Lab SafetyStudent Activities for Personal and Environmental Safety

Donna R. SterlingGeorge Mason Universitydsterlin@gmu.edu

Why is safety important?

• Safety of all people

• students

• teachers, parents, janitors

• Safety for the environment

• You might be sued

How can you protect yourself legally?

Teachers need to have a:

• Consistent, on-going

record that documents an

emphasis on safety.

How do you establish a safety record?

• Create evidence of your

emphasis on safety that you

can document.

What is evidence of safety that you can document?

Real concrete examples• List of rules• Test over rules• ?• ?• ?

Safety Test

Safety Rules1.

2.

3.

Safety Rules

• Written list – by adults• Consensus - higher is better

• class• grade/subject level• department• school• school district

Safety

List of Rules

• 2 copies - teacher and student• go over list with students• list signed and dated by both

• student and• parent/guardian

• front and back of• one page• no cut off section for signatures

• teacher must keep a signed copy

Safety Rules

Safety Rules

Documentation

What if the student forges the signature?• Show of dishonesty by student

How long should you keep a signed copy?• For greatest protection, the teacher

should keep a signed copy of the rules for seven years.

Test over RulesMust Pass

Practical questions

• Location of Safety Equipment

• Operation of Safety Equipment

• Location of School Nurse

• Knowledge of Safe Procedures

• safe equipment handling

• chemical disposal

Enforce Rules!

• One of the most common problems

What eye protection is legally required?

• What eye protection is legally required?• safety goggles• not safety glasses or spectacles

• Can you wear contact lenses in lab?• contact lenses do not increase risk• use same protective goggles

Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 1995, ACS

Eye Wash

In case of exposure, how long do you flush eyes with water?• a minimum of 15 minutes

How often do you test an eye wash?• weekly - to verify operation

and flush lines

What food is allowed in a science lab?

No eating or drinking in the lab It is illegal

Demonstration of Fire Safety Equipment

To Burn Fires Need

To burn, fires need 3 things:1. Fuel2. Oxygen3. Heat

To extinguish, eliminate one

Types of Fire Extinquishers

4 Categories of Fires• A Ordinary• B Liquids• C Electrical• D Combustible Metal

4 Types Extinguishers• Dry chemical (all)• Water (A)• Carbon dioxide (B, C)• Halon

Operation of Fire Extinquishers

PASS•Pull ring pin

•Aim at the base of the fire

•Squeeze the handle to start flow

•Sweep side to side at the base of the fire

Fire Extinguisher Video

fire+extinguishers.htm

1. Escape and double click on URL

2. Click on stop preview, then click on start video

Fume Hood

                                                                                                                                  

Fume Hoods

When not using the hood, what position do you keep the sash (window)?• closed

When you are actively using the hood, how high do you raise the sash?• 10-15 cm

What safety activitiescan you do with students?

• Make a long list of activities.• Which of these activities can you

easily document?

Lab Demonstrationson Safety

• Eyes• Cow eyes and 18M H2SO4 – demo

• 0-30 seconds – damage immediately

• Egg whites and 6M HCl• Clothes

• Fabric and 6M HCl• Read labels

• Water, acid, base – look the same• pH paper - smell

Safety Discussions

• Stories

• Case Studies

• What if . . . ?

• Role Play

Videos on Safety

http://www.flinnsci.com/video.asp

Safety videos can be purchased from Flinn Scientific and other companies

Posters on Safety

• Displayed in Lab

• commercial

• student created

Writing

• Student generated

• questions - quizzes

• poems - index cards

• stories - book

• articles - newsletter

Before Each Lab

• Demonstrate Equipment

• Discuss Procedures

• Discuss Hazards

• Review Disposal of Materials

Testing

• Test on Safety

• Quiz Before Lab

• safety question

• Midterm and Final

• safety question

Safety for Living

• Earth Science• hurricanes and earthquakes

• Biology• communicable diseases

• Chemistry• chemical handling

• Physics• electrical safety

Teacher Safety Issues

• Create a trail of evidence showing an on-going emphasis on safety that you can document for your own protection.

Safety

Rulesand

Regulations

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA)

• OSHA 1910.1450

(Laboratory Standard) Section D(6)

• School laboratories should include “protective apparel compatible with the required degree of protection for substances being handled”.

American National Standards Institute

 (ANSI)

• ANSI is a nonprofit group that publishes standards for equipment for industry. It is not a federal agency.

• Eye ProtectionANSI Z87.1-1989One of many standards for goggle lenses.• Lenses shall resist impact from a 25.4 mm

diameter steel ball dropped from 127 cm.

• What are ANSI approved goggles?

When should goggles be worn in a school laboratory?

When anyone is handling: • Chemicals • Fire • Projectiles

(explosions and glassware) • Compressed gas

(Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 1995, ACS)

Eye Protection

• “It is universally agreed that the use of proper eye protection is required of everyone who enter a chemical work area.”

• “All person in the laboratory including visitors must wear safety goggles (not safety glasses or spectacles)…”

(Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 1995, ACS)

When can contact lenses be worn in a laboratory?

• “Contact lenses can be worn in most work environments provided the same approved eye protection is worn as required of other workers in the area.”

• (Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 1995, ACS)

Hazard Communication Standards

“Right to Know Laws”

• A person has the “right to know” about all hazards they are exposed to in the workplace.

• 6 components of law (federal & state)

Right to Know Law

• 6 components of law (federal & state)• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

• primary source of communication

• Hazardous Materials List• Inventory of Hazardous Materials

• name, quantity, and location

• Notification• MSDS and training

• Training• how to read labels, how to handle safely, and

emergency procedures

• Labeling of Hazardous Materials

MSDS

• Material Safety Data Sheet• Required list of information about a

chemical including physical and chemical characteristics, fire and explosion hazards, lethal dose, etc

• Must be available for every chemical in the laboratory

• Store MSDSs in alphabetical order in an obvious, convenient location

• Provided by suppliers, also online

Extended Hazard Communications Act (1990)

• Laboratory Standards• specifically for academic laboratories

• Same “right to know” laws• Chemical Hygiene Plan - written report

• laboratory regulations• Personal protection equipment and materials

• proper lab procedures• spills, storage, inspections, and training

• how to respond to emergencies• Chemical Hygiene Officer

Virginia Occupational Safety and Health

(VOSH)

Virginia requires:• Chemical Labeling• MSDS• Written Inventory• Chemical Hygiene Plan• Training