Safety concerns in Lab
Most of the severe accidents in laboratory are resulted because of negligence to follow them in regular basis. Sometimes trained independent student workers are also responsible for any accidental situations, for example- turning off the flame on bunsen burner but not the gas knob, improper chemical disposal,spillage in pouring concentrated acids etc. Please provide your ideas and suggestions to prevent these situations to happen.
An automotive shop can be a very unhealthy environment. To make sure you have a long and healthy career, certain guidelines and safety standards must be met. Before we go to lab at the start of the phase, we go over the guidelines and possible outcomes if you don't follow them. I always stress common sense being the major factor in avoiding injury.
Charles,
Probably something to bring up with school leadership. It is a risk.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
As an instructor in a mechanical lab I review and remind my students daily about safety issues. At the start of the and upon the resumption of class after a break. It is hard to enforce rules and guidelines when other instructors do not enforce the rules themselves.
John,
A good way to go.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Safety glasses are required in the labs where I teach. Every day we must remind a student to put their safety glasses on. I find that by doing regular demonstrations of the many ways that eye injuries can occur makes the danger feel more real. I share stories of technicians that have injured their eyes and have students share their own stories of past experiences. Always lead by example.
Kleinkauf,
Each student I the pair gains from working with the other.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Kleinkauf,
Are goggles issued as part of the uniform or supplied in each lab?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I often would pair a weak student with a strong student in the lab, by using this method it helps me focus and observe the skills the students are practicing.I find it at times when another student explains a skill or reason to a skill in his or her own way, other students who did not understand the teacher's way of explaining may understand the students angle on explaining that skill.
Teaching safety in the lab involves me incorporating the goggles as part of the uniform the tech is suppose to wear. Also reminding the students that wearing their goggles is part of universal precaution, to keep blood and body fluids away from their eyes.
Patrick,
This is a common theme off this forum. What do you do to teach safety in a way to minimize the issues?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Before entering the lab/shop environment it is very important to let your students know the safety pitfalls they can run into. Let them know what safety equipment they should have, and how it should be used.
James,
Thank you for your post. Glad to be of assistance.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
As an automotive instructor we spend a great deal in lab surrounded by potential hazards. Combine this with students that may be unfamialiar or not fully understand the danger they may placing themselves in. Constant supervison and correcting is required but, still allowing them to learn through trial and error. Explaining what the potential harm may be and offering a safe alternative to get the job done.
This was something I had not really thought much about before. What I teach is based in computer labs most of the time where safety is of no concern. But there is one class where we have students build models out of balsa wood, foam and other materials. I now realize now how important it is to cover all safety rules and regulations as I don't want any accidents in my class. Thanks to Max Knowledge I'm better informed and can come up with my material for a few safety lessons.
jackie,
DO you keep a list of accidents? I can see a 4 column table. The accident, why it happened, and the result of the accident, and how it could have been avoided.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
As a instructor in my labs we constantly go over the sops of lab but when you think you have seen it all someone has an accident that you would have never dreamed would have happened.
Sirisha,
Checklists, work in teams using a guideline, inspecting work before the student is allowed to proceed. These are some immediate ideas that come to mind. I also believe you may find some other suggestions by going through the Safety discussions in the forum.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
