Free Download: 11 School Maintenance Checklists

Why do you need to plan for school maintenance?

Student and staff productivity is the foremost goal of school facilities management.

To achieve ideal productivity levels, school personnel must be kept safe and healthy, all equipment and vehicles must run smoothly, and maintenance costs must be kept to a minimum. Smart facility maintenance practices tell us that having a regular maintenance plan is the only way to achieve all your goals.

This level of responsibility is best achieved with a reliable checklist template to keep you on track and prevent details from slipping through the cracks.

The school maintenance checklist includes:

1. Athletic facilities
2. Bleachers
3. Building exterior
4. Building interior
5. Chemicals
6. Fire systems
7. Fitness room
8. HVAC
9. Life safety
10. Playground
11. Roof

What is a good school maintenance strategy?

Aside from juggling the unpredictable and reactive maintenance requests that come through their inboxes, smart facility managers know that preventive measures keep that inbox to a minimum and reduce overall maintenance costs.

It may take some time to offset the current rhythms of incoming work, but eventually, a proactive school maintenance schedule will allow you to have total control over your school operations, intentionally scheduling work in the most efficient way possible.

Preventive maintenance can be split up into 3 categories:

1. Inspection

Sometimes your team can be so caught up putting out fires they don’t get the chance to walk around your school building and grounds looking for potential problems or areas in need of repair before they become an issue.

Inspection of your plumbing, roof, or light switches can be a huge step in reducing your risk of expensive damage or liabilities.

2. Cleaning

A great way to shorten your equipment lifespan or reduce your occupant comfort is by neglecting a school cleaning checklist. Removing dust, dirt, and debris from your school facilities is critical for student and staff comfort, productivity, and safety.

Examples of school cleaning services can include restroom disinfection, removing graffiti, or cleaning up water and debris in the hallways.

3. Service

Equipment needs routine maintenance to continue running smoothly. Neglecting manufacturer guidelines is a surefire way to shorten lifespans and be forced to replace an asset sooner than you were anticipating. Not to mention, regular maintenance improves asset efficiency and reduces energy usage and total costs.

Planned maintenance can include tasks such as replacing an air filter, lubricating doorknobs, or changing spark plugs.

What is a building maintenance checklist?

When performing a regular inspection, cleaning, and repair, it’s best to create a checklist template that your maintenance team can rely on. This way, you don’t have to worry about tasks getting missed along the way. Facility maintenance checklists can either be completed on paper or digitally through school facilities management software.

The following checklists are examples of inspection checklists, but the tasks that follow can often prompt cleaning or repair depending on the findings of the inspection. It’s important to bolster these checklists with manufacturer-recommended service schedules for your vehicles, equipment, and assets.

Athletic facilities

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist ensures the proper function and sanitation for indoor athletic areas such as gymnasiums, locker rooms, and training rooms.

Procedure

1. Make sure protective mats are in place in contact areas in gyms
2. Inspect for exposed foam on protective mats
3. Check for cleanliness and sanitation on mats
4. Make sure gym floors are clean, dry and free of debris
5. Make sure there are protective cages on overhead lights
6. Make sure training room access is locked
7. Ensure maximum water temperature does not exceed 104 degrees
8. Make sure sanitation is required after individual use
9. Make sure there are slip resistant materials in shower rooms
10. Make sure exhaust fans are operational
11. Make sure locker room floors are clean and dry
12. Inspect for evidence of moisture and/or mold
13. Make sure there is an inspection/cleaning/sanitation process in place for equipment
14. Consider a replacement schedule for equipment
15. Check for defined storage areas
16. Make sure equipment is moved only by district staff

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Bleachers

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist ensures the safety and structural integrity of your indoor and outdoor bleachers.

Procedure

1. Make sure bleachers are level
2. Inspect concrete piers for sinking or heaving
3. Make sure bleachers are stable when they are walked on
4. Inspect structure for signs of rust or rot
5. Check for broken welds
6. Inspect for loose or missing bolts
7. Check for bent or damaged cross bracing
8. Inspect for gaps or holes in guardrails allowing a 4" sphere to pass through
9. Inspect guardrails for loose or missing bolts
10. Check for gaps or holes on seating and foot boards allowing a 4" sphere to pass through
11. Check seating and foot boards for missing or loose bolts
12. Inspect for splintered, fractured, or broken seating or foot boards
13. Check for bent or warped seating or foot boards

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Building exterior

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist addresses any repairs needed to paved areas, parking lots, and building infrastructure while also ensuring you are following compliance requirements.

