Safety procedures used by Department of Chemistry at the University of Akron are discussed. These include policy that no chemicals are stored in the teaching laboratories. Instead, dispensing stockrooms are used to service the laboratories. Other aspects discussed include ventilation procedures and development of microprocessor use in stockrooms.…

Briefly describes different designs for college chemistry laboratories to help mobility handicapped students working in them. (SK)

Safety education in the science classroom is discussed, including the beginning of safe management, attitudes toward safety education, laboratory assistants, chemical and health regulation, safety aids, and a case study of a high school science laboratory. Suggestions for safety codes for science teachers, student behavior, and laboratory…

The trend toward inquiry-based learning is providing today's students with a more enriching education. When implementing inquiry it is important to recognize the great number of safety concerns that accompany this paradigm shift. Fortunately, with some consideration, teachers can shape students' laboratory experiments into safe and valuable…

Reviews trends in laboratory safety found in both industrial and academic situations. Reports that large industrial labs generally have excellent safety programs but that, although there have been improvements, academia still lags behind industry in safety. Includes recommendations for improving lab safety. (ML)

Indicates that the most dangerous laboratory hazards are the least dramatic ones and that hazardous chemicals are often used in laboratories without proper precautions. Selected sources of information essential for secondary schools and recommendations for safe practices and chemical use statistics from a study of Ohio high schools are given. (DH)

Discusses topics and issues related to conducting dangerous and/or potentially dangerous demonstrations. Includes a number of resources that secondary and college teachers can consult for additional information. (JN)

Suggests that ideal experiments fit into course time constraints and be meaningful, relevant to course content, safe, inexpensive, simple, reproducible, and easy to set up/maintain. Describes a Boyle's Law experiment that uses a minimum of equipment and meets the foregoing criteria. Apparatus used, procedures, and safety precautions are…

The purpose of constructing labels is to communicate those scientific facts related to hazards and to select and describe the reasonable precautions that should be taken to prevent otherwise unforseeable harm. Recent developments in the use of combined numeric and pictorial symbols in chemical label construction are described. (JN)

Discusses various aspects related to negligence on the part of chemistry teachers. Areas addressed include negligence in tort law, avoiding negligence suits, proper instructions, proper supervision, equipment maintenance, and other considerations such as sovereign immunity, and contributory versus comparative negligence. (JN)

Reports on an explosion that occurred using Tollens' reagent, emphasizing that students should prepare the reagent immediately before use and discard it immediately after use by flushing it down the drain. States that under no conditions should Tollens' reagent be stored. (Author/JN)

Suggests the use of spores and spore-producing structures to show adaptations facilitating spore dispersal and dispersal to favorable environments. Describes several activities using horsetails, ferns, and mosses. Lists five safety factors related to use of mold spores in the classroom. (DS)

Described is a procedure by which the performance of chemical hoods can be tested. This procedure uses a mixture of dry ice and water to create a "smoke" for use in the test. Implications for sash design, performance evaluations and testing under standard and nonstandard conditions are discussed. (CW)

Discusses the relative danger from toxicity of some typical chemicals. Notes that some materials in solutions have low toxicity, but in dust form have high toxicity. Suggests that more chemical compounds should be treated as the dangerous compounds they are. Lists common compounds found in the lab. (MVL)

An important part of the science classroom involves teaching students how to safely use tools, techniques, and procedures. As emphasized in the National Science Education Standards, "safety is a fundamental concern in all experiential science" and teachers must "teach students how to engage safely in investigations inside and outside the…