Environmental Health and Safety Status of Schools: Case Study in Paveh City of Kermanshah Province

Background Aims of the Study: A most part of children time is spent in a school environment. Important part of the basic mission of schools is promoting the health and safety. So, assessing the existing conditions is an important factor in promotion and this study conducted to investigate the environmental health and safety status of Paveh city schools in Kermanshah province, Iran. Materials Methods: This is a descriptive-cross sectional study and has performed in Paveh city of Kermanshah province. The study population consisted of primary, secondary and high schools of Paveh city. Data have been collected by referring to schools, direct observation and completion of environmental health and safety checklist. Schools conditions were determined according to the environmental health and safety checklist in desirable, semi-desirable and undesirable. The collected data were analyzed, using Excel software, and data means and frequencies sign in tables and were drawn by charts. Results: From 28 schools which have been visited, 35.6% of school buildings were old and 63.7% of school buildings were new. In the study of all schools, among 8% of them, environmental health status were undesirable, 21% semi-desirable and 71% were desirable; also, safety status among 4% of all schools were undesirable and 21% were semi-desirable and 75% were desirable. Undesirable safety conditions were related to adjacent to waste accumulation areas, brick buildings without footing beam, inappropriate distance of first row bench from the boards and lack of green spaces. Conclusion: Given the importance of safety in schools, more attention should be paid to this issue. It is essential to compliance with the principles of health and safety in schools; also, any consideration and action in this field can be effective in reducing the risk of many related health problems.