Safety in Elementary Science

1
Safety in Elementary Science

• For students to truly understand the nature of
  science, they need regular opportunities to
  manipulate equipment and to think like a
  scientist.
• Inquiry opens their mindsguide their journey
  safely
• Charles A. Dana Center Safety Standards

2
PURPOSE

• To develop a working knowledge of the laws,
  rules, regulations and safety precautions and
  procedures for the classroom, laboratory and
  field investigations.

3
Science Safety Rules for Students

• Act responsibly.
• Follow oral and written directions.
• Keep work area clean.
• Wear safety goggles and protective clothing when
  using chemicals, heat, or glass.
• Know where the fire extinguisher and first aid
  kit are located.
• Secure teacher approval to conduct personal
  experiments.
• Notify teacher of unsafe actions or persons.
• Notify the teacher if an accident occurs.

• Know the class emergency plan.
• Never work alone during a lab experience.
• Tie back long hair, remove jewelry, and wear
  closed toed shoes.
• Never taste, eat, drink, or inhale unless
  instructed to by the teacher.
• Keep chemicals and equipment in the classroom.
• Handle living organisms only when given
  permission by the teacher

4
Scenarios

• Each group will be given a science classroom
  scenario.
• Within your group you are to discuss the scenario
  and prepare a brief statement that describes the
  scenario and answers the following questions
• What safety precautions should have been in
  place?
• What response should be made to this situation?

5
Goggles

• Goggles should be a part of daily lab
  experiences.
• They protect eyes from chemicals (even sugar is a
  chemical), pieces of broken equipment, wires,
  etc.
• Each student should have their own pair. If they
  are shared they need to be sterilized between
  uses.

6
Gloves and Protective Clothing

• Gloves (polyethylene, vinyl, or latex) and
  protective clothing should be worn to protect the
  skin.
• Note Some students may experience allergies to
  latex.
• Contact with substances can cause burns and
  allergic reactions.

7
Smelling Chemicals

• Carefully read the directions and precautions on
  the use of any chemical before allowing students
  to handle it.
• Warn students never to smell anything unless
  given permission
• In the event a chemical is to be smelled, the
  proper technique is to hold the chemical six
  inches from the face and wave one hand over the
  opening of the container forcing air toward the
  nose..

8
Chemical Contact with the skin

• Have the students wear protective gloves when
  using chemicals in a way that may be harmful to
  the skin.
• If a chemical comes in contact with the skin,
  flush the area with water for at least fifteen
  minutes.

9
Disposal of Chemicals

• Carefully read the directions and precautions on
  any chemicals label before handling.
• Handle and dispose each chemical according to the
  directions.

10
Fire

• When lab activities incorporate the use of an
  open flame, make certain safety materials such as
  a fire blanket and extinguisher are present.
• Students should be taught stop, drop, and roll.
• Remind students that long hair should be tied
  back and that nylon fabric is easily melted.
• Elementary students should only observe teacher
  demonstration of fire use.

11
Electricity

• Electrical shocks occur when equipment is not
  used properly.
• Never connect, disconnect, or operate electrical
  equipment with wet hands.
• Metal articles should not come in contact with
  electrical equipment (ie. rulers, pens, jewelry.)
• When disconnecting electrical equipment, pull
  from the plug , not the wire.

12
VENTILATION

• A well-maintained ventilation system contributes
  to a healthy environment in science classrooms
  and laboratories.
• NSTA recommends exhaust fans be installed in
  every science room.

13
Glassware

• Elementary students should only observe the
  teacher demonstrating the use of glassware.
• Teachers need to be aware of the safety issues
  when using glass. (Pg. 70 Safety Standards.)

14
Allergies

• An allergy is a hypersensitivity to a foreign
  substance that is harmless to most people but
  produces a reaction (sometimes violent) in an
  allergy sufferer.
• Teachers need to be aware of their students
  allergies.
• Parents need to be notified in writing about
  activities and should be asked to respond with
  any concerns.
• The school nurse should be made aware of these as
  well.

15
Disruptive Behavior

• Texas Education Code, Title 19, Chapter
  37.Discipline Law and Order states A teacher
  may remove a student from the classroom or
  laboratory and send the student to the
  principals office for disruptive behavior to
  maintain effective discipline and a safe
  environment.

16
Individuals with Disabilities

• Federal Law states in Public Law (P.L.) 105-17
  that A school district must ensure that students
  with disabilities are not excluded from
  participation in, or denied the benefits of , its
  services, programs, and activities. Therefore,
  certain modifications in laboratory design may be
  necessary.

17
Space Considerations

• Adequate space is one of the most important
  requirements in a science facility.
• Studies have shown that the number of accidents
  increases significantly when the floor space per
  student in a lab is less than 41 sq. feet.
• In existing facilities where the physical space
  cannot be changed, a decrease in the number of
  students is the option.

18
Field Experiences

• Field experiences should
• Contribute to the understanding of science
  concepts in the natural world.
• Allow students to experience what real scientists
  do.
• Provide an opportunity to collect real data.
• Model real applications of science.
• Connect science to future careers.
• Adequate planning and safety considerations need
  to be made before any field experience.

19
The Safety Game

• Form a team of four players.
• Choose one role for each supply clerk, coach,
  timekeeper, and reporter.
• - The coach reads the procedures to the group
  and checks for understanding.
• - The supply clerk has the tokens and gives 5
  per student at the beginning of the game.
• Each player selects a playing piece and places it
  on the start box.
• Players rotate clockwise, taking turns.

20
The Safety Game, cont.

• One player at a time will roll the die. The
  person with the highest number is first. Same
  numbers must be re-rolled.
• Once the game begins, the game piece is moved the
  number of spaces indicated on the die. The free
  space is not counted but skipped.
• Follow the directions on the landing space. If
  sent to time out , a turn is lost. Players must
  take their next turn from the space they lost
  their turn on.
• Tokens will be collected and lost as the play
  progresses.
• The first person to reach Completed Science
  Investigation Safely takes 5 tokens and the game
  is over.

21
Resources

• Texas Science Safety Standards from Charles A.
  Dana Center Univ. of Texas at Austin
  http//www.tenet.edu/teks/science/
• Safety in the Elementary Classroom from
  www.scilinks.org NSTA press ISBN
  0-87355-224-5
• HISD media center -3901 Telephone Road
  713-845-7478

22
The Law

• Science must be taught in K-Grade 12. HISD
  suggests that 80 of Science in K-2 and 60 in
  3-5th is in a lab/field experience.
• Science must be taught in a safe environment.
• Science must provide for a least restrictive
  environment.
• Safety training must be completed for everyone.
• Adequate space must be maintained for science
  classes.
• The school and teacher are held liable if the
  teacher knowingly exposes a student to a harmful
  situation.

23
Its everyones responsibility!

• The accident rate in schools is 10-50 times
  higher than that of the chemical industry.
  Research goes beyond the headlines to look at the
  factors that accompany school accidents, which
  include
• Inadequate or poorly designed working space,
  overcrowding, and too few work stations.
• Teachers with poor course work preparation.
• Teachers who are teaching more than two
  preparations at the same time.
• Inadequate safety training.
  
• NSTA Guide to School Science
  Facilities, 1999