3 minute read
Safety in the science lab
ASK ANY STUDENT what they remember most from science classes and it’ll often be the experiments carried out –examining chemical reactions in chemistry or shooting bottle rockets in physics, for example.
But many of these experiments carry an element of risk, and schools need to ensure they are carried out safely, and that any hazardous chemicals and equipment used are stored appropriately and securely.
School laboratories are affected by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act which came into force in 2001. However, section 33 of the Act gives certain exemptions to laboratories in which the smallscale use of hazardous substances in research and development or teaching occurs.
Schools are still required to comply with the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Exempt Laboratories) Regulations 2001, however.
To help schools comply, the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE) has put together a Code of Practice for School Laboratories to help schools meet their obligations under the regulations.
The code provides guidance on the management of laboratories, the use of hazardous substances in teaching, operational requirements and safe levels of use of certain chemicals.
Under the code, schools are required to appoint a suitably qualified member of staff as the laboratory manager. The laboratory manager has overall responsibility for all hazardous materials used within the lab and must ensure that the substances are stored securely. They are also responsible for the provision of protective equipment and for ensuring hazardous substance disposal procedures are kept up to date.
However, some sectors of the education community feel that the requirements of the code of practice put undue pressure on those who are appointed as laboratory managers. Their reasoning is that the code requires laboratory managers to take responsibility for other areas of the school, such as technology and art, that use certain chemicals.
They argue that the job description under the code makes laboratory managers responsible for student behaviour and dress code where chemicals are being used, creating a school emergency response plan and ensuring cooperation with other departments that use chemicals.
Some argue that these additional duties may take time away from the staff member’s core role as a science teacher.
But supporters of the code of practice say it has been designed with student and staff safety in mind and it fulfils the requirements set out in the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Exempt Laboratories) Regulations 2001.
Schools are, however, free to choose whether to follow the NZASE’s code of practice or not, but they must ensure compliance with the regulations and should document all methods of compliance.
The Ministry of Education publishes a number of resources to enable schools to develop their own codes of compliance with the regulations, including Safety and Science – A Guidance Manual for New Zealand Schools. The Ministry also offers downloadable hazard registers for school science laboratories that could also be used as a base document for compliance.
No matter whether a school chooses to follow the NZASE’s code of practice or develop its own code of compliance, it is the health and safety of the students that should be paramount.
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