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Frequent Questions

Technical Support

If you encounter any problems with the installation of HealthySEAT Version 2, please send an email to: HSEAT_Support@cdm.com.

Contents

Questions About Version 2 of HealthySEAT
Basic Questions About the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool
Questions About District-wide Assessment Programs

Questions About Who Should Use HealthySEAT

Questions About Installing and Configuring HealthySEAT

Questions About Using HealthySEAT

Questions About Support for HealthySEAT

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Questions About Version 2 of HealthySEAT

What's New in Version 2?

Version 2 incorporates a number of enhancements that users have requested. These enhancements, including redesigned user interface features and enhanced functionality, are contained in the HealthySEAT front end database file. The enhancements have been designed so that any and all information which you may have already input into a HealthySEAT Version 1 back-end database will work seamlessly with Version 2.

Following are the key enhancements to HealthySEAT that are available in Version 2. Each enhancement is described in more detail below.

User-Defined Custom Checklists

Users now have the ability within HealthySEATv2 to create and manage an unlimited number of custom checklists that are subsets of the master checklist, which covers the entire guidebook. For example, you can now create a checklist specifically for asbestos assessments, with only the assessment standards that apply. This should be very helpful to districts that conduct various types of specialized inspections.

A HealthySEAT Example Starter Checklist  (PDF, 9 pp, 49 KB, About PDF) has been provided with 95 assessment standards (from the app. 400 included on the Master Checklist). This is only an example; districts should determine what standards should be added to comply with all applicable regulations, policies and practices.

Also, each custom checklist can be linked to its own specific assessment notification letter (see below).

Custom Notification Letters

In addition to the three standard, customizable, letters included with Version 1, users can now create an unlimited number of specialized assessment notification letters. Most likely, these custom letters will be related to specialized custom checklists. For example, you might create a notification letter specifically for an asbestos assessment, then link that letter to a custom checklist that contains only asbestos-related standards.

Reports & Improved

Several new reports have been added at the program and district level, while virtually all reports have been revised and/or enhanced.

User Interfaces and Navigation -- Improved

A number of enhancements have been made to the user interface to make HealthySEAT easier to navigate.

Email Functionality Added

Version 2 now includes email functionality that works with a computer's email provider to start an email from within the Assessment Details screen. Users can then attach notification letters, checklists, and recommendation packages.

Terminology Change

The term "Assessment Action" has been changed throughout the tool to "Assessment Standard" to make it clearer that this is the standard against which conditions in the school are assessed.

Load/Update District Logo Form-- Improved

The form that is used to load/update a district’s logo has been substantially redesigned to make the process of loading a logo more logical and efficient.

Re-establish Database Connection Form -- Improved

Both the appearance and functionality of this form have been improved, making the process of connecting to a back end database easier.

Facility Selection Form -- Improved

The facility selection form has been redesigned and enhanced to allow you to filter the facility several different ways. It has become a two-step process whereby you first select the scope of the facilities that you want to include in your selection (e.g., active, inactive, active with open assessments), then use the drop-down lists to select facilities matching specific attributes.

Assessment Standard Details Form -- Improved

This form has been enhanced to make the area/topic, subtopic, and assessment standard more obvious. Changes were also made to make it more obvious which standards are included in the district’s guidebook, and to make it easier to change the sort order.

A new tab and field, labeled “Default Corrective Action,” have been added. This optional field allows a district to enter generic corrective action text for assessment standards. When recommendations are generated for an assessment standard, any text in the Default Corrective Action field is pre-loaded into the “Problem Description/Corrective Action” field.

Recommendation Details Form -- Improved

This form has been expanded considerably to make better use of screen space. The main field is now labeled "Problem Description/Corrective Action" to make it more clear what action is required.

Documentation -- Revised

The documentation has been updated to address all of the new and improved features in Version 2.

Will we lose or have to re-enter data we loaded into HealthySEAT Version 1 if we download Version 2?
No. All of the customized information you entered into Version 1 -- district information, facilities, assessors, guidebook modifications, records of assessments, etc. -- are stored in the "back end" database. After you install Version 2, which contains the new user interface and other features, you simply re-establish a connection to your old back end database through the Customize for District menu. Your Version 1 back end database will be updated and all of your data will still be there.
How do we upgrade to Version 2?
Upgrading to Version 2 is easy. Simply go to the Download HealthySEAT page and download and install Version 2. You can then either begin to use Version 2 as a fresh, unpopulated database or re-connect to and update your Version 1 back end database with all of your customized and facility-specific information.
Our Version 1 database is working fine. Why should we bother downloading Version 2?

