Safety
A Word About Safety
The activities published on this website by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) are intended for students under direct supervision of teachers. If any content is used in an at-home setting or during virtual-learning, students must conduct all activities under adult supervision. Safety precautions outlined in each classroom resource should be followed. Using alternative materials or procedures for these activities at home may jeopardize the level of safety and therefore is at the user’s own risk. AACT cannot be held responsible for any accidents or injuries that might result from conducting the activities without proper supervision, from not specifically following directions, or from ignoring the cautions contained in the resources.
The term “safety goggles” used in the safety section of each resource refers to chemical splash goggles, an example is shown in the above picture to the right.
Safety Resources
2016 ACS Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools
Updated safety guidelines for high school chemistry labs, from the American Chemical Society, Committee on Chemical Safety.
RAMP Teacher Template
Use this simple template with your chemical demonstrations and laboratory experiments to help you recognize hazards, assess and minimize the risks of those hazards, and prepare for emergencies.
Safety Rubric—Assessing Chemical Demonstration Videos
The purpose of this rubric is to provide a template for educators to review the safety and pedagogy of chemical demonstration videos in order to determine whether they should be used in the classroom.
American Chemical Society, Committee on Chemical Safety (CSS)
CSS promotes and facilitates safe practices in chemical activities. Visit their website for access to a Student Laboratory Code of Conduct, and other safety guidelines for the classroom.
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Chemical Database
OSHA maintains a chemical database with data regarding physical properties, exposure guidelines, and emergency response information.
American Chemical Society, Education Division
Discover resources for younger students, such as Safety In the Elementary Science Classroom, and Milli's Safety Tips for Children.
School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide
This safety guide provides an inventory of hazardous substances teachers may be using with their students, an easy-to-read reference to create a safe learning environment in the lab for students, and information to take precautionary actions to prevent or minimize hazards, harmful exposures, and injuries in the lab.
Flinn Scientific Lab Safety
High school and middle school teachers can take advantage of Flinn’s free safety training. The course touches on how to design a safe lab, chemical storage area cleanup plans, among other safety topics.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB)
The CSB released a safety bulletin in the wake of several methanol accidents, "Key Lessons for Preventing Incidents from Flammable Chemicals in Educational Demonstrations."
Rehab the Lab
A collection of safety-related content compiled by King County, Washington. The website provides a variety of resources including alternative labs setups, using green chemicals, proper chemical disposal, safety videos, and more.