Science experiments, investigations and activities

WebPartZone1_1

PublishingPageContent

Guideline review date: 28 October 2021

This guideline is provided to support schools in implementing the managing risks in school curriculum activities procedure.

The CARA planner must be used for the specific school context in conjunction with this guideline considering additional risks, hazards and controls and including environmental, facility, equipment and student considerations.

For activities beyond the scope of this guideline, complete a CARA record using the CARA generic template.

Activity scope

This guideline relates to student participation in science experiments, investigations and activities (including fieldwork) to support curriculum delivery within, and external to, a science laboratory. These activities may involve the use of a range of laboratory equipment (e.g. glassware, heating equipment), digital equipment and physical, chemical and/or biological materials.

Depending on the scope of this activity, other risk assessments may be required when planning. Curriculum activities encompassing more than one CARA guideline (e.g. marine organism activities as part of fieldwork to investigate shorelines) must comply with the requirements of all CARA guidelines appropriate to the activity.

For curriculum activities involving biological material (e.g. studying biological specimens, tasting food samples grown in the school garden) consult the biological activities activity guideline.

For curriculum activites involving the introduction of agents or conditions that may contaminate food, consult the food experimentation activity guideline.

For curriculum activities involving observing and handling animals and animal remains, consult the animal observation and handling activity guideline.

For curriculum activities involving observing and handling marine animals and organisms, consult the marine organism activities activity guideline.

For activities conducted at a non-Department of Education venue, and/or when engaging external expertise, request written risk assessment advice and attach it to this CARA record.

For activities conducted off-site, schools must comply with the school excursions procedure.

Low risk: Activities involving low-risk chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials.

Medium risk: Activities involving medium risk chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials e.g. using heat, moderate pressure or partial vacuums, mains-voltage power sources, biological materials, and low-speed mechanical and/or moving devices or objects.

High risk: Activities involving high risk chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials e.g. involving high levels of heat, very low temperature materials (e.g. liquid nitrogen), high pressures or low, full vacuums, high-voltage electricity (static and/or current), radiation emitters, hazardous biological materials and high-speed mechanical and/or moving devices and objects.

Extreme risk: Activities involving extreme risk chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials e.g. class 3 lasers.

Activity requirements

If any requirement cannot be met, the activity must not occur.

If any other safety recommendation cannot be met, modify the activity (or elements of it) and/or identify and use the hierarchy of controls to implement alternative control measures to meet or exceed the minimum safety standard.

All risk levels

Unfamiliar activities (e.g. from online sources) must be trialled without students to identify foreseeable hazards, plan controls, ensure processes are appropriate and educational outcomes outweigh the risks of the activity.

Additional information used to support student safety in the activity (e.g. resources from Australian Science Teachers Association or online risk assessment tools) must be attached this CARA record.

WebPartZone1_2

Collapse all Expand all

Students

Emergency and first-aid

Induction and instruction

Consent

Parent consent (DOCX, 306KB) is required for all activities conducted off-site and for extreme risk activities conducted on-site. It is strongly recommended for high risk activities conducted on-site.

Supervision

Principals make final decisions in determining supervisor capability (competence, relevance and currency) and are responsible for encouraging and enabling school-based activity supervisors to raise their qualifications to improve safety standards.

For activities with students with a medical condition or disability that may impact on safety during the activity, consultation with parents is required prior to allocating supervision to determine the impact of students’ medical condition or disability on safety during the activity.

The number of adult supervisors required to fulfil emergency and supervision roles must consider the nature of the activity, students’ ages, abilities and specialised learning, access and/or health needs.

Before the activity, all adult supervisors must be familiar with the contents of the CARA record.

During the activity, all adult supervisors:

must be readily identifiable
must closely monitor students with health support needs
must comply with control measures from the CARA record and adapt as hazards arise
must suspend the activity if the conditions become unfavourable (e.g. extreme temperatures).

Do not allow experiment products from the laboratory (e.g. reactant products, food products) to be removed by students or taken home.