Version 2 contains several new features that you will probably want to take advantage of. The most important of these is the ability to create a virtually unlimited number of custom checklists to address any individual or combination of issues. These custom checklists are easy to create and use, and you can even develop a specific notification letter to associate with each custom checklist.

Do we need to remove Version 1 from our computer(s) before downloading and installing Version 2?

No. The HealthySEAT Version 2 installation package will install a new copy of HealthySEAT into a separate folder (By default it is c:\Program Files\HealthySEAT2) on your computer. You do not need to un-install Version 1 before installing Version 2. The new Version 2 installation includes both a front end database, with all of the new functionality and changes to the user interface, and a separate empty back end database where all district-customized information resides.

Once you install HealthySEAT Version 2, all you need to do is to re-establish a connection between your new front end database and the back end database containing your customized information and any school-specific assessment information you may have added. All of the new features will work with your existing back end database.

After installing Version 2 and updating your Version 1 back end database, its a good idea to uninstall Version 1 from your computer to avoid confusion. Your updated back end database will no longer work properly with Version 1 once it has been updated.

REMINDER: It is always a good idea to frequently back up your data file (BE_HSEAT.mdb). For this reason, we suggest you save a copy of your Version 1 BE_HSEAT.mdb file to an archive folder of your choice before beginning the installation of Version 2.

When I download HealthySEAT and unzip the installation files, why are they not placed in the C:\HealthySEAT2_Install folder as the User's Manual states?

With the release of HealthySEATv2.002 (a minor update released in January 2008), the default folder into which installation files are unzipped reflects the specific HealthySEAT software version. For example, the folder into which HealthySEATv2.002 files are unzipped by default is C:\HealthySEAT2.002_Install. This change was made to prevent overwriting the installation files for a previous version of HealthySEAT, which could have the unintended effect of preventing you from uninstalling that previous version properly.

We have downloaded and installed Version 2 but when we open Version 2, none of our facilities or records of assessments are there. What should we do?

To connect to your Version 1 back end database, open your new copy of HealthySEATv2, click on "Customize for District", select "Re-establish Database Connection", use the Browse button to find your saved BE_HSEAT.mdb file wherever you saved it, select it and then click on Establish Database Connection. Your Version 1 database will be updated.

Do we need to download Version 2 or can we continue to use HealthySEAT Version 1?

You can continue to use Version 1.  However, you will need to upgrade to take advantage of the new features in Version 2. Also, if your state provides a state-specific back end in Version 2 format, you will need to upgrade to Version 2 to use it.

Will HealthySEATv2 work with the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system?

No. Version 2 is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP operating systems. There are additional security features with Vista that interfere with some important HealthySEAT functions, such as the copying and renaming of files. We will work to find solutions to these problems, and to produce a future release that is compatible with Vista.

I already have HealthySEATv2.002. Do I need to upgrade to version 2.003?

No. Version 2.003 is a minor release, so you should only upgrade if you are interested in the fixes or enhancements included in this version, which include:

  • A fix that allows you to successfully connect to a back end database using a UNC path, as stated in the User's Manual.
  • An enhancement to a number of reports to show "County" in addition to other school location information.
  • A fix that causes "Master Checklist" to be displayed by default in the Checklist drop-down list on the Assessment Details form, even if there are no custom checklists defined.
  • A fix that prevents an error if you attempt to delete a custom checklist that has an apostrophe in its name.
  • fix that prevents you from completely blanking out the description text for a default priority level, and that prevents an error if you try to assign to an assessment standard a default priority level that has a blank description.

Basic Questions About the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool

What is the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool?

