Concern for safety must begin before any activity in the classroom and before students enter the lab. A careful review of the facilities should be a basic part of preparation for each school term. You should investigate the physical environment, identify any safety risks, and inspect your work areas for compliance with safety regulations.
The review of the lab should be thorough and all safety issues must be addressed immediately. Keep a file of your review, and add to the list each year. This will allow you to continue to raise the standard of safety in your lab and classroom.
Many classroom experiments, demonstrations, and other activities are classics that have been used for years. This familiarity may lead to a comfort that can obscure inherent safety concerns. Review all experiments, demonstrations, and activities for safety concerns before presenting them to the class. Identify and eliminate potential safety hazards.
Inventory
Chemical and Specimen Disposal = 2030, 2035, 2040
Microscope Servicing = 2031, 2036, 2041
Each school is responsible for maintaining a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) binder that includes an SDS for every chemical stored or used within the science department. To ensure accessibility during routine operations and emergency situations, each school shall maintain three complete copies of the SDS binder:
One copy maintained within the science department for staff reference.
One copy maintained in the school's main office for administrative and emergency access.
One copy designated for the local fire department.
Science departments are responsible for ensuring that SDS binders are reviewed and updated whenever new chemicals are purchased or existing chemicals are removed from inventory. The Director of Science will coordinate the delivery of the fire department copy to the appropriate local fire department and facilitate updates as needed.