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Appendix A The study of science involves the
use of a variety of equipment and materials to observe, identify, describe,
and investigate phenomena in the physical world. The emphasis on hands-on
activities -- including those that present potential hazards – makes safety
in the science classroom the number one priority for students, instructors,
and parents. A Safety Rules Agreement (SRA) can be an important tool to help
ensure a safe science classroom. Below are two models of such agreements.
Local school systems are encouraged to use these models in developing their
own rules agreements tailored to the specific conditions and requirements of
their science classes and laboratories. A good SRA should include
criteria for – ·
student preparation for the laboratory, ·
following instructions, ·
basic precautions and procedures, ·
proper handling of equipment and reagents, ·
use of personal protective equipment, ·
responding to emergencies, ·
laboratory housekeeping, ·
notification of parents, and ·
consequences for failure to
follow safety procedures. Once established, the rules must
be followed at all times. It is recommended that, as a condition of
participation in the classroom or laboratory, teachers require each student
and parent or guardian to sign the agreement. Teachers should file a copy of
each student's signed agreement, and students should keep a copy in their
science notebooks as a reminder of the laboratory safety rules in the science
classroom. The SRAs provided in Appendix A are designed for use typical middle school and high
school laboratory environments and may require modification for use in
elementary schools or in specific courses. School systems may also want to
debate the merits of using one SRA across the system or having different
forms used by different schools within the system. Flinn Scientific Safety Contract for Middle
School: English
or Spanish Flinn Scientific Safety Contract for High
School: English
or Spanish |
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