EPA has developed a unique software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their school facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues. [NOTE: EPA is using the term “district” to broadly describe any institutional system for managing multiple schools, whether they are public, private, tribal, charter or some variation.] The Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct completely voluntary self-assessments of their school (and other) facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions school by school.  In addition to powerful software that can be used by districts to track any facility issues it chooses, EPA has also included critical elements of all of its regulatory and voluntary programs for schools, as well as web links to more detailed information. Districts and others can download HealthySEAT at no cost from the EPA web site. HealthySEAT is meant to be loaded and used on district computers; once it is downloaded from the EPA web site, HealthySEAT is yours to customize and use as you see fit. There are no reporting requirements and no obligation to use the specific checklist EPA has provided.

What content is included in HealthySEAT ?

While HealthySEAT is designed to allow full customization of the content by states and school districts, the downloaded database file contains a Master Checklist of almost 400 assessment actions that cover a wide array of issues that school districts may wish to assess for each of their schools. The base checklist is intended as a "menu" from which school districts will choose the assessment actions they want to use in their customized program. This menu can be expanded to include assessment topics, subtopics and actions not already included with HealthySEAT. EPA recognizes that the content of HealthySEAT can be overwhelming. Version 2 of HealthySEAT includes an Example Starter Checklist to illustrate how districts might begin using HealthySEAT with a manageable number of assessment standards.

The checklist included in HealthySEAT is organized by the physical areas of the school to be assessed, the issue-specific topics and sub-topics for each area of the school, and specific assessment standards that represent the positive conditions that an assessor would look for in each area.

The primary environmental topics included in HealthySEAT include:

  • Chemical management
  • Energy efficiency
  • Hazardous materials
  • Hazardous waste
  • Indoor air quality
  • Moisture/mold control
  • Non-hazardous waste
  • Outdoor air pollution
  • Pest control/Integrated Pest Management
  • Ultra-violet radiation
  • Water (drinking-, waste-, storm-, and -efficiency)
  • Portable/Relocatable Classrooms
  • Construction and Renovation

HealthySEAT also includes health, safety and injury prevention elements from:

How is the HealthySEAT software organized?

The HealthySEAT software has three primary components:

  • Customize for District – Allows the district to customize the tool for district use, including adding its own name and district logo, facilities, assessors, and contacts for remediation, as well as tailoring the content to district policies, programs and priorities. The district can also tailor the prioritization scheme included with the tool, customize letters and manage security features, among other administrative functions.

  • School-Specific Assessment Information – Allows the district to enter and store information about every assessment conducted at individual schools, track the status of every recommendation, and generate customized letters and reports to individual schools pre-and post-visits.

  • Reports/Output Menu – Users can select from a variety of report options that will organize and extract information from the database such as Assessment Findings by School, Recommendations by Topic/Subtopic, etc.

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Questions About District-wide Assessment Programs

Why should states and school districts have a school facility assessment program?

There are more than 120,000  public, private, charter, and tribal schools in the United States, and many of them contain hazards that may pose risks to children and staff. The guidance included in HealthySEAT can improve the health of students and staff by ensuring that all potential environmental and safety hazards in schools are being properly managed. Examples of school environmental hazards include chemical releases, pesticide exposures, flaking lead paint, mold and other indoor air quality problems, and damaged asbestos-containing building materials.

HealthySEAT will help school districts identify and correct hazards before they result in:

  • health problems in students and staff such as asthma attacks, lead poisoning, and other chemical exposures;
  • productivity and performance losses in students and staff;
  • school closures due to spills, accidents, or other preventable environmental, health and safety issues;
  • costly building clean-ups;
  • regulatory enforcement actions by state or federal agencies;
  • community concern and resource-draining media attention.

In addition, HealthySEAT will help school districts:

  • collect the kind of school- and hazard- specific data necessary to make a compelling case for needed renovation, repair and maintenance dollars.
  • demonstrate to the community that your district is committed to the health and safety of children and staff.

Who will provide the staffing and funds to conduct the assessment program in our district?

Based on feedback from various school districts across the country, EPA anticipates that HealthySEAT will make it easier and more efficient for school districts to effectively address their environmental, health and safety issues before problems occur and to effectively coordinate their existing -- or establish new -- health, safety and facility operations and maintenance programs.

It is not a substitute for adequate resources at the state and district level for educational facility repairs. It is a tool designed to assist the many states and school districts across the country that have concluded on their own that the best way to prevent problems from occurring is to assess facility conditions on a regular basis and fix potential problems before they turn into major disruptions.

