School Health & Safety

School Construction & Inspections

School plan reviews are required before any work can begin on:

Building a new school.

Remodeling an existing school.

Adding or moving portables.

Changing an existing building into a school.

Moving or installing science labs or career and technical education (CTE) classrooms.

Adding a K-12 playground or moving playground equipment.
We require building clearance for new construction schools connected to public water & sewer.

For new school construction connecting to a new septic system, complete a Building Site Application.

For new school construction connecting to an existing septic system, complete a Commercial Building Clearance application.

Please call us at 360-728-2235 to make sure you have the right documents. Contact your local Building, Planning and Zoning Department for any other paperwork that may be needed.
Complete these steps to get started:

School Construction Review Application.

Water Recreation Facility Construction Permit to build, add, or change a swimming pool or hot tub.

Food Service Plan Review Application to add or change a school kitchen, student store, concession stand or coffee shop. Also required if the culinary arts program will cater to the public.
We will let you know by email if the plans are approved and if there are any required or recommended changes.

You must notify the Health District of any major changes during the construction phase for further review and approval.

Once construction is complete, you must schedule a final pre-occupancy inspection within 5 days. We can only inspect your school after all construction is finished and the school is ready for student occupancy.

Use our School Pre-Occupancy Checklist to prepare for your final inspection.
Health and Safety Guide for K-12 Schools in Washington State

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools: Preventive Maintenance Guidance

CPSC Public Playground Safety Guide 

Pool Facility Designer and Builder Resources

Kitsap Public Health District inspects all K-12 schools in Kitsap every two years. We inspect schools during the school year (September-June) to ensure an accurate representation of the regular operating school environment.
We will contact schools that are due for an inspection and schedule a time for a walkthrough. School inspections can take anywhere between 1-3 hours, depending on the size of the school and programs offered. After the inspection is complete, we will provide a report of our findings.
We note any requested changes in the inspection report. Some changes are required, while others are general recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health’s Health & Safety Guide (PDF).

Required changes are noted with a red “X” and recommended changes are noted with a yellow “!” View a school inspection report example (PDF).
Any questions regarding items listed on the inspection report can be directed to the school inspector for follow-up. You can call our main office line at 360-728-2235.