5/2/2011 SCHOOL COMMITTEE Minutes

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i J is butyl ketone, n-butyl acetate and butyl-vellus lv (Sanford, 1999), which can be irritating t the eyes, rose and throat. Cleaning products and air deodorizers were also observed in a number f classrooms (Table 1). Like dry erase materials, l nin products arel air deodorizers contain VOCs and other chemicals that can be irritating to the eyes, nose and throat and should be kept out of preach of students. Furth nnore, deodorizing agents do not remove materials causing odors, but rather mask odors that may be present in the area. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) should be available at a central location for each product in the event of an emergency as required by Massachusetts General Daws. Consideration should be given to providing teaching staff with school issued cleaning products and supplies to ensure that ISIS information is available for all products used at the school. Tennis balls were observed sliced open and placed on the base of the legs likely in an effort to reduce noise from sliding des /chairs (Table 1). Tennis balls are made of a number of materials that can serve as respiratory irritants. Constant wearing of tennis balls can produce fibers and cause ADCs to off-gas. Tennis balls are made ith a natural rubber latex bladder, which becomes abraded when used as a chair leg pad. Use of tennis balls in this manner may introduce latex dust into the school environment. Some individuals are highly allergic to latex e.g., spina bifida. patients) SBAA, 2001 . It is recommended that the use of materials containing latex be limited in buildings to reduce the likelihood of symptoms in sensitive individuals (NIOSH, 1997). Other Conditions Other conditions that can affect indoor air quality were observed during the assessment. In several classrooms, items were observed on the floor, windowsills, tabletops, counters, bookcases and desks. The large number of items stored in classrooms provides a source for 15