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Safety Resources

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General

  • Class Size Policy >>
  • Laboratory Safety >>
  • Safety Beliefs >>
  • Safety Requirements >>
  • Safety Workshops >>


Safety Articles Archive

  • Chemical Spills >>
  • Thermometers --- What's Hot and What's Not >>
  • Mercury Review >>
  • Laser Safety In The Science Classroom >>
  • The Storage of Flammable Liquids in School Laboratories >>
  • Contact Lens Safety In The Science Classroom >>
  • Safety Articles from Crucible Magazines >>
  • Banned and Restricted Chemicals: Issues, Suggestions >>
  • Safety in Testing for Taste and Odour >>
  • STAO Microscale Science Project >>


Learning By Accident

The following is a list of some of the laboratory accidents or incidents reported to the STAO/ APSO Safety Committee by STAO/APSO members since March 2000 and published in Crucible.

The Crucible articles also contain comments from the STAO/APSO Safety Committee with respect to the health and safety aspects of each real-life lab accident or incident and specific recommendations for appropriate action and/or future avoidance.

  • Accident: glass tubing >>
  • Aqua Regia >>
  • Batteries short-circuiting >>
  • Blood type testing >>
  • Burning of sulfur >>
  • Electrical hazards >>
  • Entering the workplace >>
  • Equipment misuse >>
  • Exploding balloons >>
  • Frog dissection >>
  • Gas cylinder incident >>
  • Lab gas supply >>
  • Liquid bromine spill >>
  • Magnesium powder >>
  • Methanol explosion >>
  • Mixing: solvents and acids >>
  • Nitrogen tri-iodide explosion >>
  • Pop bottle rocket incident >>
  • Reagent bottle disintegration >>
  • Sodium hydroxide spill >>
  • Solvent explosion in oven >>
  • Tasting chemicals >>
  • Unsafe waste disposal >>
  • Using power tools >>
  • White phosphorus >>
  • Zinc powder incident >>
  • Zinc/sulfur reaction >>


Safety Questions and Answers

  • Alkali metals Q#12 >>
  • Aspirin Q#37 >>
  • Bunsen burner tubing Q#36 >>
  • Bunsen burner use in school laboratories Q#39 >>
  • Carcinogenic substances Q#47 >>
  • Cathode-ray tubes Q#41 >>
  • Chemical storage safety legislation/regulations Q#4, 5 >>  Q#40 >>
  • Circuit boards salvaged from disposable cameras Q#38 >>
  • Cleaning glassware using acid baths Q#18 >>
  • Compressed hydrogen and oxygen gas cylinders Q#7 >>
  • Dishwashers for science lab preparation rooms Q#35 >>
  • Disposal of hazardous lab waste Q#6 >>  Q#32 >>
  • Exit doors from science laboratories Q#10 >>  Q#21 >>
  • Eye protection Q#8 >>
  • Eyewash stations Q#33 >>
  • Fire blankets Q#9 >>
  • Food consumption in labs Q#1 >>
  • Fume hoods Q#26 >>  Q#46 >>
  • Hazardous Chemicals CD Q#34 >>
  • Iodine solutions Q#16 >>
  • Kit storage of chemicals Q#43 >>
  • Laboratory design: exit doors Q#10 >>  Q#21 >>
  • Legal responsibilities of teachers Q#23 >>
  • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Q#3 >>
  • Mercury manometers Q#24 >>
  • Mercury thermometers Q#15 >>
  • Methylene blue Q#25 >>
  • Peroxide formers in labs Q#11 >>
  • Pregnancy and chemical exposure Q#29 >>
  • Radioactive materials Q#31 >>
  • Rusting metal in chemical storage area Q#49 >>
  • Shelving in chemical storage areas Q#44 >>
  • Sodium in water Q#2 >>
  • Spectrum tube power supplies Q#17 >>
  • Storage of acids and bases Q#48 >>
  • Storage of chemicals in kits Q#43 >>
  • Storage of inorganic chemicals Q#40 >>
  • Storage of reactive metals e.g., sodium, potassium, lithium Q#50 >>
  • Storage of science equipment in elementary schools Q#4 >>
  • Syringes and their use by students Q#42 >>
  • Transporting chemicals within a school Q#20 >>  Q#30 >>
  • Urine investigations Q#28 >>
  • Use of fresh organs (e.g., heart, kidneys, lungs) Q#14 >>
  • Ventilation of science facilities Q#22 >>
  • Ventilation of storage cabinets Q#13 >>
  • WHMIS regulations for teacher training Q#19 >>
  • X-Ray emissions from high voltage equipment Q#41 >>


Publications of the STAO Safety Committee

The STAO Safety Committee has produced a number of safety publications which can be obtained from the STAO Store.


Useful Web-sites

  • Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) >>
    A Canadian federal government agency based in Hamilton, Ontario, which serves to support the vision of eliminating all Canadian work-related illnesses and injuries.

  • Centre for Disease Control and Prevention >>
    Recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships.

  • Allergy Internet Resources >>
    If you have an allergy, here is a free discussion group for you!

  • Workplace Safety & Insurance Board >>
    You'll find valuable answers and information about Workplace Safety Insurance here.

  • US Department of Labour : Occupational Safety and Health Administration >>
    Occupational injuries and illnesses are at record lows because of the combined efforts of business, government, labor, and professional, trade, and community organizations.

  • CSA For Occupational Health & Safety >>
    This is the 'Standards and Guidelines' section of the site.
    It provides a link (bottom-left) where you can sign in to view CSA standards.