The York School Science Safety Contract – Senior School 2021 - 2022 Science is all about doing practical investigations. This work often involves the use of specialized equipment and chemicals that require particular care and treatment. Our main priority in The York School Science Department is to ensure that students know how to conduct themselves during laboratory practical work to ensure their own safety as well as that of others in the lab. The following guidelines are given to help students develop an understanding of safe laboratory practices. All students are required to follow these guidelines at all times before, during and after laboratory practical work or they will be denied access to future laboratory activities. Teachers will instruct students about these practices, and they will review specific aspects before each lab practical. Both students and parents must review these guidelines, sign a copy indicating their agreement to comply with these guidelines on Yorknet. Students will not be permitted to participate in laboratory work until the contract is signed by the student and parent, and submitted to the teacher. GENERAL GUIDELINES 1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory. 2. Lab partners must keep personal protective equipment (PPE), such as a face mask and nitrile gloves (if needed), on throughout the lab. Students who need to leave the room during the lab (to use the washroom, etc.) should remove and dispose of their gloves before leaving, and put on a new pair of gloves when they return. 3. Lab work should be done individually if possible and follow all social distancing guidelines setup by The York School. In situations where you are working with a lab partner, allow for mandatory spacing between one another by performing different tasks. eg. if your partner is adding reactants to a flask, you can be timing, measuring the next reactant, performing calculations, etc. at a safe distance from your lab partner. 4. All shared equipment (Ie - scales) must be wiped down with disinfectant (provided) before and after each use. 5. Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure, ASK YOUR TEACHER BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE ACTIVITY. 6. Never work alone in the laboratory. No student may work in the science classroom without the presence of the teacher or the lab technician. 7. When first entering a science room, do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials in the laboratory area until you are instructed to do so. 8. Perform only those experiments authorized by your teacher. Carefully follow all instructions, both written and oral. Unauthorized experiments are not allowed. 9. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory. Do not use laboratory glassware as containers for food or beverages.
Adapted from the CDNIS Science Safety Contract created by Denise Berry 2012