| This study evaluates the status of Missouri high school chemistry laboratory safety, evaluating student safety education, laboratory design and safety equipment, and chemical use and storage, and the relationship of this status to school enrollment classification, teacher-perceived administrative support for science safety, and self-perceived teacher safety knowledge. A 57-question survey based on National Science Teacher Association and American Chemical Society safety guidelines in academic science laboratories was mailed to 216 Missouri high school chemistry teachers. The data received from 146 respondents was analyzed by chi-square procedures $(p<.05)$ and standardized residuals. There is little variance between schools for student safety instruction. The exception is the smallest schools and schools with low administrative support for safety provide significantly less pre-laboratory safety instructions for individual experimental hazards. Teacher-perceived administrative support for safety had a statistically significant relationship with more of the components of laboratory design and safety equipment, and chemical use and storage, than did school enrollment classification or self-perceived teacher safety knowledge. Administrative support related significantly to class size, student working space, gas and water master valves, grounded outlets and GFCI's, fume hoods, laboratory inspections, laboratory communication systems, safety showers, type of eye wash equipment, acid and flammables cabinets, separate storage area, storage area fire alarms, sufficient shelving, safe waste disposal program, and recency of unwanted chemical removal. School enrollment had significant relationships with class size, student working space, two exits, GFCI's, fume hoods, laboratory communication systems, safety showers, type of eye wash equipment, acid and flammables cabinets, separate storage areas, storage area fire alarms, locked storage, and sufficient shelving. Self-perceived teacher safety knowledge has no significant relationship with student safety instruction and related significantly to only six laboratory and chemical safety components, including two exits, adequate safety eye wear, type of eye wash equipment, acid cabinets, safe waste disposal program, and the recency of unwanted chemical removal. Overall, the status of Missouri high school chemistry laboratories related significantly to the level of administrative support for safety. The smallest schools are significantly less well-equipped for safety than the larger schools. |
