Friday, September 6, 2013

Parents check classroom air quality on mobile device

Poor indoor air quality in schools can
become a problem for students and staff.
Many schools are being renovated over the summer, causing parents to worry about potential toxic fumes to affect their children.

Some schools are moving to appease worried parents and provide information about the work being done, the materials used and the indoor air quality in the classroom.

According to a report by ChinaNews, a middle school in Yangpu district has posted QR codes in its recently renovated classrooms so parents can check the quality of the school's renovations with a simple scan of their mobile phones. This was announced by the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The school put up the square bar codes as part of a pilot program that aims to assure parents that their children won't be breathing toxic fumes from the renovations.

Parents worry that the two-month summer vacation isn't long enough for the noxious fumes from some construction materials, which can contain carcinogens such as methylbenzene, to dissipate.

In 2011, 73 students at the newly built Wunan Kindergarten in Shanghai missed the first day of classes because their parents were worried about the "pungent fumes" in the building stemming from construction over the summer.

The QR codes, which can be scanned with most mobile devices, offer parents a simple way to check the air quality and other details about the renovations, said Li Wei, the vice secretary-general of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The scan results for the school's 72-square-meter conference hall showed that the air quality in the room has been tested on three different days since August 19. The tests were all clear. The scan results also showed that the composite wood floors and coatings on the walls, desks and chairs all met standards.

In the past, schools have not released the complete results of such safety inspections to parents. The QR code scans, however, give parents access to the full inspection results for seven classrooms, Li said.

The pilot program is expected to eventually be implemented citywide, and could be expanded to places like hospitals, shopping malls and movie theaters.

Edited for length. Source: Chinanews

Air cleaners for schools


Back-to-school time often leads to a surge of asthma attacks, allergy symptoms or other health effects caused by poor indoor air quality in classrooms.
Air cleaners for schools

Chemical fumes from construction and renovation work, dust and particles, mold spores, odors and chemicals from strong cleaning products can all cause IAQ problems in schools.

Electrocorp has designed a variety of versatile and mobile air cleaners for schools that can tackle the above-mentioned airborne contaminants and more (including airborne bacteria and viruses).

The air purifiers feature a multi-filter system for best results. That includes a large activated carbon filter to remove chemicals, fumes and odors, a superior medical-grade HEPA filter for particles and dust as well as optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as germs and mold spores.

The air cleaners are long-lasting and sturdy, providing cleaner and more breathable air during the school day or on a 24/7 basis.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and a consultation.

1 comment:

  1. This a quite a germane initiative by the schools to ensure that parents are at peace with the environment their kids are exposed to at schools. Have read online about concerns regarding the threat of asbestos exposure faced by kids at schools. Was checking online for health and safety training programs when i found this intriguing read.

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