Science Safety Rubric
School: ______
Safety Component / 3 – (highest) / 2 / 1 / 0 (lowest) / ScoreDistrict Safety Training / All science teachers have taken the six hour district safety training / At least ¾ of all science teachers have taken the six hour district safety training / At least ½ of all science teachers have taken the six hour district safety training / Less than ½ of all science teachers have taken the six hour district safety training
Department Safety Training / Science safety is discussed at all department meetings, problems are discussed and sufficiently addressed for solutions / Science safety is occasionally discussed at department meetings, problems are discussed but some are not sufficiently addressed for solutions / Science safety is rarely discussed at department meetings, problems are brought up but not sufficiently addressed for solutions / Science safety is never discussed
Science Laboratory Safety Manual / Science Laboratory Safety Manual (Second Edition by Dr. Linda Stroud) is centrally located and all science teachers are aware of its location, it is used and referenced regularly, including during department meetings / Science Laboratory Safety Manual (Second Edition by Dr. Linda Stroud) is centrally located and all science teachers are aware of its location and occasionally used and referenced, including during department meetings / Science Laboratory Safety Manual (Second Edition by Dr. Linda Stroud) is usually in one teacher’s classroom and/or rarely used or referenced, including during department meetings / Science Laboratory Safety Manual (Second Edition by Dr. Linda Stroud) is missing or never used or referenced, including during department meetings
Safety Instruction for Students / Science teachers regularly teach, model, and review safety measures with their students / Science teachers occasionally teach, model, and review safety measures with their students / Science teachers rarely teach, model, and review safety measures with their students / Science teachers never teach, model, and review safety measures with their students
Safety Acknowledgment (contract) / All science teachers have their students sign a Safety Acknowledgment and keep them for three years / At least ¾ of all science teachers have their students sign a Safety Acknowledgment and keep them for three years / At least ½ of all science teachers have their students sign a Safety Acknowledgment and keep them for three years / Less than ½ of all science teachers have their students sign a Safety Acknowledgment and keep them for three years
Emergency Preparedness / Science teachers are knowledgeable concerning emergency situations and procedures for:
- chemical spill
- fire
- gas leak
- glass breakage
- student injury
- documentation
- chemical spill
- fire
- gas leak
- glass breakage
- student injury
- documentation
- chemical spill
- fire
- gas leak
- glass breakage
- student injury
- documentation
Basic Safety Equipment / Science labs have the following equipment in good working order:
- fire extinguisher
- fire blanket
- safety goggles for all students
- safety goggle sanitizer system
- eye-wash, shower station (where applicable)
- broken glass clean-up system
- aprons/lab coats (where applicable)
- fire extinguisher
- fire blanket
- safety goggles for all students
- safety goggle sanitizer system
- eye-wash, shower station (where applicable)
- broken glass clean-up system
- aprons/lab coats (where applicable)
- fire extinguisher
- fire blanket
- safety goggles for all students
- safety goggle sanitizer system
- eye-wash, shower station (where applicable)
- broken glass clean-up system
- aprons/lab coats (where applicable)
- fire extinguisher
- fire blanket
- safety goggles for all students
- safety goggle sanitizer system
- eye-wash, shower station (where applicable)
- broken glass clean-up system
- aprons/lab coats (where applicable)
Science Equipment Safety / Teachers inspect equipment for safe functionality before each use, such as: chipped/cracked glassware, frayed/cracked electrical cords, leaking Bunsen burners, etc. / Teachers sometimes inspect equipment for safe functionality before each use, such as: chipped/cracked glassware, frayed/cracked electrical cords, leaking Bunsen burners, etc / Teachers rarely inspect equipment for safe functionality before each use, such as: chipped/cracked glassware, frayed/cracked electrical cords, leaking Bunsen burners, etc / Teachers never inspect equipment for safe functionality before each use, such as: chipped/cracked glassware, frayed/cracked electrical cords, leaking Bunsen burners, etc
Housekeeping / All areas where chemicals, glassware, and other science supplies are stored is clean and free of debris / Some areas where chemicals, glassware, and other science supplies are stored is clean and free of debris / Few areas where chemicals, glassware, and other science supplies are stored is clean and free of debris / Areas where chemicals, glassware, and other science supplies are stored are not clean and free of debris
Dissection Specimens / Dissection specimens are:
- purchased from a district-approved scientific supply house or grocery store
- shipped in low toxicity preservatives
- stored less than three years
- kept in original container
- disposed of according to the Chemical Hygiene Plan
- purchased from a district-approved scientific supply house or grocery store
- shipped in low toxicity preservatives
- stored less than three years
- kept in original container
- disposed of according to the Chemical Hygiene
- purchased from a district-approved scientific supply house or grocery store
- shipped in low toxicity preservatives
- stored less than three years
- kept in original container
- disposed of according to the Chemical Hygiene Plan
Ventilation/Eye wash, emergency shower inspection / Annual inspections are requested and performed on ventilation (including whole room and fume hood), eye wash, emergency shower (when applicable) / Semi-annual inspections are requested and performed on ventilation (including whole room and fume hood), eye wash, emergency shower (when applicable) / Inspections have been requested and performed on an irregular basis on ventilation (including whole room and fume hood), eye wash, emergency shower
(when applicable) / Inspections are never requested or performed
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) / There are printed MSDS for all chemicals used in the science department, kept in a notebook visible in the chemical closet, and are on file in the nurse’s office / There are printed MSDS for most chemicals used in the science department, kept in a notebook visible in the chemical closet, and are on file in the nurse’s office / There are printed MSDS for some chemicals used in the science department, kept in a notebook visible in the chemical closet, and are on file in the nurse’s office / There are no MSDS sheets on file in the science department or nurse’s office
District Chemical Hygiene Plan / All chemicals and dissection specimens, used by science teachers, are disposed of according to the district- approved Chemical Hygiene Plan for the school / Some chemicals and dissection specimens, used by science teachers, are disposed of according to the district- approved Chemical Hygiene Plan for the school / Few chemicals and dissection specimens, used by science teachers, are disposed of according to the district- approved Chemical Hygiene Plan for the school / No school Chemical Hygiene Plan in place
Chemical Management System / All chemicals used in the school are inventoried and tracked, ‘cradle to grave’, in a computerized management system / Some chemicals used in the school are inventoried and tracked, ‘cradle to grave’, in a computerized management system / Few chemicals used in the school are inventoried and tracked, ‘cradle to grave’, in a computerized management system / No tracking system for chemicals in place.