Districts may choose to establish and implement an assessment program using in-house staff, contractors, or a combination, depending on their individual situations.

EPA does not plan to fund districts to hire staff or contractors to develop a new assessment program both because funds for such programs are not currently available and because very limited Federal funding, even if available, would not assist school districts in setting up sustainable health and safety programs. However, some limited funding may be available through national or regional Requests for Applications (RFAs) during FY08 to assist states, tribes and others in customizing HealthySEAT. Visit the Grants.Gov web site to stay abreast of EPA grant opportunities.

Are there any reporting requirements associated with using HealthySEAT?

No. EPA intends the tool to be used as the basis of a voluntary self-audit program by those states and school districts that choose to use it. However, EPA strongly encourages users of HealthySEAT to share their experiences with the tool and results they achieve through its use with EPA so that others can benefit from lessons learned. EPA will post case studies on the HealthySEAT web site and recognize states and districts that customize and use the software.

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Questions About Who Should Use HealthySEAT

How does EPA intend for HealthySEAT to be used?
HealthySEAT is intended primarily as a tool for states and school districts to evaluate their school facilities periodically at a macro level to be sure that all of the essential elements of key programs are being properly managed school-by-school. Districts choose the frequency with which they will conduct assessments, though EPA recommends that an assessment be conducted at each school at least annually. Districts may conduct the assessments using district staff, school-based staff, contractors, or a combination, depending on their particular circumstances and available resources. While HealthySEAT is primarily geared toward K-12 school facilities, it may also be useful for colleges and universities as well as other types of buildings.
How can HealthySEAT be used by states?

Many states, tribes, and school districts are already undertaking or encouraging school facility assessments, and EPA has designed HealthySEATv2 so that these states, tribes, and districts can easily incorporate their own checklists into the software. During and after the customization process, a simple toggle switch allows districts to view and use either the district-customized program or the original assessment actions suggested by EPA.

EPA strongly encourages states and tribes to work with the appropriate state agencies (e.g., health, environment, labor, etc.) to incorporate their own requirements into HealthySEATv2 to help reduce the duplication of effort required for each district to independently research applicable requirements.

How can states customize HealthySEAT?

States interested in customizing HealthySEATv2 can download the tool from this web site and customize the content as if they were a school district, adding, editing, and de-selecting topics, sub-topics and assessment actions to reflect state requirements and recommendations. EPA program content would remain intact in the tool, allowing states to download future updates from EPA without losing customized information. Note: A toggle button on each Assessment Standard Details screen allows users to go back and forth between the EPA program content and the customized district (or, in this case state) program. Once a state version is ready, the customized database file (BE_HSEAT.mdb) can be posted on a state web site for download and further customization by districts within that state.

If I work for a school district, should I wait for my state to customize HealthySEAT?

Ideally, yes. Although districts are free to download and use HealthySEATv2 as they see fit, waiting for states that plan to customize the tool will mean that individual districts will have to do less work customizing the tool with state requirements and will ensure that state requirements and recommendations are accurately represented.

How do I know if my state is already planning to customize HealthySEAT with state requirements?

A number of states have expressed interest in customizing HealthySEATv2, and as we become aware of firm state plans to customize the tool, we will post that information on the HealthySEAT News page. School districts may also wish to contact their state health, environment, and or education departments to find out if they are aware of HealthySEATv2 and about any plans the state may be developing to customize the tool.

Can HealthySEAT be used by individual schools?

HealthySEAT is specifically designed to manage information about the status of environmental, health and safety issues across multiple school facilities so the tracking software component will not be useful to individual schools. However, once the school district has customized the tool to reflect state and local requirements, the checklist and guidebook which the tool will generate can be an extremely helpful guide for individual schools to help them prepare for assessment visits as well as to connect them to resources on a wide range of issues.

Will individual schools still need to implement programs at the school level, such as Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools?

