Chemical Safety in Schools

Schools have legislative obligations to use and handle chemicals safely. Information on safe handling of chemicals in schools is provided for teachers and students.

Risk assessment

Specific advice on risk assessments can be found in CSIS 1.7 Risk Assessment – a pre-requisite for risk control.

As a classroom activity, you may wish to undertake a risk assessment process with students. This type of activity is linked to the following Working Scientifically outcomes:

• Stage 5 Science (WS5.3D) - Students choose equipment or resources for an investigation by assessing risks and addressing ethical issues associated with these methods
• All stage 6 Science courses - Planning investigations (11/12-2), students assess risks, consider ethical issues and select appropriate materials and technologies when designing and planning an investigation

Carrying out a risk assessment: a resource document for students and teachers (DOC 46KB) contains a blank scaffold of a risk assessment to use with students.

Using animals in stage 4-5 science

Specific advice for using animals in stage 4-5 science (DOCX 84KB) in combination with the Animals in Schools website.