Planning a Safe Classroom

Planning a Safe Classroom

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding General Safety Concerns:

Answer:

1. Do you have a copy of the Federal, State, and local regulations which relate to school safety, as well as a copy of your school district’s policies and procedures?

2. Check your classroom. Are equipment and materials properly stored (e.g.: right type of cabinets for chemicals, on sturdy shelving that won’t tip over, on deep shelving that items won’t fall off of easily)?

3. Are you familiar with possible hazards using the equipment and materials in your room?

4. Do you know your school’s policies and procedures in case of accidents?

5. At the start of each science activity, do you instruct students regarding potential hazards and the precautions to be taken?

6. Is the group size of students working on an experiment limited to a number that can safely perform the experiment without causing confusion and accidents?

7. Do students have sufficient time to perform the experiments, then clean-up and properly store the equipment and materials after use (e.g. students don’t run in the classroom with scissors, rulers, or other equipment)?

8. Are students instructed not to taste or touch substances in the science classroom without first obtaining specific instructions from the teacher?

9. Are your students aware that all accidents or injuries - no matter how small - should be reported to you immediately?

10. Are your students instructed that it is unsafe to touch the face, mouth, eyes, and other parts of the body while they are working with plants, animals, or chemical substances and afterwards, until they have washed their hands and cleaned their nails?

11. Does your classroom have safety goggles? a first aid kit? Do you know how to use these items? Do students use the safety goggles? Are the goggles cleaned and disinfected after each use?

12. Are materials and supplies that students will use stored in an area with plenty of space to avoid accidental collisions among students?

13. Are students wearing goggles? Always have students wear goggles during various lab activities.

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Safe Use of Chemicals

1. Have you taught students that they must not mix chemicals "just to see what happens?"

2. Have you taught students to never taste chemicals and to wash their hands after use?

3. Do you forbid students from mixing acid and water?

4. Are combustible materials kept in a metal cabinet equipped with a lock?

5. Are chemicals stored under separate lock in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator?

6. Are only a minimum amount of chemicals stored in the classroom? Are students given only small amounts of materials to work with (e.g. a dropper bottle of vinegar rather than a gallon jug)?

7. Are chemicals not used in a given period carefully discarded properly?

8. Are all chemicals labeled?

9. Is a quick reference is handy for precautions, antidotes, and proper disposal of all chemicals?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Glassware

1. Could you use plastic instead of glass?

2. Do students know how to use glassware? (For example, do they know how to insert glass tubing into a rubber stopper? How to heat hard glass test tubes - not to be heated from the bottom but tipped slightly - not in the direction of another student)?

2. Have you checked for any sharp edges on glassware, mirrors, prisms, thermometers, or other glass objects? Do students know to report sharp edges on mirrors or glassware to you?

3. Are a whisk broom and dust pan available for sweeping up pieces of broken glass?

4. Are students aware that they should not drink from glassware used for science experiments?

5. Are thermometers for use in the classroom should be filled with alcohol, not mercury?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Electricity

1. Are your students taught safety precautions for use of electricity in all everyday situations (e.g. not to touch an item recently turned off? not to pull out an electrical appliance using the cord? to keep fingers and clothing away from moving parts?)?

2. Are students told not to experiment with the electric current of home circuits?

3. Are you allowed to use extension cords in your building? Are they checked that they are in good condition and plugged into the nearest outlet (won’t cause a short circuit)?

4. Are students’ hands dry when touching electrical cords, switches, or appliances?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Fire

1. Do you know your school’s fire regulations, evacuation procedures, and the location of and use of fire fighting equipment?

2 Does your room have an ABC Fire Extinguisher? Fire Blanket? Do you know how to use them?

3. What extra cautious will you take if dealing with fire? What special instructions will you give students?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Plants and Animals

1. Are the animals healthy, well cared for, and in a suitable habitat?

2. Are your students aware that they are not allowed to bring live or deceased wild animals into the classroom?

3. Do you buy animals only from reputable stores or supply houses?

4. Are students instructed not to pick up an unfamiliar animal? Do they know not to poke at an animal in a cage?

5. Do you and your students know how to properly care for the animal and how to pick it up?

6. Are your students aware that they should never put a plant into their mouth?

7. Do students wash their hands after touching plants?

8. Do your forbid students from inhaling smoke from a plant or picking up an unknown plant, flower, or seed?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Field Trips

