Facilities

Construction/Facility Safety

Overview

The Utah State Board of Education has developed this website to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs), school districts and charter schools administrators and facilities personnel, along with those involved with school facilities, to better design, plan, build, and maintain efficient and effective school facilities, while maintaining the appropriate level of safety and security. Included within this website are the electronic version of the School Construction Resource Manual; related law and administrative rules; construction forms; construction and inspection-related references; lists of school construction projects; the electronic version of Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Schools; and much more.

School construction, maintenance and operation must comply with all applicable building codes. The purpose of building codes is to establish the minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of safety, public health and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, energy conservation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations (refer to International Code Council (ICC) 2015 International Building Code (IBC) 101.3).

The provisions of the codes apply to the construction, alteration, relocation, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures (IBC 101.2), which applies to leased facilities.

Hopefully this information is helpful in your planning process. If there are topics for which you would like more information, please contact School Construction at schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov.

Best Practices

As mandated in the Utah State LegislatureTitle 53E-3-7: School Construction, the Utah State Board of Education shall adopt construction guidelines to maximize funds used for public school construction and reflect efficient and economic use of those funds. Also refer to the Utah Office of Administrative Rules R277-471: School Construction Oversight, Inspections, Training and Reporting, which provides minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare of occupants while using the most comprehensive, cost effective and efficient design means and methods. The tab School Construction Resources provides facility and facility safety related Best Practices information.

Along with the State of Utah Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Public Schools being mandated in the Utah Office of Administrative Rules R277-400: School Facility Emergency and Safety, it is considered a guideline for best practice relative to Utah K-12 public school safety and security. The Safety and Security website provides additional links to information and examples considered best practice for school facilities.

If you have any questions about facility or safety best practices for K-12 public schools, please feel free to contact School Construction at schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov.

School Construction Resources

School Construction Resource Manual
April 30, 2013

Regulation

R277-454: Construction Management of School Building Projects
R277-471: School Construction Oversight, Inspections, Training and Reporting
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Administrative Rules

Title 15A: State Construction and Fire Codes Act
Title 53E-3-707: School Building Construction and Inspection Manual, Annual Construction and Inspection Conference, Verification of School Construction Inspections
Utah State Legislature

Manual Topics

Major topics include long-range planning; the role and responsibilities of the School District Building Official (SDBO) and Charter School Board Building Official (CSBBO); school site issues such as size and location, pupil transportation into and away from the school, geologic hazards, environmental impact, acquisition and development, as well as coordination with the local municipality and county; plan development issues such as educational specifications, selection of architects/engineers, facility design, and plan reviews; value engineering and life-cycle costing; structural, energy; fire marshal plan reviews; the construction bidding process; the construction inspection process; and maintenance and operation of buildings after construction.

The resource manual is comprised of various chapters which are listed below:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Asbestos Removal/Containment in Facilities
Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Public Schools
Facilities Planning
Facility Graffiti Removal and Prevention
Fire and Structural Wall Identification
Fire Extinguishing Systems Inspection and Test
Hazardous Waste
Indoor Air Quality
Inspection Process
Legal Liability in Building Maintenance and Operations
Nonstructural Earthquake Hazards
Outdoor Learning Play Centers and Playgrounds
Plan Development
Plan Review/Value Engineering
Procurement (Bidding) Process
Radon Gas in Facilities
Relocatable (Portable Classroom) Building Issues
Roof Inspection Management and Maintenance
School District Building Official and Charter School Board Building Officer
School Facility Site Selection and Development
Storage of Flammable and Combustible Liquids
Underground Natural Gas Piping

School Facility Safety and Seurity

Emergency Compliance and Assurance

Although school emergency compliance and assurance requirements are still in effect, the detailed reporting required by the Utah State Board of Education, of individual schools and school districts, was only required to be submitted in Fiscal Year 2013. Current reporting is included in the Utah State Board of Education Utah Consolidated Application (UCA) Compliance information in addition to emergency topics, and is reported at the administrative level to Utah State Board of Education. A copy of this form can be reviewed by selecting the link below. The detailed emergency compliance reporting forms required in Fiscal Year 2013 can be used by Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to assist in meeting compliance, but, as noted above, are not required to be.