Entries and Exits

(See related assessment guide: EXITWAYS)

■ Is the number of building entries and exits kept to a minimum, and are all controlled or supervised?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Where building and stair exit doors are protected from the weather, do they serve as concealed areas for unwanted activity?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: The buildings that we have do not have stairs, unless we are talking about stairs to the gym then yes.

3. Reception Area ■ Are panic or duress alarm buttons installed at the reception desk?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: Principal Rawls stated that he is contacting a company to install an up-to-date panic system.

■ Can doors be electronically locked to block visitors’ entry into the building?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Do windows facilitate surveillance from the reception area, providing, on the outside, an unimpeded view of the main entry and drop-off and visitor parking areas, and, on the inside, a view of the adjoining halls and stairwells, and, preferably, the closest bathroom entries?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ When the main entry doors are unlocked, can securable internal doors oblige visitors to confer with the receptionist to gain entry beyond the reception area?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Does the reception area include adequate protective features, including a counter or desk to serve as a protective shield, a panic or duress button to call for help, and a telephone, a radio base station if radios are used.

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Do seating areas for visitors impede foot traffic? □ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Is the school’s main administrative area located off the reception area so administrators can see who is coming and going?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Does the school layout require visitors to pass through at least visual screening before they can gain access to bathrooms, service spaces, stairwells, or other amenities inside the school? Can anyone get past the reception area without being seen close enough by staff to be identified?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: The entrance is secure, as all visitors must be buzzed in by staff before gaining access beyond the reception area.

4. High Risk Schools

■ Is the reception area protected by a bullet-resistant windows and walls or does it have a rear exit or safe haven into which the receptionist can retreat? A safe haven is a windowless room with a solid door, easily locked from the inside without requiring a key, and in which there is a telephone for calling for help.

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ Are entries designed to mitigate explosive blast hazards? Do they contain design elements that could entrap an explosion, thus amplifying its impact? Are interior and exterior foyer doors offset from one another? Do doors and walls along the line of security screening meet requirements of UL 752, Standard for Safety: Bullet-Resisting Equipment?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: Principal Rawls stated that he is exploring options for installing code-compliant doors. Due to the age of the elementary school building, additional safety and facility updates are being considered..

■ Are windows and their framing and anchoring systems designed and located to resist the effects of explosive blasts, gunfire, and forced entry? Windows overlooking or directly exposed to public streets or dangerous areas should be either minimized or protected.

· The greatest risk to occupants from an explosive blast originating near the school or even blocks away is injury from flying glass shards, so window glazing should be laminated or protected with an anti-shatter film. Glass-clad polycarbonate and laminated polycarbonate are two types of alternative glazing material.

· Bullet resistant glazing should meet the requirements of UL 752.

· Security glazing should meet the requirements of ASTM F1233 or UL 972.

· Window assemblies containing forced-entry-resistant glazing should meet the requirements of ASTM F588.

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

5. Nonstructural Hazards

■ Are bookcases, sculpture, or other heavy objects secured from falling due to student misbehavior or natural disasters?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: Smart Boards are mounted on mobile stands with wheels and are not permanently secured. Recommend ensuring all boards are stable and safely positioned to prevent potential safety hazards.

■ In earthquake-prone areas, are partitions that terminate at hung ceilings properly braced to the structure above? Heavy partitions are particularly vulnerable to strong earthquake or explosive forces because of their stiffness and mass and are prone to damage.

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note: This is not a major concern in our area; however, inspect partitions to ensure they are properly secured and meet current building and safety codes.

■ In earthquake-prone areas, are plaster and gypsum board ceilings adequately supported and secured to structural framing?

□ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □ Further study

Note:

■ In earthquake-prone areas, are suspended lighting fixtures, suspended ceiling systems braced and provided with safety wires?

· Lighting fixtures, ceiling systems, and other overhead components or objects should be mounted to minimize the likelihood that they will fall and injure building occupants.

· Lay-in fluorescent lights should be supported independently of the ceiling grid. Spot lights and track lights should be securely attached to the structure.

· □ Yes □ No □ Not applicable □

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Note:

Additional notes and comments:

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