1. Are you thoroughly familiar with the field trip location before you take students there?

2. Do you have extra adult supervision for the trip?

3. Is the field trip approved by the proper school administration?

4. Have you secured written parent permission for taking students on the trip?

5. Are the students aware of proper clothing or supplies needed for the trip?

6. Do you have a first aid kit to take with you? Is a cellular telephone available to take with you?

7. Do you have a "buddy system" set up for students?

8. Do you have students’ home phone numbers, medical records, and medications needed before leaving school?

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Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding General Safety Concerns:	Answer:
1. Do you have a copy of the Federal, State, and local regulations which relate to school safety, as well as a copy of your school district’s policies and procedures?
2. Check your classroom. Are equipment and materials properly stored (e.g.: right type of cabinets for chemicals, on sturdy shelving that won’t tip over, on deep shelving that items won’t fall off of easily)?
3. Are you familiar with possible hazards using the equipment and materials in your room?
4. Do you know your school’s policies and procedures in case of accidents?
5. At the start of each science activity, do you instruct students regarding potential hazards and the precautions to be taken?
6. Is the group size of students working on an experiment limited to a number that can safely perform the experiment without causing confusion and accidents?
7. Do students have sufficient time to perform the experiments, then clean-up and properly store the equipment and materials after use (e.g. students don’t run in the classroom with scissors, rulers, or other equipment)?
8. Are students instructed not to taste or touch substances in the science classroom without first obtaining specific instructions from the teacher?
9. Are your students aware that all accidents or injuries - no matter how small - should be reported to you immediately?
10. Are your students instructed that it is unsafe to touch the face, mouth, eyes, and other parts of the body while they are working with plants, animals, or chemical substances and afterwards, until they have washed their hands and cleaned their nails?
11. Does your classroom have safety goggles? a first aid kit? Do you know how to use these items? Do students use the safety goggles? Are the goggles cleaned and disinfected after each use?
12. Are materials and supplies that students will use stored in an area with plenty of space to avoid accidental collisions among students?
13. Are students wearing goggles? Always have students wear goggles during various lab activities.

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Safe Use of Chemicals
1. Have you taught students that they must not mix chemicals "just to see what happens?"
2. Have you taught students to never taste chemicals and to wash their hands after use?
3. Do you forbid students from mixing acid and water?
4. Are combustible materials kept in a metal cabinet equipped with a lock?
5. Are chemicals stored under separate lock in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator?
6. Are only a minimum amount of chemicals stored in the classroom? Are students given only small amounts of materials to work with (e.g. a dropper bottle of vinegar rather than a gallon jug)?
7. Are chemicals not used in a given period carefully discarded properly?
8. Are all chemicals labeled?
9. Is a quick reference is handy for precautions, antidotes, and proper disposal of all chemicals?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Glassware
1. Could you use plastic instead of glass?
2. Do students know how to use glassware? (For example, do they know how to insert glass tubing into a rubber stopper? How to heat hard glass test tubes - not to be heated from the bottom but tipped slightly - not in the direction of another student)?
2. Have you checked for any sharp edges on glassware, mirrors, prisms, thermometers, or other glass objects? Do students know to report sharp edges on mirrors or glassware to you?
3. Are a whisk broom and dust pan available for sweeping up pieces of broken glass?
4. Are students aware that they should not drink from glassware used for science experiments?
5. Are thermometers for use in the classroom should be filled with alcohol, not mercury?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Electricity
1. Are your students taught safety precautions for use of electricity in all everyday situations (e.g. not to touch an item recently turned off? not to pull out an electrical appliance using the cord? to keep fingers and clothing away from moving parts?)?
2. Are students told not to experiment with the electric current of home circuits?
3. Are you allowed to use extension cords in your building? Are they checked that they are in good condition and plugged into the nearest outlet (won’t cause a short circuit)?
4. Are students’ hands dry when touching electrical cords, switches, or appliances?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Fire
1. Do you know your school’s fire regulations, evacuation procedures, and the location of and use of fire fighting equipment?
2 Does your room have an ABC Fire Extinguisher? Fire Blanket? Do you know how to use them?
3. What extra cautious will you take if dealing with fire? What special instructions will you give students?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Plants and Animals
1. Are the animals healthy, well cared for, and in a suitable habitat?
2. Are your students aware that they are not allowed to bring live or deceased wild animals into the classroom?
3. Do you buy animals only from reputable stores or supply houses?
4. Are students instructed not to pick up an unfamiliar animal? Do they know not to poke at an animal in a cage?
5. Do you and your students know how to properly care for the animal and how to pick it up?
6. Are your students aware that they should never put a plant into their mouth?
7. Do students wash their hands after touching plants?
8. Do your forbid students from inhaling smoke from a plant or picking up an unknown plant, flower, or seed?

Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Field Trips
1. Are you thoroughly familiar with the field trip location before you take students there?
2. Do you have extra adult supervision for the trip?
3. Is the field trip approved by the proper school administration?
4. Have you secured written parent permission for taking students on the trip?
5. Are the students aware of proper clothing or supplies needed for the trip?
6. Do you have a first aid kit to take with you? Is a cellular telephone available to take with you?
7. Do you have a "buddy system" set up for students?
8. Do you have students’ home phone numbers, medical records, and medications needed before leaving school?