Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources

Abstract

New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program (NJSS) provides code-required trainings for NJ teachers supervising students in work-based learning (WBL) experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased use of chemical cleaning, sanitization, and disinfectant products (CSDPs) led to ventilation and other health concerns. NJSS conducted two surveys of newer NJ WBL teachers between October 2021 and June 2023, with a follow-up in fall 2022 for those who completed initial surveys before summer 2022. This study focused on questions regarding workspace ventilation; respirator and CSDPs trainings; awareness of government resources for safety and health (S&H); and demographics. Over 65% of participant classrooms have operable windows or ventilation systems, while 13% of school salons have ceiling fans. Half of participants didn’t receive training on handling CSDPs, although 90% were aware of government S&H resources. Data suggested teachers have well-ventilated workspaces and are aware of different resources available, which is important to continue post COVID-19. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

Author Keywords

work-based learning Occupational health and safety safety training school safety ventilation

Index Keywords

Employment learning training adult female human male psychology questionnaire Humans Surveys and Questionnaires Gender Article awareness occupational health coronavirus disease 2019 education epidemiology Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 government United States major clinical study school Schools summer high school health care management spatiotemporal analysis safety workshop follow up pandemic Pandemics school teacher School Teachers Air conditioning disinfectant agent ventilation Caucasian Kruskal Wallis test masters education New Jersey race prevention and control Government Agencies

Author Affiliations

NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States

NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health & Justice, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, United States

Funding & Acknowledgements

State of New Jersey Department of Education, NJ DOE

This research was supported by the New Jersey Department of Education, the Office of Career Readiness/State Vocational Education Aid, for the state fiscal years of 2021\u20132024, via three grants/contracts, as follows: 22-100-034-5062-032-H200-6030, 23-100-034-5062-032-H200-6030, and 24-100-034-5062-032-H200-6030. This study also received support from the U.S. Department of Education, Carl D. Perkins V Program Leadership Funds (CDFA 84.048A), as part of three NJDOE grants/contracts, in the state fiscal years of 2021\u20132024, as follows: 21-100-034-5062-118-H200-6030-2L01, 22-100-034-5062-118-H200-3610-2L02, and 23-100-034-5062-118-H200-3610-2L03.

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Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources

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