From: Marta Gmurczyk <M_Gmurczyk**At_Symbol_Here**ACS.ORG>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 'Large fireball' injures students in chemistry experiment gone wrong
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 14:06:05 +0000
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: efaca2fb6ba940989eebde253f8a8e70**At_Symbol_Here**acs.org
In-Reply-To


Dear All:

 

ACS is currently working on the number of materials and resources that would help teachers to integrate RAMP ( Recognize the hazards, Assess the risks of the hazards, Minimize the risk of hazards and Prepare for emergencies from uncontrolled hazards)  approach to the  laboratory activities. The recent ACS Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools were developed using this concept to help high school teachers to increase their understanding of culture of safety. The ACS guidelines were published in 2016 and ACS will be developing tools and resources related to the guidelines.

 

Last year, ACS distributed 3,000 copies and the guidelines can be downloaded at:  https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/governance/committees/chemicalsafety/publications/acs-secondary-safety-guidelines.pdf?logActivity=true

 

The booklets have been reprinted and can be purchased at https://www.store.acs.org/eweb/ACSTemplatePage.aspx?site=ACS_Store&WebCode=storeItemDetail&parentKey=8f27c64d-4351-401a-81f9-11306a6b996f

 

We appreciate very much you letting school districts know about these guidelines.

 

Marta Gmurczyk

ACS Safety Programs

 

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of McGrath Edward J
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2017 3:51 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 'Large fireball' injures students in chemistry experiment gone wrong

 

So the pro-active approach (which we in Delaware are working on) is to make safety planning a part of the lesson planning that should be happening in all curricular areas.

 

The message I give to teachers and administrators is that safer science begins with the lesson plan.  Whenever a lesson that involves a lab or lab demonstration is being planned, I ask three things:

 

1)     What is the learning objective?

2)    What are the students doing while the lab work or demo is going on?

3)    Based on question 2, how are students to be assessed on what they did?

 

If the "really amazing demonstration" can't answer these three questions (all very familiar to educators at all levels), I would question whether the demo is safe.

 

As  teachers plan laboratory investigations for students, the plan should include

 

         A hazard analysis

         A risk assessmentÑa critical analysis of the probability of harm and the severity of harm.  The risk assessment will take into account the facility, the students, and if done correctly, the teacher's expertise.

         Appropriate safety actions.  This is where hard decisions come into play.  Do we have the necessary engineering controls?  Have we instructed on proper procedures for handling materials?  Do we have the correct personal protective equipment? 

 

The point is, as educators and mentors, we have a duty to model safety.  Risk cannot be eliminated.  It can, however, be managed.  I also tell my teachers that it is appropriate (and highly recommended) that student lab reports also include a section on safety precautions.  This is how we foster a culture of safety.

 

Eddie McGrath

 

Edward J. McGrath

Supervisor of Science

Red Clay Consolidated School District

1502 Spruce Avenue

Wilmington, DE  19805

 

(302) 552-3768

 

We did not inherit the Earth from our parents.  We borrowed it from our children.

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of Reinhardt, Peter
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2017 12:00 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 'Large fireball' injures students in chemistry experiment gone wrong

 

If that happens, I fear that the School Boards won't improve safetyÑthey'll just eliminate science labs instead. 


On Nov 24, 2017, at 6:09 PM, NEAL LANGERMAN <neal**At_Symbol_Here**CHEMICAL-SAFETY.COM> wrote:

A few multi-million dollar settlements will get the schools attention.

 

On Fri, Nov 24, 2017, 12:32 Funck, Steven <sfunck**At_Symbol_Here**messiah.edu> wrote:

 

Like everyone else I am at a loss as to why the warnings about the Rainbow demo do not seem to get to folks who need to here it. All I can do is on an individual bases. Any meeting I attend, professional, safety related, whatever I ask that anyone who knows  middle or highscool science teachers or has a student at that level to ask if they do it and provide my contact info. I have had calls from several teachers and most rewardingly a Superintendant of one of the largest SD's in the area.  It may not be much, but if it stops one incident its worth the time. I would recommend we all do this. Steve

h but if it stops one incident.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Sprint Phone.

 

 

-------- Original message --------

From: "Stuart, Ralph" <Ralph.Stuart**At_Symbol_Here**KEENE.EDU>

Date: 11/24/2017 12:05 (GMT-05:00)

Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 'Large fireball' injures students in chemistry experiment gone wrong

 

>What is needed is common sense. Is this something that can be learned?

The question is where the common sense needs to be located. The NFPA has already laid out very explicit expectations for classroom chemical demonstrations that enable a prudent person to work safely. However, it's not clear to me that either the teachers (or other demonstrators in public spaces, such as museums, daycares or scout gatherings) are aware of this standard. In my opinion, school administrators need to be more curious about why not...

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Environmental Safety Manager
Keene State College
603 358-2859

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu

---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

--

Sent from Neal Langerman's Nexus

--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.