Safety

How can you conduct labs safely? If you use the Apologia science textbooks, most of the labs described are safe if you follow directions as written.  Teens should wear safety glasses during all labs.  I think about safety all the time. For years I taught in both private and public schools.  Some of my public school classes had 40 students, making labs potentially dangerous if a student violates lab safety rules.

Let me share several good safety resources.  The NSTA has a safety blog; there are articles about Safety Data Sheets (SDS), setting up lab spaces, even Halloween safety.  Here is the ACS’s publication, Safety in the Elementary Science Classroom. Did you know there are child-sized safety glasses?  I use these for out-reach events with young children.  Here is the ACS publication, ACS Guidelines and Recommendations for Teaching Middle School and High School Chemistry.  Here is the ACS website with more information and a free safety poster, R.A.M.P.  Flinn has four pages of free safety articles, like this Five-Minute Safety Inspection.  Here is a complete Middle School level safety lesson with links.

I haven’t had any real safety challenges teaching science with the local Co-op.  The teens follow all the lab instructions.  The Co-op lab space has safety equipment next to the utility sink: fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and  eye wash bottle.  Additionally, we have a sharps container for any broken glass, thermometers, etc.  The kids use safety glasses and aprons during labs.  I do not tolerate any safety infractions.  Students who take off their safety glasses during lab have ‘volunteered’ to clean all of the lab stations for the entire class.  I keep my best threat in reserve—-spending the day reorganizing science equipment, kits, models, and possibly all of my Christmas decorations.  I have very supportive parents.