Description
The Science Laboratory Safety Manual from Science & Safety Consulting Services provides a comprehensive one-stop resource for teachers (K-college), school administrators, school district administrative personnel, CHOs and Safety Officers. By covering an extensive range of topics integral to science safety, it furnishes a single reference source and guide for helping ensure a safe learning environment and raise the standard of science safety. It is written with an understanding and familiarity of the legal requirements and nuances vital to the proper administration of any school science program. Additionally, this manual provides guidelines for teachers and administrators to help schools comply with state and federal regulations as well as step-by-step procedures for addressing existing and potential hazards present in the science classroom. An exhaustive index provides easy access to the information.
Topics areas include: Introduction to School Science Safety; Safety Issues in Schools; Safety Training and Motivation; Safety and Health Hazards; Legal Issues; Student Involvement; Biohazards and Radiation; Chemical Management; Facilities; First Aid; Laboratory Glassware, Hardware and Equipment; Personal Protective Equipment; Elementary Science Safety and an Appendix with resources and references.
All science programs have inherent dangers – not only chemistry. In an environment where students are in contact with chemicals, electricity, water, unfamiliar pieces of equipment, open flames, and a variety of biological materials, the potential for an accident is apparent to everyone. The chapter addressing Chemical Management includes extensive Substitution List allowing schools to replace hazardous chemicals with safer ones. This chapter presents the various types of labeling and storage systems in use and furnishes guidelines for transferring to the Globally Harmonized System of Hazard Classification and Labeling Systems (GHS). Chemical waste disposal is also addressed in detail.
The S&SCS Science Laboratory Safety Manual provides detailed examples, illustrations and charts pertinent to the subjects covered as well as a comprehensive appendix of resources, publications and tables. The chapter covering First Aid details the correct response to a wide range of accidents which may occur in the classroom and the legal requirements of administering First Aid.
It will help make school laboratories / classrooms the secure and safe environments educators are obligated to make them, both for the sake of our students and staff and for the scientific experience itself.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Overview
State School Board of Education Goals
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Who are the Stakeholders?
Safety Issues in Schools
Chemical Management Facilities
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Professional Development
Financial
Common Safety Hazards
Safety Training and Motivation
Motivation
Teachers and Students
Safety and Health Hazards
A Wide Range of Hazards
Failing Grade for High School Labs
Science Safety: A Status Report on North Carolina Schools
Assessment Results Age of Buildings
Space
Air Quality
Shut-offs
Improper Assignment of Facilities
Storage Space
Electrical Shock Prevention
Fire Extinguishers
Eyewash Stations
Goggles
Fire Blankets
Safety Training
Contact Lens
Student Safety Acknowledgements
Chemical Storage
Chemical Labeling
Chemical Management
Chemical Hygiene Plans
Safety Checks
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
S&SCS Findings
Recommendations
Needs Assessment
Textbooks and Manuals
Inadequate Precautions in Textbooks
Recordkeeping
Safety Training
Safety Hazards in Schools
Environmental Hazards
Control of Environmental Hazards
Laboratory Assessment
First Aid
Physical Layout
Ventilation
Lighting
Entry and Exit
Showers and Eyewashes
Personal Protective Equipment
OSHA Citations
Common Sense / Prudent Practices
Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility!
