Where can I find additional safety advice in Science?
It is the general policy of this school science faculty to follow the advice provided by the following national bodies: the Department for Education, the Health & Safety Executive, the Association for Science Education and the CLEAPSS School Science Service.
Risk Assessments
The Regulations require employers to provide Risk Assessments before employees meet hazards. This school requires that science staff must consult the following texts for model assessments:
CLEAPSS Hazards Hazcards
CLEAPSS Laboratory Handbook Handbook
Hazardous Chemicals: a guide for schools and colleges, for chemicals not in Hazcards HCM
Safeguards in the School Laboratory Safeguards Safeguards
Precautions and advice
To help staff find appropriate advice on which to base Risk Assessments, the following table is provided.
Telephone or write to CLEAPSS (at Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH Tel: 0895 251496) for further advice.
|
Topic
|
Handbook
|
TIS
|
Safeguards
|
Other Texts
|
Notes
|
|
Air rifles, pistols
|
12.4.6
|
-
|
102
|
-
|
-
|
|
Animals, wild
|
14.2
|
-
|
13
|
DES AM 3/90
|
-
|
|
Animals, keeping
|
14.1
|
-
|
13
|
DES AM 3/90
|
This and other texts from the RSPCA.
|
|
Aquaria, electrical safety
|
14.3
|
-
|
-
|
Small Mammals
|
-
|
|
Asbestos
|
11.6
|
-
|
6.3, 15.3
|
-
|
Mats etc supplied to schools since 1977 from normal suppliers are asbestos free.
|
|
Autoclaves
|
15.12
|
Ch 5
|
92
|
DES AM 7/76
|
Servicing etc monitored by Martin Jones and prep room.
|
|
Batteries
|
9.3
|
-
|
11.8
|
-
|
-
|
|
Biotechnology
|
14.9, 14.10
|
Ch 5b
|
9.4, 13.3, 16.7
|
-
|
-
|
|
Blood and cell sampling
|
14.4
|
Ch 4
|
4.2, 14.2
|
DES: AIDS some questions & answers
|
Faculty has policy of not using blood at all. See CEP for advice on cheek cells.
|
|
Carcinogens, possible
|
7.8
|
Ch 9
|
15.3
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
-
|
|
Cells. voltaic
|
9.3
|
-
|
11.8
|
-
|
-
|
|
Centrifuges
|
-
|
-
|
10.1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Chemicals, disposal
|
7.5
|
Ch 13
|
16
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
-
|
|
Chemicals, handling
|
7.4
|
Ch7 & 8
|
4, 6, 15, 16
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
-
|
|
Chemicals, labelling and storage
|
7.3, 7.44
|
Ch10,11 & 12
|
17
|
-
|
CLEAPSS has a draft stockist L148b; also Handbook section 20.
|
|
Chemicals recommended
|
-
|
Ch 8
|
-
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
-
|
|
Cylinders etc LPG (liquid petrol gas)
|
-
|
-
|
6.2
|
CLEAPSS Guide L164b
|
Contact CLEAPSS if these have to be used as a temporary measure.
|
|
Cylinders of oxygen, hydrogen etc
|
13.3
|
Ch 10
|
7.6, 9.1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Disinfection
|
15.12
|
Ch4 & 5
|
16.7, 16.10
|
-
|
SEE Sterilisation, Autoclaves, Pressure cookers.
|
|
Disposal, biological
|
14.6, 15.2
|
Ch5&13
|
16
|
Microbiol: HMI
|
|
|
Disposal, chemical
|
7.5
|
Ch 13
|
16
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
|
|
Dissection
|
14.7
|
-
|
-
|
Educ in Sci (108)
June 1984
|
-
|
|
Electricity, high voltage ac
|
12.9.6
|
Ch 3
|
11
|
CLEAPSS Guide L84
|
-
|
|
Electricity, high voltage dc
|
12.9
|
Ch 3
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
|
Electricity, mains-powered equipment
|
6
|
Ch 3
|
11
|
-
|
For the use of mains-powered aquaria accessories, SEE Aquaria
|
|
Experiments involving pupils
|
11.8, 14.4, 14.5
|
-
|
11.7, 14
|
-
|
-
|
|
Eye protection
|
3.2
|
Ch 2
|
4.2, 7.1, 10.2, 10.6
|
CLEAPSS Guide R135
|
CLEAPSS Guide R135 gives advice on which models to buy.
