Lab Safety

The third volume of The NSTA Ready-Reference Guide to Safer Science includes a chapter for considerations in Science safety. The topics of this chapter include: concerns for the mobility im... See More

The third volume of The NSTA Ready-Reference Guide to Safer Science includes a chapter for considerations in Science safety. The topics of this chapter include: concerns for the mobility impaired, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Materials (OSHA) requirements, Safety Data Sheets, and a listing of the National Science Teachers Association’s (NSTA) resources. The NSTA briefly lays out basic requirements by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for accommodations of mobility-impaired students. These requirements include dimensions for workstations, laboratory sinks, fume hoods, and safety eyewashes and showers. Of further mention, are cabinet doors, doorway width, and adaptive equipment that might be needed for students in wheelchairs. Evidence of true laboratory safety concern are evident when the lab is governed by OSHA regulations. The NSTA provides excellent support for lab safety by encouraging teachers to follow OSHA regulations. In this chapter, following a chemical hygiene plan (CHP) is recommended to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals, and OSHA requirements for CHP are provided. The last two sections within this chapter, discuss the changes from Material Safety Data Sheets to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for which a numbered outline of the format is provided. And secondly, the NSTA’s Safety in the Science Classroom is mentioned with a list of safety resources. While this chapter provides a good introductory explanation of lab safety and resources, the busy or first year teacher needs one resource that will provide this information in a concise way. Government regulations can be difficult to read at best. The NSTA would do well to provide a comprehensive resource for science teachers. Roy, K. R. (2012). Introduction to safety in science. In I. Liftig, K. L. Roberts, S. Metz, & S. Stuckey (Eds.), The NSTA ready-reference guide to safer science, vol.3. (3-14). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association.