A CASE OF THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT IN PHYSICS LABORATORY IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL

A CASE OF THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT IN PHYSICS LABORATORY IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

There have been so many causes and effect of accidents, which occur in the science (Physic in particular) laboratory. Such as there are two sides of every coin, some of these causes could result to effect such as minor accident, while other could result to serious injury, which may lead to death. Both staff and students are exposed to dangers, which may arise from thermal, and chemical burns caused by candles or alcohol burners, high voltage appliances can cause electric shocks. Injury occurs as a result of improper techniques of handling scalpers, forceps, scissors, needles, razor blade etc. Accident also occurs due to improper instruction and lack of general safety rules.

The physics laboratory as a part of the school is a place of many possible dangers.

It is a workshop was many experiments are carried out for observation, proof and conformation. These experiments involve, the use of different types of equipment/apparatus, which the students may handle carelessly. There by resulting to accidents, out dated and condemned apparatus can also lead to accidents.

In this study therefore, an attempt is made to highlight the cause of accidents in the Physics laboratory along the following lines;

1.   Unsafe laboratory environment due to inadequate size, poor arrangement of apparatus, water or grease spilled on the laboratory floor.

2.   Misuse of apparatus due to ignorance or carelessness

3.   Lack of appropriate apparatus/outdated apparatus in Physics laboratory

In this study also, some of the safety measure for preventing these accidents and minimizing their occurrence will also be highlighted sine accident cannot be completely avoided no matter how careful, it is of importance to know what to do to prevent the severity of the damages caused by accidents to the body as a physicist by being informed on how to administer first aid.

1.1    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A STUDY OF THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT IN THE PHYSICS LABORATORY

This study is aimed at investigating the cause of accidents in the physics laboratory in some selected secondary school in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria

In carrying out this study, some of the problems included in it are;

1.   Unsafe laboratory environment due to inadequate size, poor arrangement of apparatus

2.   Improper techniques of using electric appliances or apparatus

3.   Improper method of teaching and lack of apparatus

4.   Lack of knowledge of the general safety rule

5.   Ignorance on the part of the students due to inexperience in applying the general safety rules in the laboratory

1.2    SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

1.   This research report is intended to make physics students as well as all science students and teachers aware of the causes of accidents in the laboratory

2.   To educate the physics students as well as science students on safety measure to take in order to prevent or minimize accidents occurrence

3.   It is also hoped that this study would be of great help to the physics teachers in post primary and post secondary schools

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The objectives of this study are as follows;

1.   To investigate the causes of accidents in physics laboratory

2.   To know of what way this accident would affect individual person in the physics laboratory

3.   To examine ways by which these accidents can be minimized or prevented

4.   To make plausible recommendation

1.4    HYPOTHESIS

1.   Can lack of safety values in gas cylinder result to serious accidents?

2.   Can inadequate size of laboratory and poor arrangement of apparatus result to accidents?

3.   Can wrong handling of forceps or razor blazed when cutting substance result to accidents?

4.   Can error in electrics connections causes an electric shock, which could lead to effect such as burnt, or death?

5.   When students are allowed to enter the laboratory anytime and play or run around, can accident occur?

6.   Can lack of proper knowledge of the general overview of physics laboratory cause accident?

7.   Can improper storage and labeling of chemical substance in the laboratory result to accident?

8.   Can availability of outdated or faulty electrical equipments or appliances in the laboratory result to accidents?

  1.5  BASIC ASSUMPTION

In this research work the following basic assumption were made;

1.   Lack of safety values in gas cylinder can result to serious accidents

2.   Inadequate size of laboratory and poor arrangement of apparatus can result to accident

3.   Wrong handling of forceps or razor blades when cutting substance could result to accident

4.   Error in electrical connections may cause an electric shock, which could lead to effects such as brunt or death

5.   When students are allowed to enter the laboratory anytime and play or run around, accident may occur.

6.   Lack of proper knowledge of the general safety rules could result to accident

7.   Improper storage and labeling of chemical substance in the laboratory can result to accident

8.   Availability of outdated or faulty electrical equipment or appliances in the laboratory may result to accident