|
|
Eyewash facilities
|
3.2.2
|
Ch 2
|
111
|
-
|
-
|
|
Fermenters
|
14.9
|
Ch 5b
|
9.4, 13.3, 16.7
|
-
|
-
|
|
Fire precautions & equipment
|
4
|
Ch 14
|
5
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
Hazcards and HCM give advice on the use of individual flammable substances.
|
|
First Aid
|
5
|
-
|
11
|
-
|
The HSE’s First Aid in Educational Establishments (HMSO 1985) ISBN 0 11 8838 37 7 is a useful leaflet.
|
|
Flammable liquids
|
7.3, 7.43
|
Ch 11
|
Numerous references
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
Hazcards and HCM draw attention to individual highly flammable liquids.
|
|
Fume cupboards
|
8.3
|
Ch 15
|
7.7, 7.8
|
CLEAPSS Guide L9
|
L9 gives information about models available. CLEAPSS can also provide information and training on preliminary and annual testing.
|
|
Gas supply
|
9.6
|
-
|
6.2
|
CLEAPSS Guide L174
|
L174 advises on models of gas outlets and on installation.
|
|
Heating
|
11.6, 9.6
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
|
Highly flammable liquids
|
7.3, 7.43
|
Ch 11
|
Numerous references
|
Hazcards, HCM
|
Hazcards and HCM draw attention to individual highly flammable liquids.
|
|
Hygiene
|
14.13
|
Ch 4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Ionising radiations
|
12.10
|
Ch 13
|
Numerous references
|
-
|
DFE Admin Memorandum 1/92. See CLEAPSS Guide L93 for advice for Radiation Protection Advisers and Supervisors etc.
|
|
Laboratories
|
8
|
-
|
Numerous references
|
Building for Science (ASE 1989)
|
|
|
Lasers
|
3.2.3
12.12
|
Ch 5.2
|
12.4
|
-
|
The official advice is still DES AM 7/70 which is generally regarded as needlessly stringent.
|
|
Lifting beams and hoists
|
12.1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Mercury
|
12.13
|
Ch 8
|
15.4, 16.1, 16.2
|
CLEAPSS Guide L144, Hazcard
|
-
|
|
Microbiology
|
15.2
|
Ch 5
|
Numerous references
|
Microbiology: HMI Guide
|
-
|
|
Pesticides
|
15.4
|
Ch 6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Pipetting
|
13.8.2
|
-
|
7.4
|
-
|
-
|
|
Plants
|
15.5
|
-
|
13.6
|
-
|
-
|
|
Plastics
|
13.6
|
Ch 7&8
|
5.2, 15.3, 15.4
|
-
|
-
|
|
Pressure cookers
|
15.12
|
Ch 5
|
9.2
|
-
|
See section 3.1 and Appendix x of this policy.
|
|
Protective clothing
|
3.3
|
-
|
7.2
|
-
|
-
|
|
Pupils involved in experiments
|
11.8, 14.4, 14.5
|
-
|
11.7, 14
|
-
|
-
|
|
Radioactive substances
|
12.10
|
Ch 13
|
Numerous references
|
-
|
DFE Admin Memorandum 1/92. CLEAPSS can provide advice for Radiation Protection Advisers and Supervisors etc. Also CLEAPSS Guide L93.
|
|
Safety screens
|
10.4
|
-
|
7.3, 8.3, 8.4
|
-
|
Hazcards suggest when these are needed for particular experiments.
|
|
Saliva
|
14.4
|
Ch 4
|
4.2, 14.2
|
DES: Aids some questions and answers
|
See CEP for advice.
|
|
Spillages
|
7.7
|
-
|
16, F
|
-
|
Hazcards give advice on dealing with spillages of individual chemicals.
|
|
Spillages, micro-biological
|
15.2, 15.12
|
5
|
16.7
|
-
|
-
|
|
Steam engines
|
10.5
|
-
|
Numerous references
|
-
|
-
|
|
Sterilisation
|
15.12
|
Ch 5
|
-
|
-
|
SEE Autoclaves, Pressure Cookers, Disinfection
|
|
Stroboscopes
|
12.19
|
-
|
12.1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Sun, care in viewing
|
11.9
|
-
|
12.5
|
-
|
-
|
|
UV radiation
|
11.9
|
Ch 2
|
12.6
|
-
|
-
|
|
Vacuum
|
12.20
|
-
|
8.3
|
-
|
-
|
|
Ventilation
|
8.2
|
-
|
7.8
|
-
|
-
|
|
X-rays
|
12.10
|
-
|
12.7
|
-
|
DFE Admin Memorandum 1/92. See CLEAPSS Guide L93 for advice for Radiation Protection Advisers and Supervisors etc.
|