Chemical Purchases / All chemicals are purchased in amounts which can be used within 1-2 years, alternate (safer) chemicals are used when possible, chemicals stored in proper containers / Some chemicals are purchased in amounts which can be used within 1-2 years, alternate (safer) chemicals are sometimes used when convenient, some chemicals stored in proper containers / Few chemicals are purchased in amounts which can be used within 1-2 years, alternate (safer) chemicals are rarely used, few chemicals stored in proper containers / Chemicals are purchased in quantities which cannot be used within 1-2 years, alternate (safer) chemicals are never used, chemicals are not stored in proper containers
Chemical Labeling / All chemicals are
labeled with:
- a good adhesive label
- permanent ink
- name of chemical
- name of company
- date received
- date opened
- expiration date
labeled with:
- a good adhesive label
- permanent ink
- name of chemical
- name of company
- date received
- date opened
- expiration date
labeled with:
- a good adhesive label
- permanent ink
- name of chemical
- name of company
- date received
- date opened
- expiration date
Chemical Color-Coding / All chemicals are color-coded with the district system of colors: white, blue, red, yellow, grey/green,
color-coding strips on shelves as well. Chemicals stored on corresponding shelves / Some chemicals are color-coded with the district system of colors: white, blue, red, yellow, grey/green,
some color-coding strips on shelves as well. Some chemicals stored on corresponding shelves / Few chemicals are color-coded with the district system of colors: white, blue, red, yellow, grey/green,
few color-coding strips on shelves as well. Few chemicals stored on corresponding shelves / No color-coding system in use
Chemical Storage Shelves / Shelves are made of approved materials (solid wood where required), shelves are firmly secured to a wall, ¾ inch anti-roll-off lips on shelves / Shelves are mostly made of approved materials, shelves are firmly secured to a wall, ¾ inch anti-roll-off lips on shelves / Shelves are made of unapproved materials, shelves are not firmly secured to a wall, no anti-roll-off lips on shelves / Chemicals are stored haphazardly in multiple locations
Chemical Position in Storage Room / Chemicals are stored at or below eye level, chemicals on shelves are unobstructed by other containers, a designated refrigerator is used solely for chemicals / Some chemicals are stored above eye level, chemicals on shelves are obstructed by other containers, a designated refrigerator is used solely for chemicals / Most chemicals are stored above eye level, chemicals on shelves are obstructed by other containers, a designated refrigerator is not used solely for chemicals / All chemicals are improperly stored: chemicals are stored above eye level, chemical containers are obstructed, chemicals are stored on the floor and/or in staff refrigerator
Special Chemical Storage / Acids in dedicated, district-approved storage cabinet, nitric acids are isolated from other acids, flammables in a dedicated, district-approved cabinet / Some acids in dedicated, district-approved storage cabinet, nitric acids are not isolated from other acids, some flammables in a dedicated, district-approved cabinet / Most acids are in dedicated, non-district-approved storage cabinets, nitric acids are not isolated from other acids, most flammables are in a dedicated, non-district-approved cabinet / No separate cabinet for special chemicals
Chemical Storage Room Door / Chemical storage door has a fire diamond safety sign on outside of door, door is always locked, students do not have access to chemical storage / Chemical storage door has a fire diamond safety sign on outside of door, door is usually locked, students sometimes have access to chemical storage / Chemical storage door has a fire diamond safety sign on outside of door, door is rarely locked, students sometimes have access to chemical storage / Chemical storage door has no fire diamond safety sign on outside of door, door is never locked, students have free access to chemical storage
1
April 2012