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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 Legislature Title 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 ManualJanuary 2025
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.
Earthquake Safety
Be Ready Utah
State of Utah
Earthquake Safety at School
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI):
Utah Earthquake Program
Utah Department of Public Safety
Emergency Procedures Plan for Utah Schools
Emergency and Safety Alliance: School Emergency Response Plan and Management Guide
DC.gov
Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Schools
State of Utah
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
R277-400: School Facility Emergency and Safety
Utah Office of Administrative Rules
Samples of School Safety Plans
Emergency Management Resources
Center for Safe Schools
Emergency Plan Flipchart
Washington County School District
Emergency Response Plan
Provo City School District
Incident Command System
Jordan School District Auxillary Services
School Emergency Response Plans
Emery County School District
School Facilities Safety and Security Resources
Submit a Tip
SafeUT
Utah Compilation of School Discipline, Laws, and Regulations
United States Department of Education
Utah School Safety Commission Feedback
State of Utah House of Representatives
Note: Any school with both elementary (K-6) and secondary (8-12) students, must adhere to the elementary school requirements.
References and Resources
Accessibility
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
United States Department of Justice
Building Safety and Security
Auditing Schools for Safety
Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)
Fire Marshal
Utah Department of Public Safety
Licensee Lookup and Verification System
Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL)
Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Search for Certified Professionals
International Code Council (ICC)
Utah Department of Public Safety
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Construction and Design
Association for Learning Environments: Enhancing the Education Experience
Building Commissioning
Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)
National Clearing House for Educational Facilities (NCEF):
- Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes?
- Facility Assessment Overview
- High Performance Schools
- Schools as Centers of Community: A Citizen's Guide for Planning and Design
National Council on School Facilities (NCSF):
- K-12 Infrastructure
- State of Our Schools: America's K-12 Facilities
- State of Our Schools: America's K-12 Facilities Chart
School Science Facilities Planner
School Clearing House
United States Department of Education
Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management:
Utah State Labor Commission:
Energy
Governor's Office of Energy Development: Advancing Utah's Energy Future
State of Utah
Portfolio Manager
Energy Star
United States Department of Energy:
Maintenance and Operations
Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES):
- Facilities Information Management: A Guide for State and Local Education Agencies
- Planning Guide for Maintaining School Facilities
Risk Management
Utah Learning Portal: Risk Training
Utah Division of Risk Management
Utilities and Jurisdictional
Critical Lands Planning Toolkit
State of Utah
Division of Public Utilities
Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Public Utilities
Other
Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International
Association for Learning Environments: Enhancing the Education Experience
International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) Utah Chapter
Utah Association of School Business Officials (UASBO)
Utah Facilities Operation and Maintenance Association (UFOMA)
Forms
The following are links to forms required for reporting prior to construction commencing and then through project closeout, overviews of the school construction process, code references outlining projects required to be reported to the Utah State Board of Education, and other forms to assist in the construction process. Please contact schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov, if you encounter any problems accessing any of the documents below.
Inspection Reporting Overview
District(PDF File)
Pre-Construction Process Forms
DF File)
Utah State Fire Marshal's Office Fire and Life Safety Plan Review Submittal Form
Utah Department of Public Safety
- Submit form to the Utah State Fire Marshal's office along with construction documents, when requesting a plan review. This is not the plan review document, required to be submitted as outlined in the Pre-Construction Checklist.
Monthly Reporting Form
Closeout Process Forms
Active Construction and Project Closeout Checklist
SP-9: Final Inspection Certification
SP-10: Request for Certificate of Occupancy
Use to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy from the State Superintendent of Public
Education.
School Safety Forms
R277-400 School Facility Emergency and Safety
Utah Office of Administrative Rules
Elementary School Level Emergency Compliance and Safety Form
Secondary School Level Emergency Compliance and Safety Form
Local Education Agency (LEA) Emergency Compliance and Assurance Form
Repository of Practical Tools and Resources
Project Delivery Methods
CSI Project Delivery Methods - Benefits and Limitations
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Construction - Approved Project Delivery Methods Layout
Cost Reporting
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) NPV Template
Construction Administration
Construction Management Contract Administration Checklist
Commissioning
DFCM - HPBS Design Requirements
The Building Commissioning Guide
The Strategic Guide to Commissioning - ASHRAE
Energy Conservation and Management
Energy Efficiency in K-12 Schools & State Applications
A Guide to Zero Energy and Zero Energy Ready K-12 Schools
Managing Energy Costs in Schools
Energy Efficiency Programs in K-12 Schools
K12 Climate Action - SPL20 Energy Screen
Data Trends - Energy Use in K-12 Schools
Facility Audit
A Preventive Maintenance Checklist
Building Systems Conditions Summary Form
Columns Exterior Wall System Form
DFCM Inspection and Testing Form
General Facility Data and Information
Forum Guide to Facility Information Management - A Resource for State and Local Education Agencies
DFCM Facility Maintenance Standards
School Right-Sizing Educational Facilities Process
School Facility Self Assessment Checklist
Emergency Management
Emergency Fire Drill Checklist
Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide
Earthquakes Data and Resilience
FEMA - Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy
Safer, Stronger, Smarter: A Guide to Improving School Natural Hazard Safety
Statutes and Rules
HB 84 School Safety Amendments
R392-200 Design, Construction, Operation, Sanitation, and Safety of Schools
Utah Code 10-9a-305 Other entities required to conform to municipality's land use ordinances
Utah Code 15A-1-202 Definitions
Utah Code 15A-3-101 International Building Code
Utah Code 17-27a-305 Other entities required to conform to county land use ordinances
Utah Code 26A-1-114 Powers and duties of departments
Utah Code 26B-6-802 Rights and privileges of an individual with a disability
Utah Code 34A-6-101 Chapter 6: Utah Occupational Safety and Health Act
Utah Code 53-5-704 Bureau duties
Utah Code 53-7-104 Enforcement of state fire codes and rules
Utah Code 53A-20-104 Enforcement of chapter by state superintendent
Utah Code 53A-20-110 Board to adopt public school construction guidelines
Utah Code 53E-3-703 Construction and alteration of schools and plants
Utah Code 53E-3-704 Restrictions on local school district procurement of architect-engineer services
Utah Code 53E-3-706 Enforcement of part by state superintendent
Utah Code 53E-3-707 School building construction and inspection manual
Utah Code 53G-4-903 Resale of surplus property
Utah Code 79-3-202 Powers and duties of survey
Utah Code 19-12-202 Certification required before claiming a sales and use tax exemption
Utah Code 15A-1-204 Adoption of State Construction code
Utah Code 58-56-1 Chapter 56: Building Inspector and Factory Built Housing Licensing Act
Utah Code 19-5-101 Chapter 5: Water Quality Act
Utah Code 17-27a-101 Chapter 27a: County Land use, Development, and Management Act
Utah Code 26-15-2 Minimum rules of sanitation established by department