Organisation 1:King Ethelbert School laboratory
King Ethelbert school is a mixed secondary school which aims to provide a better future for their
students and support personal development and social responsibility. The school provides science
labs to their students in order to do science experiments and investigations throughout their learning
process.
Potential Hazards and Health and safety measures for School Laboratory
Management systems:
The management of the school is divided into smaller categories and this can be the school
laboratory which is managed carefully to protect the staff, teachers and students while doing the
experiments and in case of emergencies such as fire or a gas leak. In the whole school, the
management system has put in place fire procedures and what to do in case of a gas leak or a carbon
monoxide emergency. For the school laboratory, the management system has put different actions in
place in order to protect the staff and students and some of them are to always check the radioactive
substances and having rules on how to use different hazardous substances such as flammable or
corrosive and rules on eating and drinking in the school laboratory.
The management system requires the staff to supervise the students at all times while in the school
laboratory and where possible in the school and make sure they are safe.
Training of staff:
The staff at King Ethelbert are only trained on how to deal with radioactive substances and for the
rest of the hazards they are only familiar with the procedure and how to deal with emergencies but
they are not trained. For the fire procedures, there are many fire drills arranged by the school, so the
teachers and staff get used to the procedure.
How is the technician and teacher responsible for the health and safety?
The teacher is responsible to supervise the students while doing experiments and make sure they are
safe
How are accidents reported?
The school would firstly make sure there is no immediate risk of further damage or injury and ensure
no other people are put at risk. Depending on the situation, remove the source of danger if possible.
Then the affected person would receive the appropriate medical assistance where necessary. This
would then be reported to a manager or supervisor and once this is done it is their responsibility to
report under RIDDOR if necessary.
Who is responsible for individual practice safety?
Employers and the head teacher and school management team are responsible for the health and
safety of staff and pupils. Those make sure that everyone is held accountable and that they are all
doing their part. Form a working committee to oversee workplace safety and health. Make daily
safety checks a part of the job description for some staff. Keep your personnel up to date on safety
inspections, injury and illness statistics, and other safety-related topics.
1
,Dangerous substances
Dangerous substances are a hazard because if they are not properly controlled, it can cause harm to
people as a result of a fire or explosion or corrosion of metal. The school uses many different
substances and some of them are flammable liquids and substances which at room temperature can
give off enough vapour to generate burnable mixes with air, as a result, they can provide a significant
fire risk. Flammable liquid flames spread quickly. They also produce a lot of heat and heavy, black,
poisonous smoke clouds which can make it difficult to breath and see the surroundings.To reduce the
risks associated with these substances, the following precautions are taken: when working with
flammable and combustible liquids, keep ignition sources (sparks, smoking, flames, and hot surfaces)
to a minimum. Use the least amount of flammable liquid possible during the experiment. In storage
areas, keep things cool and dry. Separate combustible and flammable liquids from incompatible
materials (e.g., oxidizers).
Some other dangerous substances may be corrosive and can burn and destroy body tissues when
they come into contact with them. The stronger or more concentrated the corrosive substance is,
and the longer it is in contact with the body, the more severe the injuries. And some of them are
toxic and can cause a variety of health issues. To decrease the risks of these substances corrosive
liquids should never be stored above eye level. Always mix acids and bases into water (and not the
reverse). Acids and bases should be stored separately and when mixing corrosive solids with water,
always add the corrosive solid slowly and continuously stir.
CLEAPSS is an advising service that provides scientific and technology support to a consortium of
local governments and their schools, including establishments for students with special needs. Their
services include health and safety, risk assessment, chemical sources and use, live organisms, and
equipment. They give advice for a range of different hazards and control measures for those and
some examples will be explained below. CLEAPSS is a major training provider and not a legislation
and it was founded in order to promote high quality, effective practical work in science.CLEAPSS is,
therefore, a local authority organisation and only local authority members can be represented on its
Governing Body.
