Evaluating and Promoting Chemical Safety Awareness in the Chemical Sciences
Swapnil L. Sonawane, Vikas J. Patil, Rodney A. Tigaa
Abstract
To create general awareness among students and assess their level of chemical safety knowledge and attitudes, an online chemical safety survey was completed by chemistry students at Jai Hind Educational Trust’s (JET’s), Z. B. Patil College in Dhule, India, and Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, USA during the 2020–2021 academic year. A total of 221 students participated in the survey that comprised of 20 questions covering three criteria: chemical laboratory safety practices, safety knowledge and attitudes, and identification of basic hazard warning symbols. The results of the survey indicated that almost all students (97% total) were aware and have received training on safety procedures at their respective institutions. However, a significant number of students reported not wearing closed-toe shoes, a laboratory coat, or safety goggles and were unable to correctly identify basic GHS symbols and require additional training on handling general chemical waste. Through comparative analysis it was determined that a statistically significant relationship exists between the institutions and some of the survey questions. Careful analysis of these results revealed that institutional policies and educators play a key role in shaping student attitudes toward chemical safety and practices. Inferring from the insights gained from the study, possible strategies to help address these deficiencies are proposed. These findings add to the global discussion regarding chemical safety, while helping both domestic and international chemical safety policymakers to make changes to promote chemical safety awareness.