TIMES
Tools for Schools (IAQ)
IPM
Moisture Management
Energy
Safety and Security
TIMES was established at the Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD to help educate our students, teachers and staff so that they could have a better understanding of environmental and safety issues with the schools and particularly in their classrooms. The acronym “TEAMS” stands for the following: “T” Tools for Schools which includes indoor air quality and IPM; “E” Energy Efficiency; “A” Asbestos; “M” Moisture Management; and “S” Safety.
The TIMES Group has found items in our classrooms that may affect indoor air quality (IAQ), integrated pest management (IPM), and the general environment of the classroom. IAQ and IPM are closely related in the fact that if we can keep our classrooms clean, organized and pest free, we will also improve the indoor air quality in our rooms. Several items found include plug-in air fresheners, fabric furniture, refrigerators and microwaves plants and fish tanks. Even though these items may increase indoor air quality and pest problems, proper cleaning and maintenance are essential. By educating our staff of these particular items, we can help improve the indoor environmental conditions as well as save the District money.
Plug-in-Air Fresheners
Plug-in air fresheners have caused minor indoor air quality and IPM problems within the district. For someone who is asthmatic, be it a child or adult, a plug-in air freshener may trigger an attack. Plug-in manufacturers use words such as “fresh air” to promote these items. Fresh air does not smell. Actually plug-in air fresheners left in a room over a weekend or for a long period of time can actually make the room smell “bad”. Plug-ins simply do not smell good to everyone. Plug-ins also make it difficult to find a real indoor air quality problem in a room by masking the original odor. Remember, fresh air doesn’t smell like a plug-in. Pests also cannot determine what is a food source and what is just a smell.
Fabric Furniture
Fabric furniture can have an adverse affect on your indoor air quality and integrated pest management. It may hold dust, animal allergens, viruses, bacteria and/or mold. Fabric furniture is also a home for pests such as head lice, fleas, roaches and other unwanted critters. We need to be extremely careful in what types of furniture we allow in our classroom environment and where they come from. Couches and chairs made of porous materials are difficult to decontaminate and clean. Please be aware of where your furniture items have been. If the furniture has come from a home where there are animals or where roaches are prevalent, these may trigger severe attacks to those who are allergic or are asthmatics. Again, proper care and cleaning are very important. It is not the responsibility of the custodial staff to maintain personal furniture brought into the classroom.
Microwaves and Refrigerators
We have over 500 refrigerators and 400 microwaves in the district which were not purchased by the district. If you are going to have a refrigerator or microwave in your classroom, common sense needs to be applied. Some refrigerators have drip pans which will need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Food cooking in a microwave and standing water in drip pans are both pest magnets and can result in indoor air quality issues and IPM problems if not thoroughly maintained. Small refrigerators use approximately $25.00 per year in energy costs resulting in non-curriculum microwaves and refrigerators costing the district approximately $15,000-$20,000 per year. We found that over the summer very few refrigerators had been cleaned out or left with the doors open and unplugged. Not unplugging your refrigerator during the summer or during extensive holiday periods means that CFBISD is spending money on cooling nothing. After you have cleaned and unplugged your refrigerator, please leave the door open.
Plants
Although people believe that plants can help indoor air quality by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen, this can also pose problems. Please take into consideration children and/or adults who may be allergic to the flowering plants. Some indoor plants also attract pests for their food source. Pests eat the plants as food as well as live in the soil.
Animals in the Classroom
Fish tanks and rodents seem to be the most common pets in our classrooms. We have all heard the saying “one person’s weed is another person’s flower.” It is the same with pets. One person’s pet may be another person’s pest. People with allergies or asthma can have adverse reactions to pets in the classroom. Fish tanks are fun to look at and may give students lessons in responsibility, however they pose problems as well. They attract pests and can become a microbial issue if not taken care of properly. Make sure the fish tank is well maintained, cleaned thoroughly and emptied especially over the summer break.
In summary the TIMES theory is all about getting all facets of an organization pulling on the same end of the rope. A painter calking on the building envelope is performing an IPM functions by eliminating a point of entry. The same workman is performing an energy conservation function by preventing the loss of conditioned air from the interior. And finally the workman is performing an IAQ function by preventing the infiltration of moisture and unfiltered outside air that can contribute to undesirable air quality inside the building. Painters, plumbers, HVAC techs, custodians and electricians need to know that everything they do can affect the indoor climate and IPM of a building, and without their help and knowledge, no single discipline can raise the standard of the org.