The first example is hydrochloric acid, which can be concentrated, which is dangerous because it can
cause burns and the vapour can irritate the lungs, moderately concentrated, which is less dangerous
but may irritate the eyes and respiratory system, or dilute, which may only cause harm in the eyes or
in a cut.To reduce the risks, CLEAPSS recommends the following precautions: use the lowest
concentration possible, use the smallest volume possible, wear eye protection for all but the
most-diluted solutions and goggles for concentrated acids, wear protective gloves if anything more
than tiny amounts of concentrated acid is handled, and avoid breathing the gas or fumes from
concentrated solutions (e.g by using a fume cupboard).
In the event of an emergency, CLEAPSS recommends the following: If the acid gets into the eye, clean
it with gently running tap water for 10 minutes and visit a doctor; if the vapour gets into the lungs,
get some fresh air and consult a doctor if breathing becomes difficult; if the acid is swallowed, rinse
the mouth with water, do not induce vomiting, and consult a doctor; if the acid is spilt on skin or
clothes, remove the contaminated garments and wet the skin with plenty of water; and if blisters
appear, consult a doctor.
The second example is Chlorine gas which is an oxidising, toxic and environmental hazard and it may
be dangerous as it can cause or intensify fire, it can cause skin and serious eye irritation, is toxic if is
inhaled, it my cause respiratory irritation and is very toxic to aquatic organisms. CLEAPSS has advised
the following safety measures to reduce the risks: if preparing the ga in test-tube reactions, use the
smallest amounts possible and absorb excess gas with a soda lime tube where possible; wear eye
protection; use a fume cupboard for anything larger than test-tube amounts of gas; ensure good
laboratory ventilation; do not expose asthmatics to the gas.
2
, Teachers and technicians have to follow the procedures advised by CLEAPSS. Before every
experiment, the teachers would have to consult with a technician to see if the experiment can be
done safely and if it follows CLEAPSS procedures.Some experiments are cancelled due to different
safety reasons and an example would be experiments using nuts because of the nut allergies people
may have.
The school has to follow the dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres regulations 2002
[gov.uk, 2002] as they are using dangerous substances during experiments.
The legislation requires employers to put safety measurements in place to control the risks of fire
and explosions and employers must also :
● Identify the dangerous substances in the workplace and the risks coming with those
substances
● Set control measurement to remove or control those risks
● put controls in place to reduce the effects of any incidents involving dangerous substances
● In case of emergencies or incidents involving dangerous substances, prepare procedures to
be followed
● Have well trained staff to deal with the risks from the dangerous substances
● identify and classify areas of the workplace where explosive atmospheres may occur and
avoid ignition sources (from unprotected equipment, for example) in those areas
[Health and Safety Executive, 2002]
Dangerous substances are sometimes used in experiments, although students are supervised at all
times by teachers and staff during the experiment, the required safety measurements are taken:
● Goggles are worn at all times to avoid chemicals getting into the eyes
● The lab is well ventilated
● Eyewash stations
● Radioactive substances are checked
● The equipment used is cleaned before and after the experiments
● Ensure everyone is aware of the dangers that come with the substances used in the
experiment and the possible dangers from incorrect handling of chemicals.
● Teacher risks assessments
● Keep fire away from flammable substances
Those are the safety measure the school has out in place in case the chemicals get :
● Into the eyes: irrigate more than 10 minutes, if severe symptoms appear(e.g pain, blindness,
redness) call 999, in all other cases call 111 and continue irrigation in all cases until help is
obtained by qualified medical staff
● Into the mouth: Rinse and spit the substance into the sink and if severe symptoms appear
(e.g, blistering, breathing problems, swelling) call 999, even if no symptoms appear call 111.
● Inhaled: move to fresh air and sit down, if severe symptoms appear(e.g drowsiness,
breathing problems, nausea) call 999, even if there are no symptoms call 111
● On the skin: irrigate more than 10 minutes, if severe symptoms appear call 999, in all other
cases call 111, do not apply any neutralising chemicals and continue irrigation until help from
qualified medical staff is obtained.
