The Harrison County Board of Education is committed to a safe and healthy education environment for teachers, staff, students, volunteers and visitors. This protocol is intended to:
Increase awareness within the school community about the potential impact of scented products on the health, well-being, productivity and lifestyle of those affected;
Ask for voluntary cooperation towards a scent-reduced environment;
Provide the steps for responding to scent-related issues.
𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
The term “scent” means fragrance or aromas- anything that adds a smell to something else. Scents are usually made from a mixture of natural (organic) and man-made chemicals (inorganic)- volatile compounds (VCs). VCs are a variety of natural and synthetic compounds that are breathed into the lungs and/or penetrate through the skin. VC may cause health problems for some people. In particular, people with environmental allergies, chemical sensitivities, and certain lung diseases have a range of responses to these compounds. The problems with the scented products is not the smell itself but the VCs that produce the smell. Symptoms are a response to the VCs in the product.
Scents can usually be found in:
Personal products such as perfumes, aftershaves, colognes, hair spray, shampoos, etc.
Household Items such as air fresheners, deodorizers, candles/wax tarts, scented oils, etc.
Workplace and environmental items such as cleaning products, dust, mold, pollen, etc.
𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
Responses can be physical and neurological. Including the following: headaches, nausea, disorientation, dizziness, migraines, fatigue, asthmatic reactions (i.e. shortness of breath), and anaphylaxis (life threatening allergic reaction). Impact to individuals vary and can range from nuisance (no adverse health affect), a trigger, a sensitivity (mild adverse effect), or may cause an allergy or immune response which can be moderate or severe leading to an adverse health affect.
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
Recognizing that employees, students and visitors to our school may have sensitivity and/or allergic reactions to scented products, HCBOE asks for cooperation towards a scent-reduced environment. Teachers, staff, students, volunteers and visitors are encouraged to avoid or reduce the use of scented products and replace them with unscented alternatives. Please refrain from overuse of personal fragrant products (perfumes, colognes, powders, lotions, etc.) that are perceptible to others around you. Other fragrant products (scented candles, potpourri, air fresheners, oil infusers and other similar items) are not permitted in the workplace.
Whenever possible, HCBOE will use fragrance free products and schedule major cleaning, renovation and construction jobs when the least number of students and/or staff are present.
𝗜𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
Seek Medical Attention. Visit your health care provider so that he/she may assess your situation and offer suggestions on how to manage it.
Report the incident to your building administrator. Upon receipt of a report of potential poor indoor air quality, the HCBOE will take reasonable steps, to be determined on a case-by-case basis, to remediate the condition.
Work with your building administrator to seek to identify scent hazards so they may be controlled (when possible).
Work with your building administrator to determine accommodation options and accept accommodations (if required).
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹
Promote and maintain a healthy work environment.
Support and comply with this protocol.
Use fragrance free products when possible and use cleaning products with strong scents during off-peak school hours.
Give 24 hours’ notice to affected students &/or staff if strong scented cleaning materials will be used.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳/𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀/𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀/𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
Support and comply with this protocol.
Refrain from wearing or bringing scented products.
Report sensitivities to your building administrator.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
Support and comply with this protocol.
Investigate any reported sensitivities, discuss how a resolution can be reached, and seek to facilitate accommodations where possible.
The information provided is meant to be a guideline for students and staff of Harrison County Schools and is NOT intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment nor are they meant to encourage diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease, or other medical problems. Always seek professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified heath care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
May 2026