Paint safety

Art supplies are among the commonly used products in schools that can pose chemical hazards. School staff must be careful handling the products to avoid exposing children to danger.

Paint can become contaminated with mold or bacteria and often contain an organic binder that is subject to degradation if not stored properly or used within a reasonable amount of time.

Dick Blick Art Materials offers the following tips on storing paint products:

store paint in its original container in a cool, dry place
date and rotate inventory, always using the oldest stock first
thoroughly shake the product before using
remove only enough paint for immediate use. Don’t return unused portions to the original container
never dilute the product, because the addition of water dilutes the preservative’s strength as well as the paint
do not place brushes, hands or other objects in the container
make sure the cap is sealed tightly before storing after each use

All paints are subject to eventual spoilage, but proper storage and usage will reduce potential sources of contamination, extend the life of your paint and keep children safe.

HealthySEAT

There are approximately 120,000 schools in the U.S. and many contain environmental hazards that may pose risks to children and staff. The EPA has developed a software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their facilities for environmental, safety and health issues.

HealthySEAT can be used to conduct self-assessments of schools and on environmental conditions. The software will help schools check for environmental hazards, including chemical releases, pesticide exposures, flaking lead paint, mold, indoor air quality problems and damaged asbestos-containing building materials.

The software includes an inspection checklist and a guidebook on the hazards and includes features that allow staff to generate letters and track the status of facility conditions and corrective actions and prepare reports for district use.

HealthySEAT will help school districts collect the data necessary to make a compelling case for needed renovations and repairs and demonstrate to the community that your school is committed to the health and safety of children and staff.

Go to http://www.epa.gov/schools/healthyseat for more information and to download the software.