Administrators, Teachers and Students
LEGAL
Overview
The How-Tos of Conducting Safer Labs
Laws, Codes, Standards and Regulations Defined
Laws
Codes
Standards
Regulations
Laws, Codes, Standards and Regulations Which Apply to Science Activities by Schools
Professional
Federal
State
Detailed Information
National Science Education Standards—Adopted 1995
Federal Laws, Codes and Regulations
Building / Fire Code Regulating Authorities
State Laws, Codes and Regulations
Professional Standards
Liability Issues
General Duties of Teachers
Duty to Instruct
Duty to Supervise
Duty of Maintenance
Torts in Education
Significance of Categories
Intentional Torts
Battery
Assault
False Imprisonment
Infliction of Emotional Distress
Negligence Defined
Duty of Care
Breach of The Duty of Care
Per Se Doctrine
Proximate Cause
Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur
Damages
General Damages
Special Damages
Punitive Damages
Teacher Liability — Categories of Circumstances
Duty to Provide Adequate Supervision Over Student Activities
Class Size Supervision
Supervision and Classroom Size
Student Aides
Security of Chemicals / Theft of Chemicals
Student Misbehavior
Substitute Teachers
Safety Rules and Enforcement
Taking Home Chemicals for Experimentation with Teacher Approval
Duty to Provide Proper Instruction and Warn Students of Possible Dangers
Comprehensive Safety Instruction Program
Two Types of Cases
Laboratory — Specific Instruction
Lesson Plans
Notice to Parents of Safety Rules and Safety Acknowledgements
Duty to Provide a Safe Learning Environment
Lack of Teacher Safety Training / New Teacher Training
Teaching Science in a Non-Science Classroom
Failure to Maintain and Repair Laboratory Equipment
Prohibited Chemicals
Facilities Issues — Personal Safety Equipment
Laboratory Design, Storage Areas, Ventilation, Chemical Shelving and Storage Cabinets, Fume Hoods
Defenses to Liability
Governmental Immunity
Governmental Immunity – Indemnity Statutes
North Carolina Negligence Cases
Governmental Immunity
General Rule
Immune Unless Waiver
Local Board of Education Insurance
Case Example
Defense of Employee
NC GS §115C-43
NC GS §143-300.14 - .15
NC GS §143-300.4
Defenses to Liability
Contributory Negligence
Assumption of Risk
Distinction Between Contributory Negligence and Assumption of Risk
Comparative Negligence
Comparative Negligence — Joint and Several Liability
Comparative Negligence — Last Clear Chance Doctrine
Strict Liability
Student Accountability
What to Do If:
An Accident Occurs in the Laboratory / Classroom
The Teacher is Sued
Legal Cases Demonstrating Negligence
Duty to Instruct—Mastrangelo v. West Side Union High School (1935)
Duty to Supervise—Jay v. Walla Walla College (1959)
Duty of Maintenance—Bush v. Oscoda Area Schools (1979)
Eleven Practical Solutions to Limit Potential For Liability
Conclusion and Observations
STUDENT INVOVLEMENT
Overview
Safety Programs
Establish a Formal Program
The Importance of Occupational Safety and Health
Student Investigations
Resources
Lab Safety Investigations
Safety Committees
Safety Acknowledgement
Safety Rules
Safety Orientation
Safety Foremen
Safety Campaigns
Safety and Health Research
Practice Laboratory / Classroom Accident Scenarios with Students
Conclusion
Laboratory / Classroom Safety Practice Drills for Middle / Secondary
BIOHAZARDS AND RADIATION
Overview
Primary Purposes of Biological Safety Programs
Prudent Practices
Biosafety Guidelines
Recommended Equipment and Facilities List
Protocols and Sterilization Techniques
Inoculating Loops
Pipetting
Biohazards
Methods of Biocontainment
Type of Exposure
Biological Safety Practices
Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Safety Equipment: Primary Barriers
Laboratory Facilities: Secondary Barriers
Biosafety Levels
Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)
Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)
Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)
Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4)
Infectious Diseases
Escherichia coli (E. coli 0157:H7)
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aurens (MRSA)
Molds
Bloodborne Pathogens
Hand Sanitizers
Biotechnology
Decontamination and Disposal
Decontaminants
Cleaning of Spills
Liquid Spills
Biohazard Waste Disposal
Categories of Waste
Material Types
Animal Use in the School Laboratory
Procurement Procedures
Housing
Care
Weekends, Holidays
Rules
Waste
General Protocols
First Aid
Invertebrates
Chick Embryology—Educational Value vs. Risk
Dissection
Releasing Non-Indigenous Organisms
Plants / Mushrooms
Mistaken Identities
Precautions
Plant SOPs
Web References to Poisonous Plants
Field Trips
Radiation: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Non-Ionizing Radiation
Ionizing Radiation
Hazards
Use of Radioactive Sources in Schools
Radioactive Study Benefits
Lasers (Non-Ionizing Radiation)
Lasers in Everyday Life
Classification of Lasers
PPE and Lasers
CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Overview
Risk Assessment
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) / Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Standards
Definition of a Hazardous Chemical
Toxicology
Toxic Effects
How Toxic Agents are Classified
Toxic Chemical Effects
Classes of Toxicants
Toxicity Ratings
Guidelines for Carcinogens
Chemical Absorption Through Skin
Chemical Inhalation
Employee Exposure Rights (OSHA 29 CFR §1910.1450(d))
Minimizing Chemical Exposure
Handling Chemical Reagents
Student Guidelines for Chemical Handling
Chemical Procurement
Chemical Procurement Procedures
Dated Receiving System
Recordkeeping Detail
Dispensing Chemicals
Labeling
