Safeguards in the School Laboratory (12 Revised edition)

The twelfth edition of this invaluable ASE publication is intended for all those involved in 11-19 science education.

It will be particularly useful for newly qualified and trainee teachers, new technicians and those seeking promotion to, or newly appointed as, heads of department, senior technicians, etc. Safeguards in the School Laboratory seeks to provide an overview of health and safety issues in science education; it flags up areas where there are significant misconceptions and where problems commonly arise, and draws attention to situations which, although rare, may have serious consequences.

It does not replace detailed health and safety advice or risk assessments provided by CLEAPSS and SSERC on behalf of employers; it does, however, alert readers to those occasions when they need to be careful and check those details.

We believe it should be read from cover to cover, even if some parts are skipped over at a first reading. This edition has been updated where legislation has altered, for example on chemical hazards and radioactivity, or where school practice has changed.

Most sections have been reworded to improve clarity; the chapters and sections dealing with chemicals have been completely reorganised and rewritten. The authors are all members of the ASE's Health & Safety specialist group and are experienced teachers, technicians, advisers or consultants, several of them currently or formerly working for CLEAPSS or SSERC.