Saftey
Rules
When I taught freshman chemistry lab last year at Duke, I had one of
the scariest moments of my life. One of my students started a fire by accident.
Even though I had "covered" the safety rules on the first day of class,
they obviously were not paying attention. She did not take action right
away and made the fire bigger by trying to cover it up with paper towels.
Although shocked and alarmed, I put out the fire quickly. I want to make
sure that my high school chemistry students know the safety rules and why
they should follow them. I do not want to scare them into inaction, but
I want them to know the dangerous consequences of breaking the rules. I
also want them to internalize the rules, so I will have them create reminders
to post around the room.
Anticipatory Set
Description: As students arrive, they find their seat and look at the
overhead transparency. It asks them to make a list of all the safety features
that they find in the laboratory. The students observe: fire extinguisher,
fire blanket, eye wash station, safety shower, fire-proof countertops,
safety goggles, lab coats, etc. After a few minutes, make a master list
together.
Objective and Purpose
Description: Discuss these objectives and have students relate why
it is important to go over these issues.
To prepare for future laboratory activities
To identify the dangers of working in a laboratory
To prevent accidents from occurring but to know what to do when they
occur
To create safety posters that can be displayed on the walls throughout
the year to remind us of what we have learned today
Class Discussion
Description: Have class discuss the purpose of each of the safety measures
they observed in the classroom. Also think of ways of ensuring that some
of the safety equipment never has to be used. Use these thoughts to create
a list of safety rules in the laboratory.
Instructional Input
Description: Emphasize the importance of these rules (or additional
rules) through demonstration and videos.
Take a wad of human hair and show how quickly it "vanishes" when it
comes in contact with certain chemicals.
Take a piece of leather and show how quickly it, too, "vanishes" when
it comes in contact with certain chemicals.
Show a video demonstrating what can happen when one does not read the
directions carefully and when one does not wear his or her safety goggles.
Modeling
Description: Read aloud the list of rules that the class has generated.
Choose one to create a non-linguistic representation. For example, draw
a bare foot and put a big red X over it, or create a cause and effect diagram
showing that bare foot plus chemicals equals sore foot.
Guided Practice
Description: Divide the class into groups of three or four (preferably
the people that they will share a lab bench with that quarter or semester).
Give them large pieces of poster board and markers. Instruct them to create
non-linguistic representations of each of the safety rules that the class
wrote. Once they have created them, give them tape and have them place
them in appropriate places around the room (near their lab bench or near
where the danger is most likely to occur or near the safety device).
Artful Ending
Have the students brainstorm about other activities that have special
rules to make sure people do not get hurt (athletics, driving, taking medicine,
etc.).
Independent Practice
Hand out the instructions for the first lab that they will conduct
in the class. Ask them to read the lab for homework and to specify what
rules will be especially pertinent for this lab (ie, if the lab requires
the use of bunsen burners, then fire safety will be very important).
Laboratory Safety Rules
1. Only conduct experiments when a teacher is around.
2. Read and think about each lab before conducting the experiment.
3. Always be aware of the location of all safety equipment.
4. Wear a lab coat.
5. Wear safety goggles.
6. Tie back loose hair.
7. Clear the lab bench of clutter before beginning an experiment.
8. Never taste lab materials. Do not eat or drink in the lab.
9. Never look down a test tube.
10. If a spill or accident occurs, get teacher immediately.
11. Wash skin when it comes in contact with chemicals.
12. If chemical gets in eye, go to wash station immediately.
13. Discard material waste as directed.
14. If you are ever in doubt, ask. |
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