SCHOOL COMMUNITY WHAT THEY SHOULD DO?

Initiate planning for the necessary

improvements and procedures to ensure
science safety;
Ensure that school administrators carry out
SCHOOL BOARD AND safety responsibilities;
SUPERINTENDENT
Provide in-service training and
encouragement to ensure that the
professional staff have the necessary
expertise to develop and maintain a safe
working/learning environment.
 Ensure all staff who are teaching science
have a copy of the "Safety Manual for
Science Teachers";
Assure support for science staff who are
attempting to develop and maintain a safe
working/learning environment in the
school;
Ensure all safety concerns that can be dealt
with at the school level are promptly
corrected;
Direct any safety concerns that cannot be
corrected at the school level to the
appropriate district personnel;
Ensure safety inspection of science
facilities and equipment at least three times
a year.
Ensure that the school has effective policies
and procedures to follow in case of
accidents and emergencies;
Ensure that all teachers and substitutes
have the expertise to teach the science
assigned to them, in a safe and effective
manner;
Ensure that the size of the science classes
allows for a safe learning environment
which can be readily supervised;
Support teachers in providing a safe
working environment through:
- supporting science laboratory safety
equipment needs;
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION - enabling teachers to obtain in-service
training in science safety;
- supporting and providing disciplinary
measures to ensure safety in science
classes;
- ensuring safety procedures identified in
this manual are effectively carried out;
- making provisions for the safety of
 Instruct the students of their responsibilities
(as outlined in this manual and in the
Safety for Science Students pamphlet) at
the beginning of each course, and obtain
written confirmation from the students that
these responsibilities are understood and
accepted (see contract on pamphlet and
form in this manual);
Instruct students in safety procedures
appropriate to current learning activities
and enforce those procedures;
Enforce rules which will result in
reasonable and sensible behaviour;
Never leave students unsupervised in the
laboratory or in storage areas;
Report any accident or injury to staff or
students to the principal immediately; and
complete a Nova Scotia School Boards
Association School Incident Report Form;
Report to the principal any safety defects in
science equipment or practices;
Ensure a well-stocked First Aid Kit is
immediately accessible;
Provide a separate container for broken
glass;
Know the proper use of fire extinguishers
and fire blankets;
SCIENCE TEACHER
Where possible, maintain a list of students
with special needs (e.g. hearing
deficiency), allergies, contact lenses and
other corrective devices. Also periodically
record any " special" medication used.
Maintain general security in the science
department;
Ensure that science equipment and
facilities conform to standards;
Ensure all reagent bottles are prominently
and accurately labelled;
 Give undivided attention in the laboratory
and behave in a safe and careful manner;
Follow all safety procedures and
instructions laid out in the "Safety for
Science Students" pamphlet; and
acknowledge responsibility by signing the
SCIENCE STUDENT contract on the back of the pamphlet;
Not carry out any science activity without
the teacher's permission.
Report any unsafe situations or accidents to
the teacher immediately.