SAFETY AMONG CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25998, 29 December 1949, Page 3

SAFETY AMONG CHILDREN

SCHOOL LABORATORY PRECAUTIONS

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CAMPAIGNS

Safety education is assuming a more important place in the schools of New Zealand.

This summer the Education Department has intensified its campaign against drowning accidents, emphasising that many are avoidable and urging swimming instruction for all children, proper caution by young bathers, and adequate supervision. This effort is being made in conjunction with the Health Department and swimming and life-saving organisations.

The Transport Department and the Automobile Associations are co-operat-ing with teachers in road safety instruction, officers making periodic visits to schools to give talks, show films, and demonstrate the proper maintenance of bicycles and correct procedure in traffic. This is an effort to reduce accidents on the roads.

Now the Education Department is launching a campaign to ensure the safety of pupils working in school science laboratories, workshops, and cookery rooms. It is hoped to issue to all such classes a pamphlet called “Safety precautions in schools” which has been prepared for the Ministry of Education and stocks are being sought in Britain. From time to time special instructions have been given; but it is hoped to make a new comprehensive coverage through this booklet. Science teachers, particularly those entering the service, .have been requested to reconsider the Education Department’s firm views on the need for safety. Head teachers and those in charge of departments have been given explicit instructions on practices to be avoided. The use of pure sodium and other metals of the group in the generation of hydrogen is prohibited in school science classes. The mixing of sulphur, phosphorus, charcoal, or similar materials with potassium chlorate is also forbidden. e Warnings have been given about the storage of phosphorus, its handling in demonstrations, and the treatment afterwards of all instruments used: experiments with hydrogen so that explosions are avoided: ana the preparation of nitrous oxide with ammonium nitrate Other dangerops mixtures have been listed. Chemicals should not be returned to the bottle if excess is removed, acids in bulk must be stored at ground level and winchester flasks not carried by the neck alone, glass stoppers from bottles must be retained in the hand, irritating and .toxic hqu ds should he handled with safety Pipettes. and volatile liquids must not be handled in the presence of naked flames.