3
King Ethelbert school is a mixed secondary school which aims to provide a better future for their
students and support personal development and social responsibility. The school provides science
labs to their students in order to do science experiments and investigations throughout their learning
process.
Potential Hazards and Health and safety measures for School Laboratory
Management systems:
The management of the school is divided into smaller categories and this can be the school
laboratory which is managed carefully to protect the staff, teachers and students while doing the
experiments and in case of emergencies such as fire or a gas leak. In the whole school, the
management system has put in place fire procedures and what to do in case of a gas leak or a carbon
monoxide emergency. For the school laboratory, the management system has put different actions in
place in order to protect the staff and students and some of them are to always check the radioactive
substances and having rules on how to use different hazardous substances such as flammable or
corrosive and rules on eating and drinking in the school laboratory.
The management system requires the staff to supervise the students at all times while in the school
laboratory and where possible in the school and make sure they are safe.
Training of staff:
The staff at King Ethelbert are only trained on how to deal with radioactive substances and for the
rest of the hazards they are only familiar with the procedure and how to deal with emergencies but
they are not trained. For the fire procedures, there are many fire drills arranged by the school, so the
teachers and staff get used to the procedure.
How is the technician and teacher responsible for the health and safety?
The teacher is responsible to supervise the students while doing experiments and make sure they are
safe
How are accidents reported?
The school would firstly make sure there is no immediate risk of further damage or injury and ensure
no other people are put at risk. Depending on the situation, remove the source of danger if possible.
Then the affected person would receive the appropriate medical assistance where necessary. This
would then be reported to a manager or supervisor and once this is done it is their responsibility to
report under RIDDOR if necessary.
Who is responsible for individual practice safety?
Employers and the head teacher and school management team are responsible for the health and
safety of staff and pupils. Those make sure that everyone is held accountable and that they are all
doing their part. Form a working committee to oversee workplace safety and health. Make daily
safety checks a part of the job description for some staff. Keep your personnel up to date on safety
inspections, injury and illness statistics, and other safety-related topics.
1
,Dangerous substances
Dangerous substances are a hazard because if they are not properly controlled, it can cause harm to
people as a result of a fire or explosion or corrosion of metal. The school uses many different
substances and some of them are flammable liquids and substances which at room temperature can
give off enough vapour to generate burnable mixes with air, as a result, they can provide a significant
fire risk. Flammable liquid flames spread quickly. They also produce a lot of heat and heavy, black,
poisonous smoke clouds which can make it difficult to breath and see the surroundings.To reduce the
risks associated with these substances, the following precautions are taken: when working with
flammable and combustible liquids, keep ignition sources (sparks, smoking, flames, and hot surfaces)
to a minimum. Use the least amount of flammable liquid possible during the experiment. In storage
areas, keep things cool and dry. Separate combustible and flammable liquids from incompatible
materials (e.g., oxidizers).
Some other dangerous substances may be corrosive and can burn and destroy body tissues when
they come into contact with them. The stronger or more concentrated the corrosive substance is,
and the longer it is in contact with the body, the more severe the injuries. And some of them are
toxic and can cause a variety of health issues. To decrease the risks of these substances corrosive
liquids should never be stored above eye level. Always mix acids and bases into water (and not the
reverse). Acids and bases should be stored separately and when mixing corrosive solids with water,
always add the corrosive solid slowly and continuously stir.
CLEAPSS is an advising service that provides scientific and technology support to a consortium of
local governments and their schools, including establishments for students with special needs. Their
services include health and safety, risk assessment, chemical sources and use, live organisms, and
equipment. They give advice for a range of different hazards and control measures for those and
some examples will be explained below. CLEAPSS is a major training provider and not a legislation
and it was founded in order to promote high quality, effective practical work in science.CLEAPSS is,
therefore, a local authority organisation and only local authority members can be represented on its
Governing Body.
