At the start of every school year, I kick off my chemistry class with a lab safety unit. In this unit, we find and identify lab and safety equipment, illustrate and go over safety rules, and take a safety quiz. As a chemistry teacher, I find that I must emphasize safety in my classroom lab, or my students will inevitably find creative ways to avoid wearing their goggles or leave messes in the lab.

Very early in my teaching career, it became clear to me that going over the safety rules and making students take a safety quiz did not suddenly create excellent lab workers — in the same way that making teenagers take a written driving exam does not automatically make them excellent drivers. Safety is essential for creating an enjoyable lab experience for everyone. I’ve found that the best way to create a culture of safety in the classroom is through regular review of safety rules, as well as implementing an enforcement system. I’ve used several different methods, but here’s the one that has been both the most popular and most effective.

The strategy

This system is based on the yellow and red card system of discipline used in soccer matches. If you have athletes in your class, they will likely understand the system right away. In soccer, a yellow card is used by the referee when a foul has occurred that is more significant or dangerous than usual. The referee will show a yellow card to a player as a stern warning that their behavior is not acceptable. Players who receive a yellow card can continue to play the game; however, if they are shown a second yellow card during the game, it equates to a red card, which means immediate dismissal from the game (see Figure 1). Soccer referees may also show a player a red card (without first showing a yellow card) for a flagrant foul or complete disregard for the rules, safety, or other players.

With this in mind, I purchased a set of inexpensive red and yellow soccer penalty cards for my chemistry classroom.

The cards come in a folder with pockets on the outside to hold the red and yellow cards (Figure 2). Additionally, when you open the folder, there are blank forms on which to write down the date, name, and offense (Figure 3). Of course, you could just make red and yellow cards from cardstock, but using a real set adds an official touch.

The application

Applying this system in the chemistry classroom is simple. When I introduce it to students, I like to play out some simple safety scenarios. Let’s say that a student removes their goggles in the middle of a lab, and you spot them. The first infraction results in me giving a verbal warning: “Please put on your goggles.” You can record this warning inside the holder if you want. The second time the student removes their goggles, you pull out the yellow card, show it to them, and write their name inside with the date and offense. Keep in mind that the second offense may be a breach of a different safety rule, such as playfully shoving a friend.

After being shown a yellow card, the student should also be told that if they commit a third safety violation, it will result in a red card. Just like in soccer, getting two yellow cards in the same lab is the equivalent of getting a red card. When a student receives a red card, they are removed from the lab, meaning that they must sit out for the rest of the lab. In these cases, the student must complete the rest of lab independently using simulated data. Their parents are contacted, and they must also sit out for the next lab and do a digital lab instead.

Some teachers may find this to be too harsh a consequence, but I feel strongly that safety in the lab should not be compromised. If there are students who are unable to follow simple safety rules by high school age, we need to hold the line in order to protect them as well as their classmates. It only takes a momentary lapse in safety to cause permanent harm, while simply following the rules will result in a safe working environment. However, you may choose a different progression of consequences that would work better for you and your students. But having consequences and following through with them is very important. It also sets up safety norms for a professional working environment.

There are some offenses for which you may want to give an automatic red card. Some examples are shown in Table 1 below. Teachers should exercise their best judgment.

Instituting the system

Students are introduced to this safety system on the day before the first lab and on the day of the lab. I explain how it works and keep the slide (Figure 3) displayed on the classroom screen while students are doing the lab.

Additionally, students and parents are asked to sign a safety contract before the first lab. We use the Flinn Scientific Student Safety Contract, which includes the following language:

“I, (student name) have read and agree to follow all of the safety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these rules to ensure my own safety, and that of my fellow students and instructors. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my instructor and fellow students to maintain a safe lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory or misbehavior on my part, may result in being removed from the laboratory, detention, receiving a failing grade, and/or dismissal from the course.”

During some years, I’ve also used a system where I took away points from students’ lab grades for infractions. Each lab has 10 potential lab safety points, and I may deduct some or all of these points when I issue yellow or red cards to a student (see Figure 5).

Reflections

I have mixed feelings about associating student behavior with points, and I am not sure that it has had much impact on the effectiveness of the system. Therefore, in recent years, I have not associated points with consequences. Currently, if a student is removed from the lab, there is no grading consequence. Their grade is also not penalized if they are restricted to completing an online lab. Personally, I prefer to separate grades from discipline, as I have come to believe that penalizing students by lowering their grade due to behavior is an inequitable practice and only puts those students further behind. However, I’ve also noticed that the prospect of losing points is a strong motivator for some students.

I find that this system makes the issue of lab discipline less frustrating for me as a teacher and brings a little humor into safety. I have only had to issue two red cards during eight years of using this system (one for goggles, and the other for horseplay). Having a yellow card flashed in front of the student is a strong visual warning, and is rather embarrassing for a teenager. I have found that many student athletes have a gut reaction to receiving the yellow card. In general, the system’s familiarity and clear visual warnings make it easy to follow and enforce. As students get more experience in lab, they start internalizing the idea that safety is the first thing to consider before they start lab work. One of my classes loved the system so much that they thought it would be good to use during regular class time as well, and sometimes gave each other yellow cards during class!

As with many discipline systems, I think it is important to pick your battles. Overuse of a system can make it ineffective. I chose three issues that were the most important to me: goggles, horseplay, and careless or improper use of equipment and materials.

I hope this idea is useful to you and helps instill lab safety in your classroom. I also hope it helps you create your own individual safety plan for your students!