Nature of Accident and Safety Practices in Secondary School Laboratory in Awka Education Zone
Nature of Accident and Safety Practices in Secondary School Laboratory in Awka Education Zone.
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the nature of accidents and safety practices in the secondary school laboratory in Awka Education Zone. Four research questions guided the study and related literature was reviewed which exposed the need for the study.
The adopted descriptive research design. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample size. The data collected was analysed using a 4 point Likert scale system, a structured questionnaire containing 29 items in B1 to B4 and validated by experts in the field for data collections.
Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data to answer the research questions and determined homogeneity of the respondent’s ratings.
The findings of the study showed that the nature of laboratory accident in secondary schools are in different forms ranging from an accident caused by heat, cut caused by sharp laboratory objects,bruise caused by laboratory equipment etc.
The findings further indicated that the provision and availability of safety materials for laboratory use in secondary schools in Awka Education Zone are very low and not readily available for the students to use during laboratory practicals.
Hence, the study recommends that precautionary safety instructions should be given to secondary school students before embarking on any laboratory practicals, safety materials such as hand gloves, eye goggles.
And other laboratory safety materials be provided for secondary school students to ensure adequate laboratory safety. while government should always endeavour to provide these safety materials and ensure they are properly used.
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in a form of testable explanation and predictions about nature (Editorial Staff 2008). Miriam Webster dictionary defined science as the knowledge about or study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation while
According to business, dictionary.com defined science as the body of knowledge comprising of measurable or variable facts acquired through application of the scientific method and generalized into scientific laws or principles.
Practical is defined as an examination or lesson in which theories and procedures learned are applied to the actual making or doing of something (stock, 2009).
The accident is defined as an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap( Modesty 2013).
In the teaching of Science, practical work is of great importance as it develops the confidence of doing something by one’s own self. Practical work not only enhances the knowledge about a particular phenomenon but also explains the underlying ideas about it (Cooper & stock, 2009).
Practicals have an essential place in science, and safe practical practices are the most basic and fundamental parts of laboratory experiments.
According to World Health Organization (2009) safety is the prevention of the adverse effects, both short- and long-term, to humans and the environment from the production, storage, transportation, use and disposal of chemicals.
There are four main ways that is routes of exposure, for chemical substances to enter the human body: Inhalation, Absorption, Ingestion (eating, swallowing)etc.
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