686 1-800-452-1261
Start with Safety
Review the rules not just the first day of class, but
on a regular basis. Incorporate safety into each class
or laboratory exercise—begin every lab period, in
particular, with a discussion of the procedures or
chemicals used in the experiment and the general
and special safety precautions that must be observed.
Prelab assignments are another way to ensure that
students are prepared for lab and understand the
safety requirements.
Supervision
Teachers must be physically present at all times
to supervise students wherever and whenever
laboratory equipment or chemicals are being used.
Never leave students unattended—be prepared and
remain alert to what students are doing in order
to prevent accidents before they happen. The best
defense is a good offense!
Proper Instruction
It is insufficient to merely give students lab directions
or procedures in the form of a handout or textbook
reading assignment. Proper instruction requires
that teachers explain the nature of the equipment or
chemicals that students will be using and how they
are to perform tasks in the lab. Proper instruction also
includes demonstrating new or unusual laboratory
procedures and teaching students the safe way to
handle chemicals, glassware and other equipment.
Remember to record all safety instruction in your
lesson plans. Being able to provide evidence of
documented safety instruction reduces your liability
in the unlikely event of an accident.
Warning Students of Hazards
Teachers have a responsibility to specifically identify
hazards and warn students about the possible
dangers of working with chemicals or performing
tasks in the lab. Consider the following chemical
hazard warning: Hydrochloric acid is corrosive—avoid
contact with eyes and skin. What is the first thing
The ability to work with students in the lab—allowing
them to observe, question, engage and discover—is
one of the most rewarding aspects of any science
teacher’s responsibilities. It is also potentially one
of the most dangerous. The purpose this article is
to provide a forum for science teachers to review
safety requirements and procedures, discuss their
safety concerns and set goals to improve safety.
Understanding their safety roles and responsibilities
will help science teachers increase safety awareness,
reduce accidents and improve science education.
General Safety Responsibilities
Science teachers owe it to their students to care
about anticipating dangers that are reasonably
foreseeable and to take the necessary precautions to
prevent accidents and protect students from harm.
The teacher’s responsibilities include the following:
• Supervising students in the classroom and lab.
• Providing adequate instructions for students to
perform the tasks required of them.
• Warning students of the possible dangers involved
in performing lab activities.
• Providing safe laboratory facilities for performing
experiments and demonstrations.
• Maintaining laboratory equipment in proper working
order.
The Safety Contract
The first step in creating a safe laboratory
environment is to develop a safety contract that
describes the rules of the laboratory that your
students must follow. The safety contract is the
foundation of any school science safety program.
Before a student ever sets foot in the lab, the safety
contract should be discussed in class and then
signed by the student and a parent or guardian.
students think of when they hear the term corrosion?
Rust! Students do not always understand the proper
meaning of hazard warnings or safety precautions.
Warning students requires showing them what these
words mean in the context of lab safety. Just as with
any instruction, it is important to demonstrate the
concepts and to assess student understanding of the
safety concepts.
Maintaining a Safe
Lab Environment
The school administration and science teachers
share a responsibility to maintain a safe lab
environment for students. The school must provide
safety equipment that is appropriate for the hazards
and maintain the equipment in proper working order.
The science teacher’s duty of care in this respect is
to communicate with the administration, keep them
informed about the safety requirements, recommend
safety equipment, practices and procedures and
inspect safety equipment on a regular basis. All
equipment and glassware must be in good working
order before it is used in the lab. Inspect equipment
before setting it out for student use, and remove
any defective materials. Instruct students to check
glassware regularly for cracks and chips, especially
if glassware will be heated or subjected to pressure
differences (e.g., vacuum).
Helping Students Meet
Their Responsibilities
Students are required to follow all rules, guidelines
and instructions provided by the school district and
their teacher. Signing the safety contract signifies
that students have read the contract, understand the
rules and agree to abide by the safety requirements
in the school science laboratory. The safety contract
should also be signed by a parent or guardian to
document that they are aware of the rules their child
must follow and the potential consequences of not
following them. Students have a responsibility to
come to class prepared for the laboratory activity.
One of the leading causes of laboratory accidents
is students’ failure to carefully read and understand
lab instructions. Students must wear all the required
personal protective equipment, including safety
glasses or chemical splash goggles and chemicalresistant
gloves and aprons, as instructed by the
teacher.
Proper instruction is not just for
beginning students. Imagine that you
are teaching a senior biology elective—
should you assume that students
know how to use a Bunsen burner
to sterilize an inoculating loop?
The Flinn Scientific Student Safety
Contract was developed in collaboration
and consultation with experienced
science teachers from all across the
country. This comprehensive safety
contract is available in high school and
middle school versions in both English
and Spanish. Visit our website at www.
flinnsci.com.
I’m so impressed with your efforts to make our instruction easier and provide us with
such helpful resources, such as the safety video on quality lab materials. I will continue
to order from Flinn from now on!
MONA ALKADI
LOUISIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, LA
/flinnsci.com