How much should a student's backpack weigh?

There are many rules in school regulations that must be followed by students, parents and teachers. The area that remains not covered by school regulations is controlled by Rospotrebnadzor. It was this institution that prescribed the norms regarding the weight of the school backpack. Severe overloading can seriously damage the child's musculoskeletal system.

Before talking about the weight of the schoolbag, you should familiarize yourself with the other requirements for a school accessory. So, when choosing a backpack, parents need to consider the following points.

1. The straps should be wide. The norm is at least 4.5-5 cm. This ensures a good fit to the back.
2. The backpack should be enough steady.
3. A backpack for primary school students (grades 1 to 4) must have solid frame. This ensures an even distribution of weight around the entire perimeter.
4. Better if it is done made of lightweight and durable water-repellent fabric, which is easy to clean from dirt.

When calculating the weight of a school backpack, the age of the students is taken into account. It is important to note that height and weight do not play a special role. That is, for schoolchildren who study in the same class, but at the same time belong to different weight categories, the weight of the backpack will still be the same. But at the same time, there is an unspoken rule: a schoolbag should not be more than 10% of the weight of the student himself.

According to SanPiN, schoolchildren are not prohibited from carrying an empty backpack, since this does not harm their health. But an overflowing knapsack indicates a gross violation.Parents without fail need to know the norm of weight, and if necessary, you can weigh the satchel on the scales.

For different classes, Rospotrebnadzor provides the following criteria.

1. For first graders and second graders the weight of the backpack itself should not exceed 700 g, and the weight of textbooks should not exceed 1.5 kg.
2. For 3-4 classes the optimal weight of the backpack remains unchanged, but another 0.5 kg can be added to the weight of textbooks.
3. Students in grades 5-6 you can buy backpacks that weigh within 1 kg. At the same time, the load for textbooks and other school supplies should not exceed 2.5 kg.
4. For seventh graders and eighth graders you can also buy backpacks weighing up to 1 kg (the same rate remains until graduation). In grade 8, it is already permissible to load a school bag up to 3.5 kg.
5. For high school students (grades 9-11) you can load a bag of books up to 4 kg.

Before filing a complaint about non-compliance, parents are encouraged to check the correct filling of the schoolbag. So, the norms prescribed by Rospotrebnadzor apply only to textbooks. They cannot include the weight of the child's removable shoes, his sports uniform, lunches (which parents bring their child with them to school), toys and other accessories.

For example, some school bags are equipped with a special compartment to accommodate removable shoes. If you put light sneakers in this pocket, then the weight will practically not change, and if these are heavy boots, in this case there will be a significant overload. Parents of students need to remember not to overload the children's bag with foreign objects.

In the case when the norm is violated directly by the weight of textbooks and notebooks, parents can safely approach the teacher and point out the discrepancy. It is the teacher's responsibility to take action.

If the teacher ignores the parent's remark, you can contact the principal for help. It is better if the parents of several students point out the violation at once. The complaint must be made in writing. The school administration is obliged to respond to parental statements.

But it makes no sense to complain to Rospotrebnadzor in this case, since the written norms are only recommendations. Rospotrebnadzor is not entitled to punish the school for this or appoint an official check.

If the administration did not react in any way to the parents' remarks, you should not let things go by themselves. Parents can agree on the distribution of textbooks among students. For example, if 4 lessons are scheduled for a school day, then the neighbors at the desk can bring 2 textbooks each.