For high risk activities:

Closely supervise students during participation. It is recommended that teacher demonstration be used as the principal teaching strategy for high risk activities.

For extreme risk activities:

Individually supervise students during participation. It is recommended that teacher demonstration be used as the principal teaching strategy for extreme risk activities.

Supervisor qualifications

Principals make final decisions in determining supervisor capability (competence, relevance and currency) and are responsible for encouraging and enabling school-based activity supervisors to raise their qualifications to improve safety standards.

All adult supervisors must comply with the working with children authority—blue cards procedure and be able to identify, and respond to, risks or hazards that may emerge during the activity.

A registered teacher must be appointed to maintain overall responsibility for the activity.

At least one adult supervisor is required to be:

For low risk activities:

A registered teacher with knowledge of the activity and its potential hazards.
or
An adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with competence (knowledge and skills) in the activity.

For medium risk activities:

A registered teacher with competence (knowledge and skills) in the activity and its potential hazards.
or
An adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with competence (knowledge and skills) in the activity and its potential hazards.

For high and extreme risk activities:

A registered teacher with qualifications in Science (or equivalent demonstrated capability) and with competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching the activity.
or
An adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with qualifications in Science (or an equivalent qualification appropriate to the activity) and with competence (knowledge and skills) and experience in the activity.

Facilities and equipment

The qualified adult supervisor of the activity, in consultation with the principal, determines the requirements for facilities and equipment appropriate to the local context.

Consult Chemicals in curriculum activities for support in assessing the risks of chemicals used with/by students in curriculum activities.

If a CARA record is required in OneSchool, a summary of chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials used in the activity must be provided by entering directly onto the CARA record in OneSchool or by attaching a summary. Sample templates are provided on Chemicals in curriculum activities and Plant, equipment and materials in curriculum activities.

Location must be suitable for the activity being undertaken, including sufficient space, adequate lighting and ventilation to ensure safe participation and that safety rules and procedures can be followed. This may be in a specialised facility (e.g. laboratory) or other suitable location (e.g. incursion, field trip). Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used locations to ascertain suitability.

All emergency equipment and processes (e.g. shut-off switches) are functional prior to commencing the activity.

Participants must wear personal protective equipment appropriate to the activity (e.g. non-porous enclosed footwear, apron/coat, lab-standard eye and face protection, gloves).

Equipment must be well-maintained, transported safely and stored appropriately. Conduct a visual inspection of equipment (including portable electrical equipment) to identify damage and remove from use.

Aids for safe handling, lifting and carrying (e.g. guards, safety steps and mobile trolleys), as appropriate.

Clean up equipment as necessary e.g. dustpan, breakages bin, and spill kit.

Follow the Safety Guide for the Use of Radiation in Schools (RPS 18) and manufacturers’ instructions when using lasers. Use the lowest power laser product required for the particular purpose. It is expected that only class 1 and class 2 laser products are used in schools.

In addition to the above, for high or extreme risk level activities:

Activities must take place in a laboratory with accessible and functional safety features (e.g. a fume cupboard to prevent inhalation of a hazardous product or reactant).
Label high and extreme risk resources and equipment using the safe operating procedure (SOP) or SDS supplied by the manufacturer.
High and extreme risk resources (e.g. 50–100kV rumkopf/induction coils, high pressure vacuum) must only be used by competent and experienced adult supervisors with student exclusion zones to maintain a safe activity area during teacher demonstrations.

Hazards and controls

Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.

