The department occupational health and safety officer issued a notice after inspecting a classroom and finding a primary school teacher ‘‘had not provided cross-ventilation to take into account children passing wind’’.

The item formed part of a formal occupational health and safety notice issued to the teacher.

The teacher was required to show how cross-ventilation had been improved at a follow-up inspection.

The matter prompted laughs when it was raised with the Department of Education, but a department spokesperson confirmed later that ‘‘flatulence is definitely not considered an occupational health and safety issue’’, and ‘‘a staff member has been counselled’’.

The department said occupational health and safety staff in the Hunter and Central Coast region had recently been talking to schools ‘‘promoting the importance of good ventilation in schools as part of a safe working and learning environment’’.

‘‘Good ventilation helps air flow and promotes indoor air quality, contributing to a comfortable environment for staff and students,’’ the spokesperson said.

But a NSW Teachers Federation Hunter region spokesman said the notice was ridiculous, particularly after controversy over 51,000 unflued gas heaters in 2200 state schools.

In September the government confirmed it would cost $360million to replace the heaters after a report showed a clear link between the heaters and respiratory illness.

The government kept the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research report secret for six months before it was forced to confirm the link in July.

Opposition education spokesman Adrian Piccoli said the department was right to emphasise the need for good ventilation in schools, but including flatulence in an occupational health and safety report trivialised the issue.

‘‘It’s good that they’re raising ventilation as an issue, but it’s ridiculous to be talking about flatulence when the real concern is unflued gas heaters in classrooms,’’ he said.