Analysis of sanitary-technical and hygienic conditions of Slovenian kindergartens and proposed measures

Most children in early childhood spend approximately one third of the day in kindergartens. Therefore, it is essential that their stay in an educational institution is comfortable and without adverse health effects. Statistical data over the last decade show that the amount of enrolled children in kindergartens has increased. The problem of overcrowded kindergartens is usually solved by changing the existing norms for class sizes, or with alternative spaces that do not serve the original purpose. According to EU Directives, kindergartens are among building facilities that have to be renovated. The purpose of the paper was to analyse sanitary-technical and hygienic conditions of the selected playrooms of kindergartens and to define measures. Real-state conditions were evaluated in 35 playrooms of 16 kindergartens in the Central Slovenian region. The main emphasis was on the used materials, their cleaning capability, room acoustics, natural daylight, safety and comfort issues, as well on their possible adverse health effects. The combination of observation, measurements and calculations of reverberation time, and comparison with regulation demands was carried out. In many playrooms sanitary-technical and hygienic conditions did not fulfil regulation demands. Irregularities are mainly related to improper installation of final coverings, to low parapet heights and total opening area of windows, poor hygienic conditions, and selection of materials that may present health risks. Calculated and measured reverberation times deviated from optimal values.