SCIENCE SAFETY

Below, we've provided links to the SFUSD Science Safety Letter to Guardians, Middle and High School Science Safety Contracts, and safety test questions you can use to develop a safety test specific to your science course.  We've also provided information on chemical storage & inventory as well as the SFUSD Hazardous Waste Removal Process and form.  Please direct any questions you have about science safety to: 

Middle School & High School: 
Judy Gerber:

SFUSD Safety Documents

Please note: You must be logged in to your SFUSD Google account to access the safety letters, contracts and quizzes.

Science Safety Letter to Guardians: 
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Middle School Student Science Safety Contract:

High School Student Science Safety Contract: 

Sample Science Safety Quizzes for Teacher Use
  • safety quiz
  • safety quiz
SFUSD Science Safety Bulletins can be found on the SFUSD Department of Risk Management Intranet site.  Click below to access information on: ​

Annual Safety Training

All teachers of science unable to attend the Science Safety Training at the August 15, 2019 Science Professional Development Day or any of the other make-up sessions, must take an online course for your annual safety training. Please complete it by the end of Fall semester. 

You can find the directions to the make up video on the Safety Course 2019 page.

Keep It Safe

Follow to print out copies of the four safety questions for science labs to use with your students. 

​The  may be used to help you and your students put the answers to the four safety questions in writing. It can also be found in course student books.

SAFETY FAQ'S

​FAQs about Safety: Check here for answers to some of the questions we hear most about safety in the Science classroom

Chemical Storage and Other Lab Safety Guidelines

 are a good place to start when you have questions about chemical storage.

​The (available as a ) is a good resource for questions about lab facility requirements, animals in the classroom, safety procedures in both elementary and secondary science classrooms, and appropriate chemical storage. 

If you still have questions, contact for guidance with your lab safety issue.
 ONGOING CHEMICAL INVENTORY & DISPOSAL! 

Site Chemical & Biological Specimen Inventory: Site-specific chemical inventory is now kept on . Since we are required by OSHA and  DPH to report our inventories annually, please be sure your science department's inventory is up-to-date by May 1, 2020.

Check the .

Notify  that your inventory has been completed by May 1, 2020.

Fall 2019 Waste Removal Requests
Submit a hazardous waste removal request by Nov. 22, 2019. 
Removals are scheduled for mid-December. You must submit a form by the due date in order for your site to be included on the schedule.

Follow these  to fill out  with details about the waste.

Chemical Sweeps: The inventory update provides a great opportunity for school sites to turn unwanted items into waste. See the for the form you need to fill out with your request for a waste pickup.

If you are using the "dot system," you will be able to look at your shelves and easily see which chemicals are no longer being used. In addition, any lab waste created during the year will also need to be added to the pickup request. Please label, set-aside, and submit the form for any known and unknown chemicals that are surplus, unused, or expired. Make sure that when chemicals are set aside as waste that they continue to be kept by compatibility. Contact if you need more labels or have any further questions about this process. 

Avoid unknowns: The best way to avoid generating unknown waste is to label your containers when the lab waste is created. Include the date, reactants, and product on the label. A pink chemical waste sticker also goes on the container. If you need these labels, check with your department chair or contact . Please include your school site in the e-mail. 

If you have unknown waste, follow the above procedure with as much information as you can.

Disposing of biological waste
  • Microbial specimens in petri dishes need to be sterilized using an autoclave or bleach. They are then disposed of in the regular trash.
  • For larger specimens and other waste from dissection labs see  for how to bag and dispose of bio waste.
  • If you have old biological specimens that may have been  preserved in formaldehyde, use the instructions for. It is not recommended that you continue to keep specimens preserved in formaldehyde. These specimens need to be included in the chemical waste pick-up request. Leave them in the containers and list on the waste removal form.







Waste Containers Available

If you clear plastic bags for biological waste, contact to get them. Appropriate stickers and labels are also available.