Eating and Drinking in a School Laboratory
CLEAPSS guidance stipulates that eating and drinking in laboratories and prep rooms should not be allowed
CLEAPSS have strongly stated that eating and drinking in laboratories and prep rooms should not be allowed as accidental contamination of food and drink used in laboratories can and does occur. They go on to state that refrigerators containing chemicals and biological materials must not be used for storing food for human consumption.
"Not Anything, Not by Anyone"
CLEAPSS the leading educational advisory service for science and technology, has stated emphatically that eating and drinking should not happen in a science lab. The organisation cites many references, including The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Approved Code of Practice and Guidance and Safety in Science Education, DfEE, 1999. They state "The references above support an outright ban on eating or drinking in laboratories and prep rooms."
Guidance
CLEAPSS has created a number of reference documents which cover this issue. They cover areas including:
- Use of water bottles;
- How the guidance affects staff and visitors;
- COSHH regulations; and
- DFEE: Safety in Science.
They have also created a downloadable poster which can be displayed in science labs and prep rooms.
CLEAPSS Comment
"While [the guidance indicated] constitute guidance rather than law, were there to be a poisoning incident, anyone with a delegated responsibility for Health and Safety, for example the head of science, could find themselves under scrutiny and needing to justify why they had not followed the advice available from key sources. Everyone who works within the science department should be aware of their responsibilities in relation to the legislation and they should all adopt the same strategy with regard to not eating or drinking in laboratories and prep rooms. This includes pupils, non-science staff, supply staff and anyone else using these areas."