Environmental hazards	Control measures
Animal bites/stings	Respond appropriately to approaching wildlife. Do not to feed wildlife. Use insect repellent, as outlined in insect viruses and allergies.
Biological material	Implement protection and handling processes to avoid accidental contact (e.g. rinsing equipment after use). Use only the smallest quantity of biological material that will guarantee the viability of the experiment. Manage bodily substances (e.g. blood) and open wounds before, during and after the activity. Consult infection control guidelines and Queensland Health’s exclusion periods for infectious condition poster (PDF, 1.5MB) for hygienic practices and first aid. Wash hands and other contaminated areas of the body with soap and water before leaving the activity site.
Environmental conditions	When participating outside: Follow the school’s sun safety strategy. Assess weather (Bureau of Meteorology) and environmental conditions prior to participation. Follow the managing excessive heat in schools guidelines when participating in very hot or extreme heat conditions. Ensure drink breaks occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks Monitor participants for cold related illness (e.g. hypothermia) in cold weather conditions. Include local hazards and control measures from sand/mud/dirt/water etc within the safety procedures.
Facilities and equipment hazards	Control measures
Electricity	Electrical or extension leads must not pose a tripping hazard. Secure (e.g. tape down) and cover for protection. Consider the placement of technology devices (e.g. tablets, laptops) and the peripherals (e.g. cords, mouse) during activities to avoid contamination by chemical/biological materials or contact with water.
Faulty or dangerous equipment	Check equipment for damage before and during the activity. Comply with control measures provided on the SOP or manufacturer’s instructions. See the Plant, equipment and materials in curriculum activities template for details of specific risk management practices. Restrict student access to any equipment that requires thermal insulation (e.g. liquid nitrogen, incubator).
Hazardous chemicals	Comply with control measures for preparation, use and disposal of chemicals provided on the vendor SDS in the school Chemwatch manifest and/or safety instructions on the product label. See the Chemicals in curriculum activities template for details of specific risk management practices for each Chemwatch hazard colour rating. All chemicals required for the decontamination processes must be arranged in advance and be readily available. Implement protection and handling processes to avoid accidental contact (e.g. rinsing equipment after use). Use only the smallest quantity that will guarantee the viability of the experiment. Manage spills immediately.
Heat sources	Participants must be familiar with the safe use of heat sources and/or hazardous substances. This includes, but is not limited to: keeping burners on low heat or orange flame while not directly in use; using small quantities of combustible substances only; keeping combustible or toxic substances away from naked flames; and using appropriate water-bath techniques. Clearly sign/label equipment with hot surfaces and allow to cool before being returned to storage.
Wastes	Dispose of waste according to established safety procedure as soon as possible after the activity.
Student considerations	Control measures
Heavy objects	Use correct manual handling processes when lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying.
Student issues	Where individual experimental investigations are undertaken, students must have complete and appropriate procedures in place that identify and manage hazards associated with their activity. Remove accessories (e.g. jewellery, lanyards) before participating. Ensure fingernails and hair and clothing (e.g. long hair, loose clothing) do not pose a hazard. Monitor and enforce the correct use of equipment and materials and safe movement around the area. Handle all biological and chemical materials with the assumption that they are potentially hazardous. Account for all equipment, chemicals and subsidiary resources (e.g. matches, unused samples) at the end of the activity. In addition to the above, for off-site activities: Implement procedures (e.g. buddy system, roll marking mechanisms) to account for all participants. Ensure staff can easily recognise those students with health support needs and are familiar with their needs when participating off-site.

Additional links

Disclaimer

This information is developed and distributed on this website by the State of Queensland for use by Queensland state schools only.

Use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information by persons or organisations other than the State of Queensland is at their sole risk. All users who use, adapt or rely on this information are responsible for ensuring by independent verification its accuracy, currency and appropriateness to their particular circumstances. The State of Queensland makes no representations, either express or implied, as to the suitability of this information to a user's particular circumstances.

To the full extent permitted by law, the State of Queensland disclaims all responsibility and liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs arising from the use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information.

Links to external websites are for convenience only and the State of Queensland has not independently verified the information on the linked websites. It is the responsibility of users to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of the information at these external websites.

WebPartZone2_1

WebPartZone2_2

WebPartZone2_3

WebPartZone3_1

WebPartZone3_2

WebPartZone3_3

WebPartZone3_4

WebPartZone4_1

WebPartZone5_1

WebPartZone5_2

WebPartZone6_1

WebPartZone6_2

WebPartZone7_1

WebPartZone7_2

WebPartZone8_1

WebPartZone8_2