Pre-service teachers who conduct experiments are faced with various risks in terms of physical, health and environment due to the chemicals they are exposed to in the laboratory classes. Working in a laboratory without knowing these risks causes accidents such as chemical spills, explosions and fires, and even individual injuries. For this reason,…

While glue guns are very useful, there are safety issues. Regardless of the temperature setting, glue guns can burn skin. The teacher should demonstrate and supervise the use of glue guns and have a plan should a student get burned. There should be an initial first aid protocol in place, followed by a visit to the school nurse. An accident report…

Addresses the history and philosophy of accident prevention in chemistry laboratories. Presents the results of a statewide survey done in Colorado designed to investigate the etiology of academic chemistry laboratory accidents in institutions of higher education. Patterns of accident characteristics identified by the student are discussed. (TW)

Discussed are facts about tort liability in science education and strategies that can be used to avoid liability. Variables such as maturity, size, age, mental capacity of students, and the nature of the activities are addressed. Included are four cases in which teachers were held liable for accidents. (KR)

Discusses strategies for managing health and safety within science departments. Emphasizes the importance of risk assessment for both pupil activities and those carried out by technicians. Stresses the role of training and the need for security. (MM)

Discusses the need for chemistry laboratory safety procedures. Provides descriptions of techniques to increase students' awareness of the symptoms of such things as toxic gas clouds that could escape into the laboratory, along with defensive strategies for reacting to such situations. (TW)

Reports on a chemistry laboratory accident intervention study conducted throughout the state of Colorado. Addresses the results of an initial survey of institutions of higher learning. Discusses some legal aspects concerning academic chemistry accidents. Provides some observations about academic chemistry laboratory accidents on the whole. (TW)

Describes the development of a 29-point questionnaire regarding safety in the science laboratory. Includes a copy of the questionnaire along with specific recommendations for action to take relating to each item on the questionnaire. (TW)

Indicates that academe must emphasize professional responsibility for chemical health and safety and engender a similar concern in students. Suggests this may be accomplished both by informing students and by helping them make reasoned decisions concerning their exposure to these hazards. (Author/JN)

Explains how people arrive at personal hazard assessments. Explores why people overestimate some hazards and underestimate others. Examines risk ratings for activities and technologies such as nuclear power, motor vehicles, pesticides, and vaccinations. (MA)

Information is given on the basic chemistry of fire and on the characteristics of flammable liquids. (BB)

Presents rationale and guidelines for development of Safety Standard Operating Procedures (Safety SOP) specific for local conditions. Includes an outline of a Safety SOP developed for a department primarily focused on undergraduate education with a wide variety of expertise from common laborer to PhD with 20 years experience. (Author/JN)

After a short historical background, sources of information on reactive chemical hazards are discussed, along with reasons why these sources are not being tapped, particularly in academic laboratories, and some underlying principles. (BB)

Presents a scenario related to the disposal of potentially dangerous ether. Several suggestions for dealing with peroxide-forming compounds are included. (JN)

Offers suggestions and outlines ten easy steps for assuring a safer science classroom environment. Includes such recommendations as: scheduling a safety inspection; displaying safety posters; enforcing a laboratory dress code; establishing a safety reference library; and updating safety report forms and procedures. (ML)