Healthy Facilities Institute-University (HFI-U) Releases The Healthy and Safe Facility Handbook ─ School and College Edition

Boise, Idaho – The Healthy Facilities Institute-University (HFI-U) has released The Healthy and Safe Facility Handbook in both English and Spanish editions. It is available as a free download on the

www.HealthyFacilityHandbook.com website.

“Since Spanish is the second largest spoken language globally after Mandarin Chinese, with English in third place, we wanted to make this information freely available to the large numbers of Spanish-speaking facility services personnel,” said Allen Rathey, principal of HFI-U. “No signup or information is needed to download the guide. Just visit the site, download the guide(s), read and apply the information.”

HFI-U is grateful for the assistance of William Mattos, of ASEO USA, for making this translation possible, and is indebted to Kaivac for sponsoring the original English edition.

Background On the Guide

The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI) Healthy and Safe Facility Handbook ─ School and College Edition provides actionable facts and steps to help you develop a system to:

  • Improve and protect the indoor environment at your facility
  • Provide better conditions for students, staff, faculty, and visitors
  • Advance learning outcomes by enhancing safety and health

The audience for this handbook is not technical but general.  It is designed to make the complicated simple while still being accurate, thus empowering laypersons to understand, affect, and improve health and safety issues in schools and colleges.

The subject of healthier indoor environments should be well-understood by all, not just experts.  This guide will give you holistic information to move your educational facility toward a higher level of health and well-being to the benefit of the learning and teaching process.

Guide Table of Contents

  1. Elements of Exposure – Breathing, Drinking, Eating, Touching, Ergonomics, General Safety and Security
  2. Healthy Architecture and Design

III. Health Factors

  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Chemical Exposure
  • Water Quality
  • Sound Levels
  • Lighting
  • Cleaning and Disinfecting
  • Sanitizing and Foodservice
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Ergonomics (musculoskeletal, strains, slips/falls)
  1. Health by Areas
  • Classrooms
  • HVAC and Ceilings
  • Furniture
  • Restrooms
  • Floors
  • Stairs
  • Drinking Fountains
  • Cafeteria, Foodservice
  • Locker Rooms
  • Security
  1. Labs, Science, and STEM

About HFI-U

The primary purpose of Healthy Facilities Institute University (HFI-U) is to teach both Non-credentialed and Credentialed service and support staff employed in schools/colleges, senior care, hospitality, retail, and other fields, how to improve the environment of their facility in a way that makes them more valuable as employees and creates a bottom-line benefit to employers.

Featured

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • Wisconsin District Launches Series of Improvement Projects

    The School District of River Falls in River Falls, Wis., recently launched a series of five construction projects scheduled for completion by September 2025, according to a news release. The district partnered with Bray Architects for their design and with integrated construction management firm Kraus-Anderson (KA) for their construction.

Digital Edition