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Chemical Safety in School Laboratories:

Preliminary Findings

Goh Choo Ta, PhDInstitute for Environment and Development (LESTARI),

National University of Malaysia (UKM)

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Outline• Background• Preliminary Findings• Work in progress• Conclusion

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Background• Hazardous chemicals were found in some of the

consumer products.

Consumer products Manufacturing R&D laboratories

Primary SchoolSecondary

SchoolCollege / university

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Background• ‘Chemical Safety in School Laboratories’ is funded by

the Potential HiCoE (Higher Education Centre of Excellent) LESTARI awarded by Ministry of Higher Education.

• Ministry of Education Malaysia – Management and Safety of Laboratories in School

• Challenges: Check-list available but concern on

implementation Accidents occurred at school laboratories

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Background• Objectives of the project:

1) To identify awareness of chemical safety among the students.

2) To identify availability and accessibility of infrastructures that are related to chemical safety.

3) To identify strengths and weaknesses of existing systems that are related to chemical safety

4) To identify chemical safety components in the syllabus of chemistry

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Background• Scopes:

Criteria for chemical safety Perception on chemical safety Chemical safety in the syllabus of chemistry

• Targeted respondents are from: Secondary schools National services training programme

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Preliminary Findings• Case study – 3 secondary schools have been

selected.

• Five criteria have been identified in the questionnaire

1) Information and procedures

2) Equipment and facilities

3) Knowledge and awareness

4) Waste disposal

5) Emergency response plan

• Three aspects – knowledge, practice and perception

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Preliminary Findings• Components of Chemical Safety in the laboratory

1) Laboratory safety guidelines and warning signs

2) Personal protective equipment

3) Safety facilities

4) Emergency evacuation plan

5) Emergency apparatus

6) Storage

7) Chemical inventory

8) Chemical safety data sheet (CSDS)

9) Waste disposal

10) Key personnel

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Work in progress

Analysis of the completed questionnaires:• Analysis of the chemical safety levels for secondary

schools located in the urban and rural areas.

• Analysis of the laboratory safety in secondary schools

• Analysis of chemical safety components in the syllabus of chemistry.

• Analysis of the preparedness of teachers in chemical safety.

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Work in progress

Chemical Safety Campaign at National services training programme (CHEM-CAMP):

1)Overview of Chemicals Management

2)Importance of chemicals

3)Chemistry and carrier

4)Chemical safety and communication

5)Lifecycle of mercury

6)Chemical pollution in river

7)Risk-based chemical contamination in marine ecosystem

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Researchers