Procedure

1. Check for established “No Idle Zone”
2. Check for defined separation of vehicles and pedestrians
3. Inspect for even sidewalks and walking surfaces
4. Check for standing water
5. Inspect downspouts to ensure they are pointed away from structure
6. Remove weeds or other debris from grounds
7. Check for intact screens, louvers, and filter banks
8. Inspect for potential contaminant sources
9. Ensure lids or covers are on all outside containers
10. Check for evidence of standing water on pad
11. Look for evidence of bugs or pests
12. Inspect glass, glazing and caulking for cracks
13. Inspect for bowing in walls or other deformations
14. Check for damage to brick or mortar joints
15. Inspect for openings in siding or trim

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Building interior

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist addresses any repairs needed to interior floors, walls, doorways, and equipment while also ensuring you are following compliance requirements across school grounds.

Procedure

1. Walk off mats at each entry
2. Gaps or openings between door and frame
3. Door closes and latched without assistance
4. Ensure all floors are dry, flat and even
5. Ensure all floors are free of debris and adhered to surface
6. Check for evidence of moisture on walls, windows and ceilings
7. Check for bowed or damaged walls, windows or ceilings
8. Inspect any surface stains
9. Check and repair any cracked, peeling or chipped surface finishes
10. Make sure equipment is secured to walls or carts
11. Make sure equipment is not stored in aisles or walkways
12. Ensure proper clearance around kilns, electrical cabinets, HVAC, and sprinklers
13. Ensure access to chemicals is locked

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Chemicals

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist ensures safety and compliance regarding all school chemical storage, usage, and disposal processes.

Procedure

1. Make sure inventory represents current year
2. Make sure there is a chemical purchasing approval process in place
3. Check for a disposal log or records
4. Check for any chemicals older than 3 years
5. Make sure chemical storage room is locked
6. Check for a defined compatibility matrix
7. Make sure there is no food or drink present
8. Make sure fume hood is not used for storage
9. Check for a defined chemical labeling standard
10. Make sure all labels are legible

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Fire systems

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist is commonly outsourced to fire system service providers but still needs to be documented and tracked internally.

Procedure

1. Test fire alarms
2. Test fire pump controller
3. Inspect/test fire sprinklers
4. Service kitchen fire suppression
5. Inspect fire extinguishers

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Fitness room

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist assesses the safety and functionality of exercise equipment, while also ensuring proper processes and signage are in place.

Procedure

1. Make sure floors are dry and clear of debris
2. Make sure emergency exits are clear
3. Ensure free weight collars are present and used
4. Check for guards on cooling fan
5. Make sure safe use rules are posted
6. Make sure supervision is required and present
7. Make sure disinfecting solution is available
8. Make sure seat and bench coverings are intact
9. Check for frayed belts or cables on equipment
10. Check for broken chains on equipment
11. Make sure pivot points on equipment operate smoothly

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HVAC

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist ensures the function and safety of all HVAC systems on school grounds, including ducts, fume hoods, drains, and intake.

Procedure

1. Check system for excessive noise, vibration or odor
2. Make sure air filtration devices are free of debris
3. Check for excessive dust or debris on system components
4. Inspect screens/louvers and make sure filters are in place and free of excessive debris
5. Make sure air intake is located away from potential contaminant sources
6. Inspect drains for standing water or obstructed drains
7. Check for signs of water damage or mold
8. Make sure Art Room kiln is exhausted directly to the outside
9. Locker room/restroom exhaust should run while occupied
10. Perform fume hood tissue paper test
11. Stack cleaning and certification of kitchen exhaust hood

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Life safety

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist is a compliance and safety audit to ensure your school is prepared for an emergency, and that your plans have been properly submitted to the local Attorney General.

