School Safety

Grant County Health District (GCHD) recently expanded our Environmental Health School Safety Program to better serve Grant County. The goal of this program is to implement routine inspections in all Grant County schools as is required under WAC 246-366.

Our school safety program:

  • Reviews new or remodeled school plans
  • Inspects new or remodeled schools before students and staff use the building
  • Inspects school playgrounds

We will work closely with school districts so they have the necessary tools and support to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. 

GCHD reviews plans for new and remodeled schools. For more information on school plan reviews, please call our office at 509-766-7960 or email us at info@granthealth.org

GCHD school safety staff do a variety of reviews and inspections.

  • For new schools, GCHD must approve the building site before construction (WAC 246-366-030). 
  • GCHD must review and approve the architectural plans before construction of new or remodeled schools (WAC246-366-040).  Electronic plan sets should be turned in.  For some projects, the Environmental Health Specialist (EHS)reviewing the project may need hard copies which they will request from the applicant.
  • Food Service:  If the project will have food service, a food establishment application may be needed. Please see our Food Safety Application page for more information on food establishment permits. Before being permitted, the food service area will have a preoperational inspection. 
  • Preoccupancy Inspection:  GCHD will do a preoccupancy inspection (WAC 246-366-040).  Compliant and valid sound and lighting reports must be turned in and approved by GCHD before the preoccupancy inspection is scheduled.

During the 2024-25 school year, we are starting onsite reviews and inspections of outdoor playgrounds. Our team of environmental health specialists will schedule an appointment with each school’s administration to conduct an on-site inspection and discuss things we observed during the inspections. 

In the coming years we hope to expand our school safety program to other higher risk areas including science classrooms, laboratories, art rooms, shop classrooms, and chemical storage areas at each school.