Safety & Ethics

Everything we do has some risk involved. Risk assessments are performed to identify, assess and control hazards. A risk assessment should be performed for any situation, in the laboratory or outside in the field, that could cause harm to people. Always identify the risks and control them to keep everyone safe. 

Here are four questions to consider:

1. What activity will you be doing?

2. What equipment or chemicals will you be using? How should they be disposed of safely?

3. What are the risks involved? (Don't forget to think about students with allergies or conditions such as asthma.)

4. How can I reduce these risks?

Before you start an experiment, an investigation or field work, it is important to consider the risks involved. Sometimes, it may not be possible to easily reduce or eliminate the risks. Sometimes, even when using PPE or making a change in the method to incorporate safety measures, the risks remain too high. In these cases, your best option may be to seek an alternative material, equipment or method to allow a similar experiment to be conducted with a reduced level of risk.

Sometimes, investigations and experiments need to be done outdoors. Additional risks are associated with working outdoors, and it is jus important to consider ways of eliminating or reducing these risks.

For example, field work in a national park may include risks of:

• sunburn

• hot or cold weather

• insect and animal bites.

Some possible measures for reducing risks include:

• wearing sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses

• wearing clothing to protect against heat or cold

• using insect repellent

• bringing a first aid kit

• carrying a GPS (global positioning system) unit

• carrying a mobile phone.