Dropped glass is an indicator that there is a need to look more closely at what’s going on. Glass does not drop itself. People drop glass. What is going on?
It makes little difference if it is happening in a high school or at Dow. What is going on?
This is not apples and melons. This is people dropping glass. What is going on?
Get the facts. What gets measured, gets done.
James A. Kaufman, Ph.D.
President/CEO
The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)
A Nonprofit Educational Organization for
Safety in Science, Industry, and Education
192 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760-2252
508-647-1900 Fax: 508-647-0062
Cell: 508-574-6264 Res: 781-237-1335
Skype: labsafe; 508-319-1225
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Chair, ICASE Committee on Safety in Science Education
International Council for Associations of Science Education
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From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Nail, John
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To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] NSTA Urges Science Educators to Halt the Use of Methanol-Based Flame Tests on Open Laboratory Desks
Dropped glassware is not a safety violation, it is an accident. Likewise for most cuts, slips and falls unless there is a serious physical issue with a lab space or someone is acting so badly that he/she needs to kicked out of the lab for that session.
In regards to safety notes, many/most students ignore everything that isn't directly related to what they are to physically do. Verbal reminders may be more effective, but students often forget what they've been told.
Comparing academic teaching labs to industrial settings, particularly semiconductor fabs, is an 'apples to melons' comparison.