Science Safety Needs Assesment

This submission form is for those that want to provide more detail about what they need. Or you can submit a quick contact form.  

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Documentation

Do you currently have a Science and/or STEAM Safety manual or Chemical Hygiene Plan that teachers have access to?
When was the Science &/or STEAM Safety manual or Chemical Hygiene Plan last updated?
Does the Science &/or STEAM Safety manual reflect the impacts and new or updated safety procedures related to COVID-19, Influenza, or other biological based infection in school labs?
Are there any additional supplemental documents or other safety resources that teachers use for safety compliance awareness and requirements in their science &/or STEAM programs? (e.g., NSTA, NSELA, ACS, CSSS or other recognized authorities)
Do you have a Chemical Hygiene Plan in your school district? (It might be called an Environmental Hygiene Plan)
When was the Chemical Hygiene Plan/Environmental Hygiene Plan last reviewed?
Are your standard operating procedures updated to include current COVID-19, Influenza, or other biological based infection protocols?

Inspections

Are each of your school science &/or STEAM departments minimally inspected annually and documented/reported for the school’s chief building administrator/supervisors or local/state regulatory reporting purposes?
Do you know who conducts the annual science &/or STEAM department inspections in each building?
How are safety compliance deficiencies identified and corrected? (school level or district level decisions)
When was the last inspection for safety compliance completed in each of the school’s science or STEAM instructional sites?
Are there joint health and safety committees in each school comprised of teachers, administrators/supervisors and facilities people who regularly inspect the school instructional spaces and related locations (preparation rooms, storerooms, etc.) for potential hazards (biological, chemical and physical)?
Are these joint health and safety committee members adequately trained in what to observe and investigate during their inspections specifically in the instructional areas and related locations (e.g., preparation rooms, storerooms) of science and STEAM?

Equitable Access

Are accommodations and modifications made for students with special needs for equitable access to science and/or STEAM education instructional spaces across the district?

Safety Equipment

There is a sufficient amount of Personal Protective Equipment or PPE at each school to provide the basic safety protection thresholds in all science/STEAM instructional sites. This includes indirectly vented chemical splash safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields as appropriate (meeting the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 D3 standard), non-latex lab coats or lab aprons, and vinyl or nitrile gloves as appropriate.
Is there a formal PPE eyewear (safety goggle / safety glasses) safety plan in place for your district?
Are engineering controls such as laboratory ventilation systems, fume hoods, eyewash stations, drench showers, fire extinguishers, GFCI electrical receptacles, etc. regularly inspected for proper functionality?

Chemicals

Do you know how many hazardous chemicals are in each of the district’s schools’ science and/or STEAM instructional spaces and/or associated sites?
Are there more than _______ hazardous chemicals on site in each school chemical inventories?
Is there a banned list of chemicals that cannot be purchased or used in the schools that is communicated to the science and/or STEAM educators?
How are chemicals ordered for schools in the district?

Student Safety

What procedures are in place to ensure that students have the necessary skills and safety information for using the available tools and lab equipment? (For example, a “passport” system could be used in which students demonstrate their ability to use a tool/apparatus effectively and safely, and are then “licensed” to use the tool under supervision. Other teachers keep an anecdotal record of when instruction was given and the date the student successfully demonstrated her/his ability to use the tool safely.)
Are your science and/or STEAM teachers using a student safety acknowledgment form with their students to illustrate and reinforce safety practices and techniques?
Are these safety acknowledgement forms digitally archived for liability purposes?

Professional Development

How many days are allocated for professional development in a school year per teacher?
Is there a requirement for completion of a formalized safety course or certificate specifically for science and/or STEAM educators prior to or immediately upon starting employment, prior to course assignments involving new potential hazard exposure situations and updating in safety protocols/Chemical Hygiene Plan with your school system?
Are all teachers trained with a consistent set of rules and protocols for safety in their programs which are current and compliant as well as being grade-level and subject-area specific?
Does your school district have dedicated days for professional learning and collaboration?
Is there an annual budget for teacher professional development?

Science Safety Risk Management

How beneficial would it be to have a current, compliant, and consistent safety training and formalized risk management program for educators, administrators/supervisors and students in your school(s)?