Yes! HealthySEAT is not a substitute for the day-to-day vigilance and good practice that is necessary at every school to manage effectively environmental, health and safety issues in a manner that protects children, staff and the environment at all times. HealthySEATv2 is intended to help districts assess the overall status of facility conditions in their schools at a macro level, making sure that the critical elements of a program are present in each school. For example, the HealthySEAT checklist recommends that the district assessor make sure that each school has an IAQ coordinator, an IAQ profile and management plan, and records of ventilation system inspections. However, ensuring that IAQ is protected requires that school staff implement an IAQ management plan on an on-going basis, and that attention is paid on a daily basis to all activities in the school that may impact indoor air quality. This daily school-level vigilance is also essential to protect students and staff from many other potential problems, including chemical hazards, pest infestations, and water problems that may cause mold, to name only a few.

How do I know if our schools are subject to Federal OSHA requirements?

OSHA is a Federal Agency that promulgates and enforces standards dealing with occupational safety and health as they apply to private and Federal employees in the workplace. The legislative mandate for OSHA comes from the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Under the Act, OSHA does not have jurisdiction over State and local government employees, including those in public schools.

Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) encourages States to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs. OSHA approves and monitors State plans and provides up to 50 percent of an approved plan's operating costs. Section 18 requires these "State-plan" States to have standards and enforcement that are identical to (or at least as protective as) Federal OSHA standards. These State plans are also required to extend their coverage to all State and local government workers, including those in public schools. There are currently 22 States and jurisdictions operating complete State plans (covering both the private sector and State and local government employees) and 4 - Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and the Virgin Islands - which cover public employees only. (Eight other States were approved at one time but subsequently withdrew their programs).  See http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html for a complete list of OSHA-approved State plans.

In States under Federal OSHA without State plans, OSHA has no authority to inspect or enforce standards in public schools. However, the local Federal OSHA office may be able to provide hazard recognition assistance and technical support. Extensive compliance assistance information is also available on OSHA's Web site (www.osha.gov ) and in Federal and State publications. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may enforce certain OSHA standards, such as Hazardous Waste Operations (29 CFR 1910.120) or relevant EPA standards in public schools.

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Questions About Installing and Configuring HealthySEAT

What equipment do we need to use HealthySEAT?

Following are the minimum system requirements to use HealthySEATv2. Of course, better performance can be expected with systems exceeding these requirements. Users should not attempt to install or run HealthySEATv2 on a computer that does not meet these minimum requirements.

  • Windows based PC running Windows 2000 or XP Operating System
  • Pentium-compatible chip (233 MHz or higher), Pentium III Recommended
  • 128+ MB of RAM
  • Optimal screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels
  • Screen color quality (16-bit or better)
When I open HealthySEAT for the first time, what password and username do I use?

First time HealthySEAT users will be able to open and begin customizing HealthySEATv2 without having to first login with a username and password. Security should be enabled and passwords assigned/modified only after you are thoroughly familiar with the security features of HealthySEATv2 and are ready to deploy the application to multiple users.

If you are upgrading from Version 1 and you re-connect your Version 2 database to a Version 1 back end database, any security in use with Version 1 will be active when you next open HealthySEATv2. Remember, the default Username and Password from version 1 were Username: "admin" and the Password: "admin".
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An IT specialist installed HealthySEAT on my computer and was able to log in just fine. However, I am not able to login using the exact same HealthySEAT username and password. What's wrong?

Many organizations use the security features of Windows to control access to certain folders and the files contained therein. When an IT specialist logs into Windows on your computer, he/she has full read, write, and modify privileges to all folders and files on your computer. However, if you are not designated as a Windows administrator on your computer, your privileges to folders and files are probably restricted.

All HealthySEAT users must have the necessary Windows privileges to read, write, and modify the files within the HealthySEAT program folder, and all subfolders, on their computer. The default HealthySEAT program folder is C:\Program Files\HealthySEAT2, though it may have been installed in a different folder. Ask your IT administrator to verify that you have the necessary privileges. (See also Section 2.4 and Section 4.3.3 of the User's Manual for more information on passwords and security.)

What can I do if I am locked out of HealthySEAT and cannot log in as an administrator user?

