Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Potential Hazards

Information on potential hazards including lead, asbestos, electromagnetic fields, PCBs, pesticides, and pipelines.

Learning Materials

Art Hazards Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Asbestos

Naturally-Occurring Asbestos External link opens in new window or tab.

Asbestos and Carcinogen Unit External link opens in new window or tab.

Electromagnetic Fields

Electric and Magnetic Fields External link opens in new window or tab.

Power Line Setback Exemption Guidance, May 2006

School Site Selection and Approval Guide

Elemental Mercury

Mercury in your Environment External link opens in new window or tab.

Don't Mess with Mercury: A Mercury Spill Prevention Initiative for Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

Lead

3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools External link opens in new window or tab. (TXT)

California Statutes Related to Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention External link opens in new window or tab.

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs External link opens in new window or tab.

Compliance with New Federal Lead-Based Paint Requirements External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Drinking Water Best Management Practices for Schools and Child Care Facilities with their Own Drinking Water Source External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Labor Occupational Health Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Lead in Drinking Water External link opens in new window or tab.

Lead Hazards in California's Public Elementary Schools and Child Care Centers External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Lead Safety and School Modernization External link opens in new window or tab.

Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Renovate Right; Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

Pipelines

Pipelines
Advisory guidance for LEAs for assessing risk from pipelines in the preparation and review, respectively, of risk studies conducted for proposed school sites and projects.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

PCB in Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

Practical Actions for Reducing Exposure to PCBs in Schools and Other Buildings External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Pesticides

California School & Child Care Integrated Pest Management Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Radon

General Radon Information External link opens in new window or tab.

Managing Radon in Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

Radon in California and Radon Potential Maps External link opens in new window or tab.

Toxics
Information provided to districts about procedures and state funding programs related to toxic evaluation and cleanup of school sites.

Questions:   School Facilities & Transportation Services Division | sftsd@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-2470
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Recently Posted in School Facilities
  • The Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans (updated 10-Nov-2026)
    The Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans (LRFMP) was revised in 2026, with updated guidance on master planning for local educational agencies and Proposition 2 requirements for school districts applying for School Facility Program Funding.
  • Key Components of a Facilities Master Plan (added 10-Nov-2026)
    The elements of a typical facilities master plan (FMP) and guidance on what to include, how to organize the information, and why it matters, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Conclusion (added 10-Nov-2026)
    A summary on master plans as living documents that reflect thoughtful educational goals and future planning, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Education Programs with Specialized Facility Needs (added 10-Nov-2026)
    The importance of including specialized facilities in facilities master plans to meet the needs of educational programs and students with disabilities, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Additional Considerations and Planning the Future (added 10-Nov-2026)
    Integrating sustainability, safety, accessibility, and climate resiliency into every stage of facilities master planning, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.

  • Appendix A (added 10-Nov-2026)
    A table of Facilities Master Plan Elements vs. Proposition 2 Requirements, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Appendix B (added 10-Nov-2026)
    A summary of additional required elements per Proposition 2, from the Guide to Long- Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Facilities Master Planning Resources (added 10-Nov-2026)
    Additional resources, facilities master plan (FMP) exemplars, and links to the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) Guidelines for the Five-Year School Facilities Master Plan, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Introduction (added 10-Nov-2026)
    An introduction of the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.
  • Facilities Master Planning Process (added 10-Nov-2026)
    Best practices for launching a facilities master planning (FMP) effort, engaging stakeholders, and long-term planning, from the Guide to Long-Range Facilities Master Plans.