Tulsa Public Schools

Legal Responsibilities as a Science Teacher

• The science teacher has a duty to anticipate foreseeable dangers and take precautions to protect students from possible harm.

Legal Responsibilities as a Science Teacher

Negligence is a breach of a duty

“Negligence claims arise from accidental conduct that could have been prevented by the exercise of reasonable care.”

Elements of Claim for Negligence

• Duty of Care

• Breach of Duty

• Proximate Cause

• Damages

Duty of Care

• Provide adequate supervision over student activities.

• Give students adequate instructions to perform the tasks required of them.

• Provide clear safety rules, enforcing those rules on a consistent basis and warning students of possible dangers in performing the activity.

Duty of Care

• Maintain equipment in proper working order to be used in the science laboratory.

• Provide safe laboratory facilities for performing the laboratory task.

Supervision

Teachers must physically be present at all times to supervise students wherever chemicals or laboratory equipment are being used.

Proper Instruction

• The duty of instruction requires personal instruction, sufficient warnings, and student demonstration of understanding.

• The most powerful defense in science classroom accidents has been the introduction of evidence of “proper instruction” as to the possible dangers inherent in the activity.

Clear Safety Rules

• The foundation of any school science safety program for students is the use of a safety contract. The contract should clearly spell out the rules of the science laboratory that the students must always follow. The rules on the safety contract must be discussed and reviewed at every possible opportunity!

Student Safety Contracts

Safety Contracts

Safety Contracts

Warning of Danger

• It is the teacher’s responsibility to specifically identify, warn, and instruct students of potential hazards that might occur within the laboratory and supervise students by monitoring the proper use laboratory technique and safety equipment by the students.

Providing Safe Equipment for Students

• It is the teacher’s duty to inspect all equipment and glassware before use.

• All equipment must be in good working order before it is used.

Providing Safe Work Environment for Students

• It is the teacher’s duty to inspect and maintain in proper working order safety equipment to be used in the laboratory.

• It is the teacher’s duty to provide a safe facility for the performance of the laboratory task.

Student Responsibility

• Students are required to follow all rules, guidelines, and instructions provided by the teacher and school district.

• Students are expected to read and understand the rules of the safety contract.

Student Responsibility

• The student should sign the safety contract signifying that they have been instructed and understand the requirements for safety in the science classroom and/or laboratory.

• Students’ parents should also sign the safety contract.

Student Responsibility

• Students must come to the laboratory prepared for the laboratory activity – this means that all procedures and instructions are understood!

• The student must wear all required personal protection equipment as instructed by the teacher.

Safety Equipment Inspection• Fire Extinguishers• Fire Blankets• Eyewash Stations• Safety Showers• First Aid Kits• Safety Placards• Spill Control Materials• Fume Hood Velocity• Goggles and Apron Inventories • Glass Disposal Container

Hazard Communication Standard

• Purpose– To inform employees and

students about any unknown hazards associated with the employee’s work or student’s activity. The employee and the student have the “right to know” about all hazards they might deal with in the school science laboratory.

Compliance RequirementsMaterial Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) MSDS Data Base

MSDS sheets should be kept in a binder or electronically stored at the location where chemicals are stored and used.

An up - to - date inventory is required The inventory should list the name of the chemical, the quantity on hand, and its storage location.

Compliance Requirements

• Annual safety training

• Minimum standard of labeling must be observed.– Name and concentration of

chemical or solution– Date solution was prepared

Laboratory Standard • Purpose

– To protect employees and students from being overexposed to laboratory chemicals.

– The Hazard Communication Standard requires the school district to compile and implement a chemical hygiene plan.

Chemical Hygiene Plan Contents

• General laboratory rules and procedures

• Personal protection equipment requirements

• Spill and accident procedures

• Chemical storage rules and procedures

Chemical Hygiene Plan Contents

• Safety equipment requirements and inspection procedures

• Employee safety training

• Exposure and medical evaluations

• Emergency evacuation plan

Know the safety statutes that affect your classroom and carefully abide by them.

Document all efforts to resolve safety issues in your classroom.

Do not leave your classroom during any instructional period.

Practical Solutions to Reduce Your Liability

Practical Solutions to Reduce Your Liability

All students should wear the appropriate

personal protective equipment while

working in the laboratory.

Teach safety all year and review safety procedures often.

Make safety a priority in the classroom by establishing and modeling safe chemical handling practices.

Practical Solutions to Reduce Your Liability

Use smaller volumes and amounts ofchemicals.

Demand appropriate safety training related to your duty of care in the science classroom.

Do not permit students to use damaged or defective equipment.

Practical Solutions to Reduce Your Liability

Do not permit students to take chemicals

or any other school equipment home to

perform “experiments.”

Be proactive rather than reactive.

Safety First!

Creating, exploring, inventing – these activities are essential to the study of science, and they are why working in a safe, creative laboratory environment is so important! To make sure your laboratory experiences are both exciting and productive it is important to always put

SAFETY FIRST!!