HealthySEAT will not allow you to delete all administrator users, so there must be at least one administrator user account at all times. Most likely, one of three things occurred: 1) Your IT specialist did not give you read, write, and modify privileges through Windows to the C:\Program Files\HealthySEAT2 folder and all subfolders. (See answer to previous Frequent Question), 2) you or an IT specialist who installed the software on your computer changed the password for the administrator user, and subsequently forgot it, or 3) you or an IT specialist created a new user account for you but you did not login the next time using the default password “changeme” described in Section 4.3.3 of the User's Manual.  Whenever you create a new user account, or reset the password for an existing user account, the password is set temporarily to “changeme” (all lower case and no quotes). The next time you login as that user, you must supply the temporary password (“changeme”), after which you will be forced to select a permanent password. The permanent password will be used for all subsequent logins for that user. 

First, be sure that the user has been granted read, write, and modify privileges through Windows to the C:\Program Files\HealthySEAT2 folder and all subfolders.  Second, try logging in by entering an administrator username (e.g., “admin”) and the temporary password “changeme” (all lower case and no quotes). Repeat for all known administrator users. If this works, you will be prompted to select a permanent password, which you should remember or write down in a secure location.

If you are still unable to successfully log in, send an email request for help to HSEAT_Support@CDM.com.

Do we need to have Microsoft Access on our computer(s)?

HealthySEATv2 uses a Runtime version of Microsoft Access and is self-contained. Districts will not need to purchase Microsoft Access. An installation wizard will install HealthySEATv2 on any district Windows-based computer. 

What if I already have Microsoft Access on my computer?

If you already have a version of Microsoft Access installed on your computer and you install HealthySEAT, all of your pre-existing Microsoft Access database files will be unaffected. However, the manner in which you open those pre-existing database files will be somewhat different. Since there will be two versions of Microsoft Access on your computer, you will need to tell the computer which version of Microsoft Access to use by right-clicking on the file name or icon and using the Open With command to identify the specific version of Microsoft Access to associate with that file. 

Do we need to have someone on staff who is an expert in Microsoft Access?

No.  Buttons, boxes, pull-down menus, pre-loaded reports and text entry boxes make HealthySEAT easy to use.

Can HealthySEAT be used by different people in different physical locations within the district?

Districts can install HealthySEATv2 on their district network server if they wish. Security controlled access allows multiple users from multiple locations without compromising data. Consult Section 7 of the HealthySEATv2 User's Manual and your LAN administrator.

Will our school-specific data be secure?

Data contained in HealthySEAT will be as secure as other data on that computer or server, depending on the security features maintained by the district. HealthySEAT itself contains three levels of security: Administrator, who is authorized to modify all components of HealthySEAT and manage User Accounts; Assessors, who are authorized to input school-specific assessment information and generate reports but cannot modify the content of the tool; and Viewers, who can generate and view reports, but who are not authorized to make any changes to the database. See User's Manual Section 4.

What if we want to modify the structure of the tool and we have the necessary expertise?

The coding of the tool is locked to avoid users accidentally damaging the database and potentially losing data.  However, if a district wishes to modify the basic structure of the tool, the necessary access code can be provided.

Will customized data be lost if an updated version of the tool is downloaded at a later date?

No. When you install an updated version of the tool and re-establish a connection to an existing back end database, HealthySEATv2 simply updates the back end database as needed to support new functionality. Existing data (e.g., guidebook/checklist customization, assessments, recommendations) are unaffected. If you are upgrading from a previous HealthySEAT version, refer to Section 4.3.1 of the User’s Manual for help re-connecting to your existing HealthySEAT database.

Can districts upload reports, documents and/or photos into HealthySEAT?

No, however the “Additional Facility Data” sheet on the “Add/Edit Facilities” page allows a district to catalog a list of resources and additional information about the school facility so that the location of all information about that facility can be found within HealthySEAT. Section 8.3 of the HealthySEAT User’s Manual suggests a recommended business practice on how to effectively use this “Additional Facility Data” sheet.

Can email communication be integrated into use of the HealthySEAT?

Version 2 now includes email functionality that allows users to start an email from within the Assessment Details screen. If there is an Email address for the facility primary contact, and the user’s computer is configured to send email, clicking the “Email to Facility Primary Contact” button will open an Email message to the facility primary contact. The notification letter and the assessment checklist can then be added as attachments and sent via Email. (See Section 5.1.1 of the HealthySEATv2 User’s Manual.)

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Questions About Using HealthySEAT

How can I find out what information is included in HealthySEAT on a specific issue?