Labeling for School Laboratory Use
Chemical Hazards Fall into Two Classes
Chemical Hazard Rating Systems
RTK Labeling System
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Diamond Classification System
HMIG Labeling System
HMIS® Labeling System
HMIS Federal Labeling System
Chemical Supplier Labels
Chemical Label Systems Comparisons
The Chemical Storeroom
Security
Space
Ventilation
Fire Protection
Shelving and Arrangement of Reagents
Chemical Storage Systems
The Fisher Five-Color Chemical Storage System
Carolina Biological Supply Chemical Storage System
J.T. Baker Chemical Storage System
The Flinn Chemical Storage System
Incompatible Chemical Storage
Prudent Safety Practices Checklist
Chemical Inventories
Elements of the Chemical Inventory
Steps of a Chemical Management Process
Manage your Chemical Inventories
No Nos for Elementary and Middle School
Suitable Chemicals for Elementary and Middle School
Science & Safety Consulting Services Computerized Chemical Management System in CD Format
Material Safety Data Sheets
History of MSDS: by Aaron Kaplan
MSDS Required Formats
ANSI Revised Standardized MSDS Format
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
Major Elements in GHS
Purpose of GHS
GHS Hazard Groupings and “Building Block” Concept
Workplace
Consumer
Classification
Health Hazard Class
Physical Hazard Class
Environmental Hazard Class
GHS Labeling Guidelines
Examples of US Labels
Consumer Products and Consumers
Transport and Emergency Responders
Agricultural Chemicals and Pesticides
GHS Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Format
MSDS Questions and Answers
Chemical Waste Management and Disposal
Agencies Regulatory and Non-Regulatory Mechanism for Managing Chemicals
EPA Regulations
Cradle to Grave
When to Dispose of Chemicals
How to Dispose of Chemicals
Management Practices
Disposal of Non-Hazardous Chemicals
Solid Waste Disposal of Non-Hazardous Chemical Compounds
General Rules for Sanitary Drain Disposal of Chemicals
Hazardous Chemicals That Are Prohibited From Drain Disposal
Substitution of a More Hazardous Chemical by a Less Hazardous Chemical
Reduce, Recover, Recycle
The Importance of Microchemistry and Waste Disposal
Chemical Spills / Leaks
Spill Control
Responding to Chemical Spills
Mercury
Mercury Presents a Significant Hazard
Mercury Vapor Incident
DC HAZMAT Responds to Mercury Contamination
State Mercury School Programs
Fisher Mercury Exchange Program
Mercury in Our Environment
Accidents in Schools
Thermite Explosion
Egg Drop Boom Bucket Death
Methanol Flash Fire Burns Student and Teacher
Boiling Acid Explosion in Chemistry Lab
Housekeeping
Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) Efforts
FACILITIES
Overview
Laws Governing Facilities and Equipment
NCDPI School Science Facilities Planner
Foreword
Introduction
Facilities Design
Programs and Facilities
Sample Checklist for Elementary School Science
Sample Checklist for Middle School Science
Sample checklist for Secondary School Science
Some Facilities Requirements for Colleges
Class Size Requirements
How Class Size is Regulated
Ventilation
Key Components for Proper Ventilation
Laboratory Ventilation Requirements
Make-up Air
Total Exhaust Chemical Fume Hoods
Ductless Chemical Fume Hood
Labeling Workplace Hazards
Compressed Gas Cylinders
Eyewash / Shower Stations
Hazardous Waste
Ladders
Lockout / Tagout
Pipe Markings
Fire-Quenching Materials
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Radiation Hazards
Respirator Storage
Storage Rooms for Flammable and Combustible Materials
Marking Physical Hazards
Commonly Asked Questions
Electrical Safety
Electricity Basics
Electrical Hazards
Effects of Electric Shock
Electrical Hazards / Electric Shock Summary
General Principles
Identification of Hazards
Hazard Protection
Outlets
Over-Current Protective Devices—Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
Voltage Testers
Fuses
Circuit Breakers
Extension Cords
Reversed Polarity
Electrical Safety Practices
Fire Safety
Flash Point
Ignition Temperature (Fire Point)
Classes of Flammable Materials
Five Classes of Fire Extinguishers
Causes of Ignition
Oxidants Other than Oxygen
General Precautions for Flammable Materials
Source of Fires
Fire Extinguisher Use
Responding to Fires
Fire Protection Statutes and Codes
308.3 Open flame
308.3.2 Location near combustibles
308.5.2 Portable fueled open-flame devices
315.2.3 Equipment rooms
605.4 Multiplug adapters
605.4.1 Power tap design
605.4.2 Power supply
605.4.3 Installation
605.4.5 Extension cords
605.5.1 Power supply
605.5.2 Ampacity
605.5.3 Maintenance
605.4 Grounding
605.7 Appliances
605.9 Temporary wiring
703.3 Ceilings
802.1.2 Fire-retardant coatings
803.1.3 Obstructions
803.3.2 Artwork
1011.2 Reliability
1011.3 Obstructions
1011.4 Furnishings and decorations
Safety at Home
Science Safety Requirements: Middle and Secondary School Science Classrooms / Laboratories
What Is Required by OSHA
How to Establish and Maintain Properly Equipped Classrooms / Laboratories
Housekeeping
Housekeeping Requirements
A Two-level Process
First Aid
Overview
Governing Standards
First Aid Kits
First Aid Procedures
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillators (AESs)
Trauma and Shock
Trauma
Shock
Burn Types
First Degree Burns
Second Degree Burns
Third Degree Burns
Chemical First Aid
Standard Operating Procedures
Chemical Burns
Inhalation
Ingestion
Injection
Electrical Accidents
Electric Shock
Electrical Burns
Biological First Aid
First Aid for Animal Bites
Personal Contamination with Biological Materials
Physical Trauma
Cuts and Puncture Wounds
Broken Bones
Asthma
Medication
Treatment
What if This is the First Asthma Attack?
