School Science Laboratory Safety Regulations
Chapter 2 Proper and safe use of laboratory equipment
2. PROPER AND SAFE USE OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 2.1. General operations a.
Teachers or trained laboratory technicians must demonstrate proper and safe use of all equipment, especially if students are using the equipment for the first time. Reference should be made to the instruction manual accompanying the equipment before using.
b.
Instruction manuals accompanying the equipment must be properly filed and made accessible to all teachers and technicians. It would be helpful for key steps and safety measures to be posted on or next to the equipment. This would facilitate quick reference and alert users on important operation points.
c.
Students must not be allowed to operate any equipment without the supervision of a teacher or trained technician. Equipment must not be left in operation without any supervision.
d.
Equipment should not be moved around excessively so as to minimise damage, which could lead to malfunctioning and potential risks to users. The power supply must be turned off before moving any equipment.
e.
All equipment should be returned to its original state after use. Where appropriate, equipment should be switched off at the end of the day.
f.
Equipment meant for Life Sciences activities any other purposes to avoid contamination.
should
not
be
used
for
2.2. Safety in using electrical equipment a.
All mains of electrical apparatus are potentially lethal. It is very important to maintain any equipment and its accompanying cables in good condition.
b.
Electrical faults often cause fires. Electrical equipment should be inspected and tested regularly, including its earthing (grounding). All laboratory electrical equipment should be earthed, preferably through 3-prong plugs. Double-insulated devices with 2-prong plugs may require separate earthing. Equipment that is intended to be earthed should never be used without an earth earth connection. An earth-free supply may become live as a result of an undetected fault.
c.
Circuit breakers protect wiring from overheating and thus prevent fires. Earth fault interrupters protect against electric shock. These devices provide additional protection. However, they should not be relied upon as the first line of defence against electrocution.
d.
Switches hands.
or
electrical
cables
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must
never
be
handled
with
wet