Lab Safety

[Xahm]

I saw a sad story of a homeschooling friend of a friend who got badly burned in a home science experiment gone wrong. A twelve year old was using a Bunsen burner when something went badly wrong and he's in the hospital. Thankfully he was wearing protective glasses, but his poly-pro shirt melted. 

In no way do I want to point fingers at this suffering family, but it did make me wonder what steps we take in our homeschools to ensure safety. Our family is still in the stage where anything involving fire is very parent-led. In school we had to go over lab safety at the beginning of each year and I think tenth grade chemistry was the first time we had fire we were in control of, vs a teacher doing a demonstration.

Those of you who have walked down this road already, what safety guidelines does your family use?

[Loowit]

My kids have been taught fire safety since they were pretty young due to being in/around scouting.  So they were taught how to be safe with outdoor fires first, so if we did things indoors we just translated that to an indoor environment.

All of the books we used for science emphasized safety precautions when dealing with chemicals and flame.  When they were elementary/young middle school age, I was usually right there with them, but wanted them to be hands on doing the experiments, so unless I thought that they couldn't handle it I let them do it with heavy supervision.

By the time they were high school age, they were pretty much doing everything on their own.  All chemistry experiments that used the Bunsen burner were done in the kitchen on the counter away from things that were flammable, with the exception of one that needed a dark room where we used an interior bathroom and I helped because they needed a second person anyway.  I kept an eye from a distance to make sure they didn't do something stupid, and would have stepped in if they had, but otherwise, I left it up to them.  It is a gradual process of them learning to do it on their own, like most things in parenting.

I remember high school chemistry in public school with kids turning on the Bunsen burners with the flames licking the ceiling and blowing up glass beakers with sodium in water.  Fun times.  Our teacher was a first year and had no control over the class.  Poor guy quit teaching and went to work in a lab.  Anyway, I tell my kids these stories (and more), we chuckle, and then I tell them to never ever do them themselves.

[73349]

We use a similar level of caution from my high school chem class and current soap-making practices--goggles, apron, long hair tied back, appropriate ventilation, closed-toed shoes, no smelling or tasting anything, no one in the area who isn't taking part, a plan for cleaning up any spills, adult supervision throughout.

We've always had the rule that you don't ignite a fire until a source to extinguish it is prepared. We don't have a bunsen burner at home.

[Clarita]

Just experience with work and college.

Some precautions that I felt were neglected even at public school were closed toed shoes, bottoms that extend past the knees, lab coat (it's probably just a glorified long linen/cotton shirt). Obviously goggles always. For electronics, a plexiglass box (with 2 open sides) for when you turn on your experiment.   

For chemistry, I would imagine any chemistry book should include safety information in general, especially when working with chemicals because certain chemicals may warrant different fire safety precautions than the general fire safety. Also, for home a clear and direct route to a shower (I don't remember if PS HS had a eye rinse/shower station but college and work did). If the chemicals get on your persons you need to hop in the shower and rinse off. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

We did the standard lab safety procedures.  That said, accidents can happen and aren't anyone's "fault". 

[Xahm]

I think part of what struck me was that his shirt was part of what hurt him so badly. I hadn't thought of lab coats as part of safety, just a way of keeping clothes clean, but this is making me re think that! I remember being told in high school chemistry that we'd have to take off our outer garment if we spilled chemicals on it, so we should keep that in mind when dressing, but no warning about what fabrics we should wear. We're planning on starting basic chemistry this coming year and I want things as hands on as possible, but without third degree burns. 

[EKS]

4 hours ago, Xahm said:

Those of you who have walked down this road already, what safety guidelines does your family use?

I think that most chemistry lab work done at home is wildly inappropriate.

That said, what we did here:  adult supervision at all times, microscale "experiments," instilling a bit of trepidation about the work, that sort of thing.  

The worst people to have working in a chemistry lab are those who are both clueless and fearless.  Students are clueless by definition, so it's important that they not be fearless.  I say this as a person who supervised a chemistry lab for many years and actually fired someone for their fearlessness.

[Clarita]

The number one rule in all my workplaces for lab safety was "Let it FALL." Never to try to catch a falling anything while working in the lab; it really works against your instincts. 

[daijobu]

Wear pants when soldering.  And no soldering unless I am present and actively watching.  (Also have an open window +/- an exhaust fan running.)  

Inexperienced students using a glue gun should have within reach a bowl containing a soaking wet washcloth.

[Xahm]

3 hours ago, Clarita said:

The number one rule in all my workplaces for lab safety was "Let it FALL." Never to try to catch a falling anything while working in the lab; it really works against your instincts. 

"A falling knife has no handle" is what I was taught.

[Arcadia]

On 7/1/2022 at 1:16 PM, Xahm said:

I think part of what struck me was that his shirt was part of what hurt him so badly. I hadn't thought of lab coats as part of safety, just a way of keeping clothes clean, but this is making me re think that! 

When I was a kid living in a concrete jungle of a country with plenty of high rise buildings, we were taught that if our home door is on fire, wet a cotton towel and run through. Do not wear a windbreaker or anything synthetic because those would melt onto your skin causing severe burns. Wool was regarded as the safest so wetting a wool coat and running through a burning door is considered least risky.

https://www.phoenix.gov/fire/safety-information/home/fabrics

“Most synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, acrylic or polyester resist ignition. However, once ignited, the fabrics melt. This hot, sticky, melted substance causes localized and extremely severe burns. When natural and synthetic fibers are blended, the hazard may increase because the combination of high rate of burning and fabric melting usually will result in serious burns. In some cases, the hazard may be greater than that of either fabric individually.

…. Wool is comparatively flame-retardant. If ignited, it usually has a low burning rate and may self-extinguish”