edited by
MIRIAMC. NAGEL Avo" High S c b l Avon. CT 06001
Regarding the second question, Malcolm M. Renfrew (19) in the article "Hiehliehtine Safetv Practices to Students." states that "teaching b y example i s an effective tool of o h profession." We, as teachers. are the role models for our students; they look us for guidance. Our peculiar, unintentional habits toward safetv may have a cumulative adverse effect on the student. Some of the matters I mention here may seem to he minor ones, however, I feel that they are important. How often have we "models" of good safety practice (inadvertently or not) done the following-in spite of signs, rules, and instructions against them?
Sell Examination
Safety-A Babu George Sacred Heart University P.O.Box 6460
Bridgeport. CT 06606 Safetv practices in the academic chemistw laboratorv have received much attention within the last fek years (1j. The American Chemical Society has a Health and Safety Division which promotes chemical safety both in industrial and academic situations. Undereraduate courses in chemistrv lahoratory safety are availahe or heing introduced in chleges (2-4). The question is even raised whether lahoratory safety should be a required course for certification to teach chemistry a t the secondarv school level (5).' The Sixth International Chemical ducati ion Conference recommended that safety courses should he an integral part of teacher training (6). Much needed attention is also heing given to proper labeling (7.8) and storage of chemicals (9,101, toxicologicalproperties (11,12), waste disposal (13,14), liability of teachers (15,16), safety guidelines and programs (17-191, etc. However, I believe that at least four questions should receive more attention. First, how do we teach safety without creating "chemophohia" amone our students? Second. as teachers. are we ourselves showkg the best example? ~ h i r dwhat , are the problems in enforcine safetv reeulations? Fourth. are we doine evervthine possibleto teach and promote safety? Let us look a t these points in detail. George G. Lowry (3) in his article "A University-Level Course in Lahoratory Safety" writes,
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One potential problem of such a course is that students might develop a paranoid fear of laboratory hazards as a result of the detailed discussions. Indeed,there have been two or three students who have each developed an unnatural fear of potential laboratory hazard. It is difficult to say whether this might have occurred if they had not taken the course. Fortunately, their admitted fears did not seem to be crippling, in that they were still able to function in their laboratory work. Recently, a study of anxiety reduction for beginning chemistry students was conducted by W. Ahendroth and F. Friedman (20) along with a way of solving the problem. Their anoroach resulted in sienificantlv lowerine" the students' .. chemistry anxiety. However, their report does not single out anv narticular concerns of students about laboratorv safetv and fear of working in chemistry laboratories. HOW-canwe teach our students safety without scaring them away from chemistry? There is no doubt that students should he fully told the ootential hazards of chemicals if im~ronerlv . . .handled. At the same time, reassure them that if properly used, chemicals are safe. I like to equate use of chemicals to that of driving an automobile. If properly used, the automobile gives us pleasure and provides transportation. In the hands of a careless driver, the automobile can be disastrous. In the presentation of potential hazards to students, a proper balance between safe usage of chemicals with reassurance of safety if properly handled should he included.
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' Sacred Hean University recemiy decided to add a onwedit wurse. "Safely in lhe Academic Labora10w." as a requirement for teacher certification in chemistry.
Not worn a lab coat or apron when experimenting. Not worn safety glasses or goggles. Used lahoratory glassware for beverages (even if the glassware was only for that specific purpose). Worked alone in the lahoratory and failed to inform others of our whereabouts. Demonstrated using unsafe set-ups. Unfortunatelv. I have seen both colle~e~rofessorsand hieh school teachersdoing some or all of the above mentioned safety violations in the lahoratory. In fact, I have heard the stmy of a college chemistry professor who smokes cigars in the laboratory and drops the ashes in the wastebasket. Needless to say, a t one time, a fire was started in the wastehasket. Fortunatelv, this example is exceptional. If we do not practice what we preach, then we have no moral authority to-ask our students to follow our advice. What are the problems facing teachers in enforcing safety regulations? Lack of funds, crowded conditions in the laboratories, lack of facilities, and not enough time for lahoratory sessions (inflexible classroom hours), etc., are all familiar to most teachers. In addition. there are times when our colleaeues " are the prohlem. How many times have we heard the argument. "I have been doine that exneriment for the last sixteen years; and nothing eve; happened?" I t is very difficult to change old habits. Supplying proper information may help to change the minds of colleagues. Now let us look into the question of whether we are doing everything possible to teach and promote safety. The following are some points to consider. Do we explain the reason for each safety practice to our students? If the students are receiving a lahoratory grade, is i t a good practice to emphasize that their grades will also depend on the proper safetv practices? I would rather have students obse-we-correct safety practices for their own protection and not because of a threat of lowering their grade; however, I do not see anything wrong in informing the students that good safety practices will he looked upon favorably in the eradine of the course. I have observed that when the instrucior is serious about safety the student will follow the lead. Very few reminders are necessary to make sure that they wear safety glasses and follow other safety practices. Do all the science chairpersons take a keen interest in safety
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' Salev Tops" 0s planned la be a source of safely mlmtian and panocal %-wst~orn to mest he s w l a l needo at hlgn school chmisby leachem It is a so Intended to be a forum for teacners to share mslr experiences and seek solutions to safety-related problems.
