Safety in Science

1. Safety in Science PSED 446/546 Teaching of Science

2. The current state of science safety Seventy percent of all high school science accidents occur at the ninth grade level. According to teachers, the number one reason for accidents occurring in the science lab was "students' failure to carefully read and understand laboratory activity instructions." (from Flinn Scientific website)

3. Main Sources of Info There are two main sources of information: • CSSS Science & Safety • The Safety Book (not available online)

4. Flinn Scientific Flinn Scientific is also a good resource (especiall for chemistry and biology), as they have numerous resources on Science Safety: • Steps You Can Take to Prove You're a "Responsible" Science Teacher • General Safety Rules for Science Teachers • Safety Pages • Student Teacher's Survival Kit (which contains safety contracts and posters)

5. Other Sources of Information • Safe Science Series from NSELA • The NSTA provided middle schooland high schoolsafety information in a past edition of Science Class (distributed through e-mail; to sign up for delivery, click here). • The Laboratory Safety Institute has a bunch of resources and information; click on "Free" for safety contracts, checklists, etc. • An NBC News report on chemicals in the classroom. • NYC Science Safety Manual (K-12) (requires free registration) • OSHA • MSDS

6. Three Aspects • Student Safety Guidelines (for students) • Activities • Guidelines • Teacher Safety Guidelines (for teachers) • School Safety Guidelines (for schools)

7. Student Safety Activities See Flinn Scientific's Safety Page, with links to high school and middle school safety contracts and exams (English and Spanish). I am ordering Flinn's Student Teacher's Survival Kit (which contains safety contracts and posters). Activities may include the following: • learn rules • equipment identification • practice procedures • safety quiz • safety contract • safety posters

8. Student Safety Guidelines The "rules" will vary from class to class. Here are some subject-specific safety concerns, organized by subject.

9. General Science • Glassware • Heat/fires • Sharp instruments • Animals • Gerbils and giardia, salmonella, E. coli • Guinea pigs, rabbits and dander • Allergies • carpets, mold, latex, peanuts, etc.

10. Physics • Electrical (avoid wet hands and metal objects) • Radiation • Lasers and Light • Mechanical Dangers

11. Earth Science • Handling rocks • wear goggles when crushing rocks • wrap rocks in cloth before crushing • Wear gloves • Take care when lifting heavy rocks

12. Earth Science (continued) • Field trips • no open-ended shoes or sandals • long pants • gloves • watch for polluted soil • Dust • Tasting • Use only appropriate tools

13. Biology Be careful with • live animals • dissections (scalpels; gloves) • syringes • body fluids

14. Biology (continued) • Field trips • prohibited areas • clothing • plants to avoid • touching animals (dead or alive) • eating plants • Microscopes

15. Chemistry • Clean spills immediately • Avoid loose or long-sleeve clothing • Wash hands

16. Chemistry (continued) • Burners • use Bunsen or hot plates (rather than alcohol) • light match and then slowly turn on gas • always use open vessels • point tube away when heating • remove from flame only with proper utensils

17. Chemistry (continued) • Test tubes • inserting stoppers into glass tubes (lubricate with glycerin) • clean used test tubes • Dilute acids by adding acid to water (pour acid along stirring rod)

18. Teacher Safety Guidelines There are three duties of a teacher (known as “foreseeability”) • Instruct • Supervise • Maintain equipment (and records) See CSSS publication “Science & Safety” (What are my legal responsibilities as a science teacher relating to negligence?)

19. Exercise common sense It is important to exercise "common sense": See page 2 of Science & Safety One is not ‘negligent’ unless they fail to exercise that degree would be exercised by a person of ordinary prudence under all the existing circumstances in view of probable danger of injury.’ The law basically requires teachers to be reasonable and use good common sense. Teachers are required to exercise the skill and training which would ordinarily be expected from someone in their profession.

20. Criteria to judge negligence • Was the teacher involved expected to supervise? • Was the teacher derelict in this duty? • Did a personal injury accident occur? • Was the failure to exercise reasonable care the direct cause of the injury?

21. NSTA Position Statements • Read the NSTA Position Statements on Safety and School Science Instruction, which lists guidelines for teachers and school districts, and Liability (biology teachers can also read NABT's statement on the Role of Laboratory and Field Instruction in Biology Education)

22. Animals If you plan on using animals in your classroom, • For guidelines on the proper use of animals in the classroom, check out guidelines put out by the NABT and the NSTA. • Read the Ten Principles for the Use of Animals for Insturctional Purposes (Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources)

23. Other Check out Steps You Can Take to Prove You're a "Responsible" Science Teacher and General Safety Rules for Science Teachers.

24. Subject-specific Areas of Concern • Electrical issues • Biological material • Chemicals

25. Electrical Issues • know the voltage and current (and mark it) • shortest extension cords, insulated • do not permit students to service equipment • periodically check outlets • watch that the equipment doesn’t hot • use low-voltage/current sources where possible

26. Biological material No: • no cell or tissue labs • no blood labs • no mold or bacteria cultures (unless the students are very skilled and the culture vessels are securely sealed) (from NSTA Web Institute)

27. Chemicals • Consider microchemistry whenever possible to minimize risk, need for supplies, and cost of cleanup/disposal • No explosions • Never bring stock bottles into classroom • store by chemical type (not alphabetically) • store large bottles near the floor • inspect annually • use ladders or stools to get to chemicals above eye level

28. Chemicals (continued) • chemicals must be secured • store metallic sodium and potassium in kerosene or heavy mineral oil • use red phosphorus instead of white whenever permissible • No poisonous chemicals • benzene, arsenic, asbestos • formaldehyde, carbon tetrachloride, phenol, xylene, lead compounds • Disposing of chemicals • do not dump strong acids or flammable liquids down a drain (dilute first) or those that produce odors • if in doubt, ask supplier or NSTA

29. School Safety Guidelines General equipment requirements are listed at the Flinn website ("5-minute equipment guide“) and page 10 of Science & Safety. Examples of equipment are as follows: • First-aid kits • ABC Fire extinguishers (special types if necessary) • Fire blankets • Safety showers/eye wash • Sand buckets

30. School Equipment (cont) • gas and electrical master controls • electrical outlets • gas leaks • Congestion/evacuation concerns • Storage Area • Smoke/heat detectors • Mercury clean-up kits

31. Goggles See pages 119-124 of Safety Book • “Splash” type • Seal comfortably to the face • Ventilated (to prevent fogging) • No scratches deeper than a fingernail • Cleaned regularly • Individual goggles best

32. Contact lenses • Additional regulation regarding use of contact lenses is unnecessary (OSHA) • Wear non-vented, specially marked safety goggles • Teacher should know who is wearing contact lenses as neutralizing solutions should not be used to flush eyes • Avoid activities that generate fumes

33. NSTA Guidelines See page 12 of Science & Safety • max class size 24 students • 60 ft2 per student (combination) • 45 ft2 per student (lab only) • 6 ft per student (work space)

34. NSTA Guidelines (cont) • GFCI • 1 pair approved safety goggles per student • 2 outward-opening exits (accom. wheelchairs) • locked doors on storerooms

35. Summary • Know your responsibilities • Be aware of safety issues • Teach safety precautions • Keep up-to-date • NSTA Conventions • Courses (Jason Academy http://www.jason.org/jason_academy/courses/course_descriptions.htm#safety )