Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on July 4, 2006
Journal of Public Health 2006 28(3):294-295; doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdl039
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Correspondence |
Standards in school toilets: do extra resources make a difference?
Erhard Fujiwara-Pichler
Specialist Registrar Department of Community Child Health, Swansea NHS Trust, Central clinic, Swansea, SA1 5AT, UK
Alison Maddocks
Consultant Community Paediatrician Department of Community Child Health, Swansea NHS Trust, Central clinic, Swansea, SA1 5AT, UK
Peter M Barnes
Consultant Community Paediatrician Department of Community Child Health, Swansea NHS Trust, Central clinic, Swansea, SA1 5AT, UK E-mail: peter.barnes{at}swansea-tr.wales.nhs.uk
Sirs,
In 1999, we reported in this journal a survey of school children in South Wales that highlighted the inadequacies of their school toilet facilities and their reluctance to use them.1 As a result of this work, and the response generated, our local education authority invested £800 000 up until 2005 to improve and update school toilet facilities.
Inadequate provision and maintenance of school toilets is not a new concern and has been linked to infectious disease outbreaks involving school children.2 The recent Escherichia coli O157 outbreak in South Wales reminds us of the importance of children having access to well-maintained and hygienic school toilet facilities, where they are able to wash their hands after toilet use, for preventing/controlling such an outbreak. Statutory regulations for school toilets in their present form specify only the number of toilet cubicles that should be available per pupil,3 yet, on the same school premises, the regulations for toilet provision for adult staff use are more detailed, with a requirement for hand-washing facilities and a minimum hygiene standard.4 We set out to investigate whether the extra financial investment locally had resulted in an improvement in school toilet standards since our original survey in 1999, by repeating our questionnaire survey of local school-aged children.1
Of the 92 who completed the questionnaires, 55% were male respondents with an age range of 4–15 years, and a mean age of 6.2 years, and in all 65 schools were represented. Those questioned were similar in age and sex characteristics to the group surveyed previously,1 and the responses are summarized in Table 1.
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Our survey has highlighted that at best there has been a marginal improvement only. We remain concerned that 11% of children still do not always have hand-washing/drying facilities available after toilet use and that 21% report that they do not always have toilet paper available. Over half of the respondents continue to perceive that their school toilets are not always clean. These inadequacies could be important in relation to the control and spread of infectious diseases. We feel that the availability of additional resources alone, on a voluntary basis, may not be the best way forward in improving school toilet standards. We propose that schools should be under a legal obligation to provide adequate, clean and well-maintained toilet facilities for children’s use—as they are for adult members of staff. Perhaps it is time for our legislators to revisit the ‘School Premises Regulations’?3
Yours faithfully
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References |
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 TOP References |
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- BarnesPM, Maddocks A. Standards in school toilets – a questionnaire survey. J Public Health Med 2002;24(2)85–7.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - JewkesRK, O’Connor BH. Crisis in our schools: survey of sanitation facilities in schools in Bloomsbury health district. BMJ1990;301(6760):1085–7.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Statutory Instrument no. 2. The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999, Department of Education and Employment. London: Stationery Office, 1999.
- Statutory Instrument 1992 no. 3004. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. London: Stationery Office, 1992.
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