Volume 61 Number 5 May 1984
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education? Recently, the Western Connecticut Section of the American Chemical Society held a symposium on "Safety in the Academic Chemistry Laboratory" at Sacred Heart University. More than 50 high school teachers participated in the program. From one school, the entire science faculty (eight) attended. This was partly due to the enthusiasm of the chairoerson. M; students in organic chemistry lahoratory courses are askine more auestions about waste disuosal and toxicoloeical effects of chemicals than the students i0 years ago. o f coirse, this concern about safetv is oartlv due to the adverse uublicitv generated from toxic w&s such as dioxins, PCB, ktc., and the uroblems created bv their imurouer disuosal. To overcome such negative fcelings,be must be well i n l k n e d ourselves on chemical safety and related matters. We must understand the problems to discuss the issues effectively; so the question arises, "Do we go to safety seminars and symposiums whenever possible, & do we leave that to the safety officer or coordinator?". Do we tell our fellow workers when we see them violating safety rules? Informing co-workers that they are doing somethine unsafe is a difficult task for manv of us. For everyone's sake, let us correct the mistake. Do we regularly conduct inspections of safety showers and eyewash fountains? When we do such maneuvers, it is a good oractice to have some students uresent or let them do the inspections which may help them to realize how important safetv is. lf We see easily correctable safety violations, do we corrrrt them or leave them to the safety officer or coordinator" Do we take initiatives in informing authorities of serious safety violations and follow up on them? The attitude of "why should I bother" is not a corrkt one. Safety is everyone's business. One problem encountered very often is how to make people understand that it is necessary to wear safety glass& even when they do the "safe experiments" such as a simple acidbase titration; I tell the students that even the accidental suillaee of a few drous of common reaeents like sodium hvdroxide can irritate or damage the eyed21). I also assure t&e students that the proper use of safety goggles should completely eliminate any such potential hazard. One problem for many of us is how to convince administrators (or other officials) who are not familiar with safety requirements in chemistry and science laboratories about its
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Journal of Chemical Education
importance. One way of approaching the issue is to call your local section of the American Chemical Societv to send a representative to your institution to conduct a study of your particular needs. Ask for a written reuort, and present i t to your administrators to substantiate your safety concerns. Some local sections have safety committees which will be of great help. If the needed help is not readily available, approach safety departments of the local chemical industries for guidance and help. A capable, competent, concerned fire marshal and health officer could also help us to improve safety in the chemistrv laboratories. I know of two instances when chemistry teachers were trying to improve safety conditions over a lone ueriod of time with no satisfactorv When two " oroeress. . concerned fire marshals used their authority, within weeks all the necessary improvements were made. In conclusion, I would like to say that the primary responsibility of teaching safety practices in the academic laboratory rests on the shoulders of the science teacher. This is true from the elementary school through graduate school. Let us do our utmost to instill good safety habits in our students without discouraging them or turning them away from chemistry.
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Acknowledgment I would like to thank Robert W. Cuddihee, Ronald Perkins, and V. P. Wystrach for helpful discussions. Literature Cited (1) '"Safetvin theAcaderniiChhh14try LabomtolyI))W a s h i i p t o n , D . C C C A m ~ ~ i i C h h m i i l Soeiafy, 1979. I21 Green. M. E., J. CHEM. EDUC..51. A157 (1974). (3) Louny,C . G., J. CHEMEDUC., 55, A235,A263 (19781. 14) Fifzgorald, J. J., J.CHEM.EDUC.,59.A85 (19821. 15) Nage1.M. C.,Sci.Teach.,49,i6],31 (1982). 161 Sarguis, A.M., J. CmM. EDUC.,59.116 (1982). 17) Y~~~~,J.A.,J.CHEM. E~uc.,60,A137 (1983). 181 Shurpik, A. L a n d Beim, H. J.,J. CHEM. EDUC., 59,A45 119821. (91 Nagel, M.C.,J. CHEM. EDUC.. 59,157 (1982). I101 Nagel, M.C.,J.CHEM. EDUC.SR. IOISl1981).
I111 Ha1l.S.K..J. CHEM.EDUC.,GO. 145(19831. I121 Nagel,M.C.,J. C H E M E D U C . . ~104011982). ~. (13) Allan.R.D., J.CHEM. EDUC.,GO,A~L (19831. (14) You~~,J.A.,J.CHEM.EDUC.,~O.~~O (19831.. (15) Sweeney,T. L., J. CHEM. EDUC.,54,134 (1977). (16) Scott, Jr,R. B., and Hazsri, A. S..J. CHEME~ue.;P5, A195 (19781. (17) Kaufman J. A,, J. CHEM. EDVC., 55, A337 (1978). '; (18) Taylar. P. J., J. CHEM EDUC.,55, A439 (19781. I191 Redrew, M. M.,J. CHRM. EDUC., 55,145 (1978). I201 Abendroth, W., and Friedman, F.,J. CHEM. EDUC.,60,25 (1983). I211 "Prudent Pradicas for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories." National Aesdemy Press, Washington. D.C.,1981,pp.33,36.