The first example is hydrochloric acid, which can be concentrated, which is dangerous because it can
cause burns and the vapour can irritate the lungs, moderately concentrated, which is less dangerous
but may irritate the eyes and respiratory system, or dilute, which may only cause harm in the eyes or
in a cut.To reduce the risks, CLEAPSS recommends the following precautions: use the lowest
concentration possible, use the smallest volume possible, wear eye protection for all but the
most-diluted solutions and goggles for concentrated acids, wear protective gloves if anything more
than tiny amounts of concentrated acid is handled, and avoid breathing the gas or fumes from
concentrated solutions (e.g by using a fume cupboard).
In the event of an emergency, CLEAPSS recommends the following: If the acid gets into the eye, clean
it with gently running tap water for 10 minutes and visit a doctor; if the vapour gets into the lungs,
get some fresh air and consult a doctor if breathing becomes difficult; if the acid is swallowed, rinse
the mouth with water, do not induce vomiting, and consult a doctor; if the acid is spilt on skin or
clothes, remove the contaminated garments and wet the skin with plenty of water; and if blisters
appear, consult a doctor.
The second example is Chlorine gas which is an oxidising, toxic and environmental hazard and it may
be dangerous as it can cause or intensify fire, it can cause skin and serious eye irritation, is toxic if is
inhaled, it my cause respiratory irritation and is very toxic to aquatic organisms. CLEAPSS has advised
the following safety measures to reduce the risks: if preparing the ga in test-tube reactions, use the
smallest amounts possible and absorb excess gas with a soda lime tube where possible; wear eye
protection; use a fume cupboard for anything larger than test-tube amounts of gas; ensure good
laboratory ventilation; do not expose asthmatics to the gas.
2
, Teachers and technicians have to follow the procedures advised by CLEAPSS. Before every
experiment, the teachers would have to consult with a technician to see if the experiment can be
done safely and if it follows CLEAPSS procedures.Some experiments are cancelled due to different
safety reasons and an example would be experiments using nuts because of the nut allergies people
may have.
The school has to follow the dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres regulations 2002
[gov.uk, 2002] as they are using dangerous substances during experiments.
The legislation requires employers to put safety measurements in place to control the risks of fire
and explosions and employers must also :
● Identify the dangerous substances in the workplace and the risks coming with those
substances
● Set control measurement to remove or control those risks
● put controls in place to reduce the effects of any incidents involving dangerous substances
● In case of emergencies or incidents involving dangerous substances, prepare procedures to
be followed
● Have well trained staff to deal with the risks from the dangerous substances
● identify and classify areas of the workplace where explosive atmospheres may occur and
avoid ignition sources (from unprotected equipment, for example) in those areas
[Health and Safety Executive, 2002]
Dangerous substances are sometimes used in experiments, although students are supervised at all
times by teachers and staff during the experiment, the required safety measurements are taken:
● Goggles are worn at all times to avoid chemicals getting into the eyes
● The lab is well ventilated
● Eyewash stations
● Radioactive substances are checked
● The equipment used is cleaned before and after the experiments
● Ensure everyone is aware of the dangers that come with the substances used in the
experiment and the possible dangers from incorrect handling of chemicals.
● Teacher risks assessments
● Keep fire away from flammable substances
Those are the safety measure the school has out in place in case the chemicals get :
● Into the eyes: irrigate more than 10 minutes, if severe symptoms appear(e.g pain, blindness,
redness) call 999, in all other cases call 111 and continue irrigation in all cases until help is
obtained by qualified medical staff
● Into the mouth: Rinse and spit the substance into the sink and if severe symptoms appear
(e.g, blistering, breathing problems, swelling) call 999, even if no symptoms appear call 111.
● Inhaled: move to fresh air and sit down, if severe symptoms appear(e.g drowsiness,
breathing problems, nausea) call 999, even if there are no symptoms call 111
● On the skin: irrigate more than 10 minutes, if severe symptoms appear call 999, in all other
cases call 111, do not apply any neutralising chemicals and continue irrigation until help from
qualified medical staff is obtained.
3