Diabetic Attack
First Aid for Hypoglycemic Attack
Warning Signs
Allergic Reactions
For Mild to Moderate Reactions
In the Event of a Serious Allergic Reaction
For Severe Reactions (Anaphylaxis)
Medical Services and First Aid
Medical Treatment
Significant Diagnosed Injury or Illness
First Aid and Legal Immunity
Good Samaritan Laws
Laws Governing Responsibility of Administering First Aid
Duties of Teachers
LABORATORY GLASSWARE, HARDWARE AND EQUIPMENT
Overview
Laboratory Glassware
General Precautions for Handling / Heating Glassware
Manipulating Glass Tubing
Laboratory Glassware Use
Storage
Transfer
Vacuum
Measurement
Containers for Investigation
Corrosive Reagents
Pipets
Thermometers
Laboratory Hardware and Equipment
Laws Governing Safety Showers and Eyewashes
Eyewashes
Drench Hoses
Showers
Heat Sources
General Heating Cautions
Specific Cautions
Additional Equipment
Refrigerators and Freezers
Vacuums and Vacuum Pumps
Stirring and Mixing Devices
Centrifuges
Microwave Ovens
Cryogenics
Compressed Gas
Cutting and Puncturing Tools
Lab Cart
Prudent Safety Practices
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Overview
PPE Protects Against the Following Hazards
Universal Precautions — Chemicals
Universal Precautions — Infection Control
PPE Includes
Provision and Maintenance of PPE
Regulations and Standards Governing PPE
Eye Protection
Eye Protection Standards
CA Education Code on School Eye Safety
Eye Protection Policy
Injury to the Eye
Foreign Bodies
Chemical Reagents
Contamination
Lasers and Eye Protection
Safety Goggles
Prescriptive Eyewear
Contact Lens
Face Shields
Ear Protection
Foam Ear Plug
Respiratory Protection
Body Protection
Attire
Aprons / Lab Coats
Fume Hoods
Safety Shields and Ductless Hoods
Hand Protection policy
ANSI and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) 105-2005 American National Standard for Hand
Protection Selection Criteria
Gloves
Foot Protection
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE SAFETY
Overview
Expectations for K-5 students
Ways to Increase Knowledge and Understandings About Science Safety
Creating a Science Safety Culture
Instruction and Exploration
Legal Aspects of Elementary Science Safety
OSHA
Duties of Care Owed to Students
Homework and Community Speakers
Student Involvement
Safety Rules for Students
Elementary Science Safety Acknowledgement
Biohazards
Hygiene
General Guidelines for the Care of Plants and Animals
Chick Embryology
Dissection
Use of Hand Sanitizers / Soap and Water
Culturing Bacteria, Molds or Fungi
Field Trips
Chemical Management
Procurement
Inventory
Storage
Handling
Disposal
Laboratory Safety Practice Drills for K-5
Facilities
NCDPI School Science Facilities Planner
Electrical Hazards
Guidelines
Fire Safety
Guidelines
Rocketry
First Aid
Chemical First Aid
Biological First Aid
Asthma
Allergic Reactions
Lab Glassware, Hardware and Equipment
Glassware
Heat Sources
Hardware and Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE Protects Against These Hazards
PPE Includes
Universal Precautions — Chemicals
Universal Precautions — Infection Control
Eye Protection
Body and Hand Protection
Respiratory and Noise Protection
Housekeeping
Conclusion
Recommendations
Appendix