Hang this poster where the class lines up before lab work, and walk the room against it.
What is on the poster
718 teachers who run hands-on labs, 2019 to 2020. Fingers and hands were hurt most often.
| Source of accidents | Teachers | The control |
|---|---|---|
| Hot glue guns | 38% | A stand for every gun |
| Equipment and machinery | 23% | Guards in place, training before use, eye protection on |
| Hand and power tools | 21% | Training before use, eye protection on, blades sharp and guarded |
| Spills and splashes | 15% | Chemical splash goggles for liquids |
| Projectiles | 14% | Safety glasses with side shields |
What the accidents caused
| Cuts | Burns | Trips and falls | Fumes | Shock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79% | 52% | 22% | 8% | 2% |
Share of teachers reporting each injury; a teacher could name more than one.
And the rest of the room
- Cuts: glassware handled and disposed of properly.
- Trips and falls: clear floors and aisles, bags and books off the floor.
- Electrical shock: GFCI protection on every lab outlet.
- Burns: no open flame near a flammable liquid. Flame colors with wooden splints in salt solutions, never a flammable-solvent demonstration.
- Eyewash and shower flushed weekly, 1 to 3 minutes.
- A signed safety acknowledgment before hazardous work.
- Room capacity: net floor area ÷ 50 sq ft a person, and no more than 24 students for one teacher.
Comprehensive safety training was linked with 49 percent lower odds of an accident.
Built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard
This poster carries the SSTS mark. Like every Science Safety course, it is built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard (SSTS): every rule on it is taken from the body that governs it, at its current edition, and the source is printed on the poster, so you can check it yourself.
Stay current
When you get this poster, it is saved to your Science Safety account. If we revise the poster, or the Lab Safety Awareness module it comes from changes, we will email you, and the latest version will be waiting under Downloads in your account. Every revision carries its revision number and date at the bottom of the poster, so you can tell at a glance whether the copy on your wall is current.
Printing and hanging
- One-page PDF, US letter (8.5 by 11 inches).
- White background, so it prints clearly on any office or classroom printer without using much ink.
- Hang it where the class lines up before lab work.
- The QR code in the blue title band opens this page, so anyone can get their own copy.
- The QR code at the bottom opens the Lab Safety Awareness module.
Learn more
The Lab Safety Awareness module teaches the full topic this poster comes from.
Sources:
- Safer Engineering and CTE Instruction: What the Data Tells Us (2022) – ITEEA (reviewed October 2, 2026)
- Safety Science 160 (2023) (reviewed October 2, 2026)
- Safety and School Science Instruction – National Science Teaching Association (reviewed October 2, 2026)
- ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 – International Safety Equipment Association (reviewed October 2, 2026)
- NFPA 101, Life Safety Code – National Fire Protection Association (reviewed October 2, 2026)
Poster SSP-0047, Rev. 1, October 2026.
