Dominican University General Laboratory Safety

1. Dominican UniversityGeneral Laboratory Safety Kathleen Schmidt-Nebril Chemistry Department Eunmi Lee School of Education 5/28/08

2. Introduction- • It has been suggested that at least 40% of science education involves activity-based lessons in grades K-12.¹ • The NSTA promotes laboratory instruction and urges school districts and teachers to establish and comply with safety standards.² ¹Science Framework for California Public Schools, K-12. Sacramento: California Department of Education, 1990, p. 160. ²”Liability of Teachers for Laboratory Safety and Field Trips,” in NSTA Handbook, 1994-95. Arlington, Va.: National Science Teachers Association, 1994, p. 242.

3. Relevant Cases- • Cazsador by Cazsador v. Greene Cent. Sch. 220 A.D. 2d 862, 632 N.Y.S. 2d 267 (3d Dept. 1995) amended on reh’g, 1996 N.Y. App, Div. Lexis 128, appeal denied, without op. 87 N.Y.2d145, 666N.E.2d 1059(1996)³ • Scott v. Independent School Dist. #709. 4 256N.W.2d 485 (Minn.1977) ³K. Ryan, Science Classroom Safety and the Law- A Handbook for Teachers, (Flinn Scientific, Inc. 2001). 4. Ryan, Science Classroom Safety and the Law- A Handbook for Teachers, (Flinn Scientific, Inc. 2001).

4. NSTA Assessment & Standards- Teachers of science must: • Understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of science teachers for the welfare of their students, the proper treatment of animals, and the maintenance and disposal of materials. • Know and practice safe and proper techniques for the preparation, storage, dispensing, supervision, and disposal of all materials used in science instruction. • Know and follow emergency procedures, maintain safety equipment, and ensure safety procedures appropriate for the activities and the abilities of students. • Treat all living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field in a safe, humane, and ethical manner and respect legal restrictions on their collection, keeping and use. http://www.nsta.org/pdfs/NCATE-NSTAStandards2003.pdf

5. First AidProcedures- • Wounds from bites- Spiders, insects, mammals and reptiles. • Burns- Chemical and non-chemical. • Eye injuries • Exposure to poisons- Inhaled, ingested and contact. • CPR- Certification required. • Shock

6. Potential Hazards- Materials, Equipment, and Processes: • Be familiar with the operation and dangers of equipment and materials to be used in the lab. • Trial test experiments without students present before using them for the class run.

7. Report Injury or Accidents- • All events, even the most minor, must be reported immediately via an accident report form. • Forms can be found usually in the school’s main office or the health office.

8. Documentation of lab safety- • Teaching safety in the lab should be reinforced continually throughout the school year. • Safety instructions should be documented in the daily lesson plans. • A record log for specific safety topics and dates for every class taught should also be maintained. • The safety instruction must precede the lab session and include necessary procedures and proper chemical waste disposal. • A laboratory safety quiz and safety contract should be administered to every class and kept on file. • Teachers must set an example for students by following all safety rules and ensure that all students do as well!

9. Eye Safety- Eye protection- All students and teachers must wear approved eye protection at all times in the laboratory. It also must be the correct type for the given activity. • Chemistry lab-Splash proof goggles, glasses, face shields. • Earth science-Chipping and grinding of materials requires protection. • Astronomy/Physics-No eye protection available for viewing the sun directly. The images must be projected! Use the indirect pinhole method to view an eclipse. • UV/Laser/Infrared Light-Never allow students to view these light sources directly. Eyewash stations-Plumbed-in eyewashes must be available in all labs and classrooms where chemicals will be used. Its location in the lab should follow local codes and be easily accessible to all students.

10. Instruction for Proper Lab Techniques Many lab techniques must be demonstrated so that students clearly understand how to proceed. • Use of Bunsen burners • Heating liquids in test tubes • Handling reagent bottles • Using squeeze bottles • Gravity and vacuum filtration • Pipetting—Never pipette by mouth!!! • Pouring and measuring liquids.

11. Laboratory Orientation- Along with the lab safety quiz and contract students should be aware of the location of all lab safety equipment. Instruction on how to use the equipment should include a demonstration of each if possible. All safety stations should be marked with signage and should be kept accessible. • Fire extinguishers • Fire blankets • Eyewashes and safety showers • Chemical spill kits • First aid kits • Gas shutoff controls • Proper waste bins- Chemical, glass, paper etc. • Electrical safety Emphasis on good housekeeping is crucial to lab safety!

12. Safety Inspections/Checklists- • To ensure continued safety a periodic inspection of the laboratory, the preparation room and the chemical storage room should be conducted. • The inspection should be documented and filed along with the school’s safety records.

13. Biology Laboratory- • Bloodborne pathogens- • Human Blood Sampling- • Epithelial Tissue Study- • Microscopes and Hand Lenses- • Bacteria and Fungi- • Common chemical hazards- Acrylamide, Ethidium Bromide, Formaldehyde(Formalin) • Dissection • Live Animals

14. Chemistry Laboratory- Chemical Labeling- • NFPA Diamond Health (Blue) 4 DangerMay be fatal on short exposure. Specialized protective equipment required 3 WarningCorrosive or toxic. Avoid skin contact or inhalation 2 WarningMay be harmful if inhaled or absorbed 1 CautionMay be irritating 0 No unusual hazard Flammability (Red) 4 Danger Flammable gas or extremely flammable liquid 3 Warning Flammable liquid flash point below 100° F 2 Caution Combustible liquid flash point of 100° to 200° F 1 Combustible if heated 0 Not combustible Reactivity (Yellow) 4 Danger Explosive material at room temperature 3 Danger May be explosive if shocked, heated under confinement or mixed with water 2 Warning Unstable or may react violently if mixed with water 1 Caution May react if heated or mixed with water but not violently 0 Stable Not reactive when mixed with water Special Notice Key (White) W Water Reactive Oxy Oxidizing Agent

15. Chemistry Laboratory- • Chemical Storage- Chemical Stockroom • Chemical Hygiene Plans • Chemical Waste Disposal • Chemical Spills • Flammable Solvents and Ignition Sources

16. Liability and the Science Teacher Liability for Negligence • Duty of instruction • Duty of supervision • Duty to properly maintain facilities and equipment Case studies-Self Exam

17. Resources- Internet Sources: • Science Safety Handbook for California Public Schools-http://www.csun.edu/~vceed002/ref/laboratory/safety/SciSafety.pdf • American Association of Law Librarians: http://www.aallnet.org/aallnetweb.html • American Chemical Society: http://www.acs.org • Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov • Council of State Science Supervisors: http://csss.enc.org • Eisenhower National Clearinghouse: http://www.enc.org • Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov • Flinn Scientific: http://www.flinnsci.com/ • Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Online Information Site: http://www.practicingsafescience.org and • http://www.hhmi.org/science/labsafe/lcss/ • Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org/programs/research/animals_education.html • Kansas City Hazardous Waste Program: http://www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/rehab/ • Laboratory Safety Institute. Online Information Site: http://www.labsafety.org • MSDS Online: http://www.msdsonline.com • National Association of Biology Teachers: http://www.nabt.org • National Fire Protection Association: http://www.nfpa.org • National Institutes of Health: http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/ • OSHA Laboratory Standard - 29 CFR 1910.1450: http://www.osha.gov • Sargent-Welch: http://www.sargentwelch.com/html/safetyck.html