There are several options for finding specific content included in HealthySEAT. From within the Customize for District component of HealthySEATv2, users can use pull-down menus to find individual topics, and can view the complete guidebook or checklist at any time using convenient buttons included on the Create Custom Guidebook/Checklist screen. Each Assessment Standard Details screen also allows the user to preview the guidebook page that contains all of the information about that assessment standard. Finally, the Guidebook can be searched using the Search feature included with Adobe Acrobat. The HealthySEAT Master Checklist provides a complete list of the topics, subtopics and assessment actions included in HealthySEATv2.

Are the assessment standards included in HealthySEAT a complete list of all of the requirements and recommendations that apply to our schools?

No. Content provided with the assessment tool represents a subset of the major elements of EPA regulations applicable to schools and voluntary programs. It should NOT be considered to be a complete list of all of the requirements to which a school district or school may be subject. Users should consult with their state and local agencies and building codes for specific requirements.

Can we re-order the sequence of area/topics, subtopics, and assessment actions to create a custom checklist and guidebook that follows our own organizational scheme?

Yes. Users can change the order in which area/topics, subtopics and assessment actions appear simply by changing the number in the sort order field. See Section 4.2.1 of the User's Manual for details.

Can multiple custom checklists be created?

Yes. Users now have the ability within HealthySEATv2 to create and manage an unlimited number of custom checklists that are subsets of the master checklist, which covers the entire guidebook. For example, you can now create a checklist specifically for asbestos assessments, with only the assessment standards that apply. This should be very helpful to districts that conduct various types of specialized inspections.

A HealthySEAT Example Starter Checklist  (PDF, 9 pp, 49 KB, About PDF) has been provided with 95 assessment standards (from the app. 400 included on the Master Checklist). This is only an example; districts should determine what standards should be added to comply with all applicable regulations, policies and practices.

What do the priority numbers associated with each assessment action mean? Are they risk-based?

HealthySEAT includes a feature that allows districts to assign a priority level to each assessment standard which identifies the number of days allowed to resolve a recommendation related to that assessment action. A default priority level is assigned to each assessment standard based on default criteria provided with HealthySEAT. The criteria do not represent a risk-based assessment of the relative importance of each assessment standard, although factors such as the potential for actual exposure to a hazard, the regulatory or voluntary nature of the assessment standard, and the relative ease or difficulty of correcting the condition were all taken into account in assigning the initial default priority levels. During the customization process, districts can modify the criteria for assigning priorities, the number of days allowed to resolve the recommendation, as well as the priorities themselves. See Section 4.2.2 of the User's Manual for more information.  

Can we enter specific detailed recommendations on problems found?

Yes. HealthySEATv2 allows district assessors or other designated staff to input any information about any problem identified during an assessment visit, including, for example, the specific details of the problem found, the specific location(s), and any instructions or comments the assessor thinks appropriate.

Can information from assessments at individual schools be transmitted electronically to the HealthySEAT database, for example, from a PDA or laptop?

Not currently. Assessors preparing for a school assessment generate a school-specific checklist for that school, and have the option of printing a paper version of the checklist using .pdf format to fill out as they conduct the assessment, or they may choose to output the checklist in a different electronic format (options include Text, Excel, Rich Text Format, and HTML). However, information from each school assessment must still be data entered into HealthySEAT by hand. Although EPA explored electronic data-entry options, the wide range of available and constantly evolving technologies and the diverse nature of the many potential users (i.e., >14,000 different school systems) precluded selecting any single specific data transfer technology.

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Questions About Support for HealthySEAT

What kind of technical support for HealthySEATwill be available?

The database software and User's Manual are intended to be largely self-explanatory and user's are strongly encouraged to read the User's Manual as well as all of the Basic Information and Frequent Questions before attempting to use HealthySEATv2. EPA will add additional FQs as needed to this page. In addition, if user's encounter a problem with the software, they can report that problem using the Contact Us button at the bottom of this page. Finally, user's may contact the contractor that developed the tool (CDM) by email at HSEAT_Support@cdm.com to ask questions or report a problem.

Will there be training available for our district assessors on the issues contained in the tool?

Training on many of the issues included in the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool is already available through many Federal, state, and private sector resources. For more information on EPA school programs and related training opportunities, visit the Healthy School Environments Web Portal and browse the Express Links.

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