Procedure

1. Make sure evacuation routes are posted in each room
2. Check for obstructed exit routes
3. Make sure severe weather shelters are identified
4. Make sure all fire extinguishers have a current inspection tag
5. Ensure all extinguishers have the green dial indication
6. Make sure AEDs are unobstructed, clearly marked and operational
7. Check AED battery for proper charge
8. Make sure EXIT signs are clearly marked and operational
9. Inspect all emergency lighting
10. Make sure designated evacuation routes are illuminated
11. Make sure eye wash stations are unobstructed, clearly marked and operational
12. Make sure eyewash and emergency showers have a 15 minute water supply
13. Submit safety procedures to Attorney General
14. Submit record of safety drills to Attorney General

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Playground

Recommended frequency: monthly. This checklist is conducted more frequently than the others and is intended to keep an ongoing watch on the safety of your playground equipment and surrounding areas.

Procedure

1. Inspect impact mats in high traffic areas (slide exit and swings)
2. Remove weeds and debris
3. Check for exposed footers or jagged concrete
4. Check for adequate depth of safety surfacing
5. Inspect for broken or cracked slide bed or chute
6. Check for missing guardrails or barriers
7. Inspect for loose, missing, or broken fasteners
8. Check gaps on S hooks (less than the thickness of a dime)
9. Inspect for excessive chain wear
10. Check for broken or cracked swing seats
11. Inspect for worn seat grommets
12. Inspect all equipment for pinch points
13. Check for rotten, splintered, or deteriorated wood

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Roof

Recommended frequency: annual. This checklist is intended to evaluate the integrity of your roof and related exhaust stacks. It will also identify any signs of mold and pests present on the roof.

Procedure

1. Check for evidence of standing water (past or present)
2. Inspect seams for signs of damage
3. Check for damaged, cracked or missing roofing material
4. Inspect for evidence of microbial growth on any surface
5. Inspect flashing for separation, cracks, or missing material
6. Check for gaps or other damage to walls
7. Inspect drains for evidence of standing water (past or present)
8. Remove any excess debris near drains
9. Check for evidence of birds, rodents, or insect infestation
10. Inspect HVAC and exhaust stacks for excessive noise or vibration
11. Check HVAC and exhaust stacks for evidence of birds, rodents, or insect infestation
12. Inspect HVAC and exhaust stacks for damage or deterioration

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How do you maintain a checklist?

Having a maintenance plan is great, but it will only be helpful if your team actually uses it.

There are a few reasons checklists can go unused, and we’ve provided some best practices and tips you can use to prevent these problems.

Sustainable scheduling

Over-scheduling tasks beyond the bandwidth of your team is a surefire way your school maintenance checklist goes unused.

Each maintenance schedule requires a different frequency to be done successfully (either daily, weekly, annually, etc.) At the same time, building maintenance teams are often running into trouble with understaffing. This means facility leaders need to prioritize tasks based on their available resources and set a sustainable maintenance schedule for their team.

Relevant assignment

Failing to delegate tasks in a way that makes sense for a technician’s skill set or daily routine can be counterproductive and cause pushback.

Different technicians are more skilled at certain tasks than others. They also may have routes or zones that make sense for their daily routine. Try to assign facility maintenance in a way that best leverages your team’s unique talents, preferences, and responsibilities. It can also be highly productive to split out tasks by zone, minimizing the time technicians need to spend traveling from one task to the next.

Easily accessible

If your checklists aren’t visible and easy to fill out, they won’t get done.

In James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, he talks about how habits are formed and what it takes to shape them to our will. A core principle he provides is that in order to shape our habits, we must place barriers between us and bad habits and remove barriers between us and good habits.

This means make it obvious where your team can find their school building maintenance checklists. Make it easy for them to fill out. Get feedback from your team, and be ready to adjust these checklists if they aren’t working.

Clear accountability

If your team knows there’s no incentive or penalty to filling out their preventive maintenance checklist or not, they may eventually stop doing them.

To keep your team filling out their maintenance checklist, there has to be accountability. Reward the behaviors you want while discouraging those you don’t.

Keep in mind that accountability is a two-way street. You must also allow your team to keep you accountable for refining these tasks and ensuring that the preventive maintenance you assign to your team is relevant and important.

Why create a digital preventive maintenance checklist for my school?

Paper checklists can work for a while, but you may find that they are easy to get lost, hard to keep up to date, and aren’t easily accessible on the go.

With preventive maintenance software, you can create digital checklists that your team can carry with them on a phone or tablet. This way everyone in your team can stay up to date in real time, and these checklists will synchronize with the other incoming reactive maintenance that can inevitably interrupt their daily inspections.