TO: Superintendents, Principals, Teachers . . .
RE: Safety at School
It is the legal and professional obligation of all school personnel to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff. Administrators, staff and students are responsible for developing and following safety protocols and regulations in the science laboratory. Each must maintain a concerted effort to avoid the apathetic and laissez-faire attitudes which are a major cause of accidents in the laboratory.
Effective laboratory safety is not possible without the continued education and commitment of all stakeholders involved in learning and experimentation in the scientific environment. The ability of students to solve problems using science inquiry is a vital step in the intellectual development of future educators, medical and science professionals and citizens in general. There is significantly more involved in ensuring science safety than merely presenting a set of rules and regulations to the class. Motivation, dedication and understanding of the “whys of safety” are essential in the development of a safe and effective school laboratory program.
-- from Superintendents, Principals, Teachers . . .Do You Know the Law? - The Science Reflector - NCSTA Newsletter by Linda M. Stroud, Ph.D., President, Science & Safety Consulting Services, Inc., www.sciencesafetyconsulting.com
For a more thorough discussion on Legal Issues, see
- "Legal Issues in Laboratory Safety" in the Science Laboratory Safety Manual. Stroud, Linda M., Science Laboratory Safety Manual, Second Edition, 2008.
- Kelly Ryan, Esq., author, Science Classroom Safety and the Law. Kelly Ryan Associates, Pasadena, CA.
