The Minnesota Science Teachers Association promotes SAFETY in the teaching and learning of science.

Size in Science Instruction – Regulations and Resources

Codes
National Fire Protection Assn: section 10-1.7.1 of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 1997
50 sq. ft. net area occupant load factor is appropriate for use in science laboratories in middle and high schools. Classrooms: one person per 20 sq. ft.[a laboratory for a class of 24 would need1200 net sq. ft.] [Net area is the area free of furniture]

Minnesota Legislation: 1989 Section 13. {126.1995}{Safety Requirement Guidelines}
“ Aisles must be 44 inches wide if they serve students on two sides. If they serve students on only one side, they can be 36 inches wide.” [reference: Uniform Fire Code 101(88), 25.107]

Building Officials and Code Administrators International: National Building Code/1996 Section 1008.1.2
Classrooms at 20 net sq. ft. and vocational areas including science laboratories at 50 net sq. ft. per person.

National Science Teachers Assn. And the National Science Supervisors Assn.; Working conditions for Secondary Classroom Teachers, 1986;
“ Because of safety considerations and the individual attention needed by students in laboratories, science classes should be limited to 24 students unless a team of teachers is available.”

National Science Teachers Assn.: Position Statement on Laboratory Science, 1990.
“ the number of students assigned to each laboratory class should not exceed 24. The student must have immediate access to the teacher in order to provide a safe and effective learning environment.” http://www.nsta.org/position

Occupational Safety and Health Administration 1990 29 CFRR
Part 1910 requires a safe working environment for employees relative to the use of chemicals in science laboratories. [A student/teacher ration above the professional standards creates greater risk of accidents not only for students but also for school employees.]

Research Studies
Studies by Jay Young in 1972 and Sandra West in 2005 found that there was a large increase in the accident rate beyond 24 students. In the West study there were twice as many accidents in classes over 24 students than for classes under 22 students.

A study by Fuller et al. in 2001 found three times as many major accidents for classes larger than 28 than for classes with 24 or fewer students.

References
Biehle, J.T., et.al. NSTA Guide to School Science Facilities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. 1999.
Flinn, Larry. Overcrowding in the Science Laboratory. Flinn Scientific. 2000.
Flinn Scientific. Safe Science: Be Protected! www.flinnsci.com/Sections/Safety/safety.asp
Fuller, E.J. An Analysis of Laboratory Safety in Texas. Charles A Dana Center. 2001.
West, S. Procedings of the 108th annual meetings of the Texas Academy of Science, secondary science safety profiles, 2001 and 2003, Edinburg, TX. 2005.
Young, J.A. A second survey of Safety in Illinois High School laboratories. Journal of Chemical Education 49(1):55. 1972.
Texley, J., et.al. Safe Science Facilities. The Science Teacher. 72(6): 39. Sep. 2005.
Texley, J., et al. Investigating Safely: A Guide for High School Teachers. Arlington, VA:NSTA Press. 2004.

Here are several great safety resources on the web!

 

40 Steps to a Safer Laboratory

Elementary Education Resources-Science

Flinn Scientific-Safety

Flinn Scientific

http--www.state.ct.us-sde-dtl-curriculum-scisafe.pdf

Inspections within SIC

Laboratory Safety Incidents

labplan

SafeSchools.com Compliance

Safety in the Laboratory

Sargent-Welch - Lab Planning

Science & Technology Pennsylvania Safety Guide

The Laboratory Safety Institute

Dept of Environmental Health and Safety UMN
What the Research Says to Texas Science Teachers

Contact the webmaster.