CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELETED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction
In this chapter an attempt was made to examine literature related to the topic of the
research,
Specifically, the areas reviewed are:
Conceptual Frame Work
• Concept of Science
• Concept Of Science Education
• Science Education In Nigeria
• Concept of Biology
• Divisions Of Biology
• Science Laboratory
• Role of laboratory in science teaching
• Concept Of Safety
• Characteristics Of Safety
• Safety Rules And Regulations
• Laboratory Safety Practice
• Laboratory Accident and Causes
• Laboratory Safety Equipment
• Review of Related Impirical Studies
• Implication of the Literature Review on Present Study

2.2 Conceptual Frame Work

2.2.1 Concept of Science

View about the structure and meaning of science vary as some view it as method, while others
perceived it in relation to its outcomes of science (Musa, 2000). However, there are allot of
misconceptions on the body of knowledge called science (Fafe, 2007). From its linguistic origin,
science is derived from Latin word "scientia" which means knowledge. Therefore, Eneh (2005)
defined science as an organized body of knowledge in form of concepts, laws, and theories.
According to (Urevbu, 2001) science is the study of nature and natural phenomena in order to
discover their principles and laws. Science comprises of three interrelated aspect, namely
content, process and attitude. Content can be separated into physical. life and earth science;
Process involves the inquiry skills such as observing, classifying, experimenting, measuring,
inferring, organizing data etc. And attitude concerns with openness and objectivities
(Omoifo,2012). Furthermore, Igwe (2003) conceptualized science as a systematic study of the
nature of behavior of and physical universe through observation, experimentation, measurement
and recording. In addition, Esu (2004) Science as a systematic, Precise, objective way to study
the natural world. Science is often an exciting and satisfying enterprise that requires creativity,
skills and insight to generate rationally structured knowledge about the nature, which embraces
systematic methods of positive attitude for its acquisition, teaching, leaning and application.
(Fafe, 2007). Ogunleye (2006) opined that science is a dynamic human activity concerned with
understanding the workings of our world. This understanding helps man to know more about the
universe. Without the application of science, it would have been difficult for man to explore the
other planets of the universe. Science comprises the basic disciplines such as Biology, Chemistry,
Mathematics and Physics.

Nature of science can be generally defined as the values and beliefs inherent in the development
of science knowledge (Lederman, 2013). A list of elements important to understanding nature of
science would also include the following statements from the National Science Teachers
Association position statement (NSTA 2019).

• No single universal step-by-step science method captured the full complexity of doing
science.
• Creativity is a vital, yet personal, ingredient in the production of scientific knowledge.
• With new evidence and interpretation, old ideas are replaced or supplemented by newer
one.
• While science and technology do impact each other, basic scientific research is not
directly concerned with practical outcomes, but rather with gaining an understanding of
the natural world for its own sake of the complex interactions between science and
society. Science as a practical subject provides students with an opportunity to interact
with science process skills that can be used to solve problems in everyday life and
contribute to national development.

Mani in Mari (2017), identified additional aspects of the nature of science to include:
 • A method or process of inquiring knowledge which involves the one of process skills like
measuring, hypothesizing, classification etc.
• Part of man's culture whose products and activities has social relevance to mankind.
• Human activity carried out by scientist which requires certain attitudes and beliefs as
objectivity, curiosity, open mindedness etc.
• A social institution and an important agent of social change. The political, economic and
technological development of a community is however believed to be transformed
through the acquisition and proper utilization of scientific knowledge.

Mc Comas, (2002) view nature of science, as contained in the international science education
standard documents as:

• Science knowledge relies heavily, but not entirely, on observation, experimental

evidence, rational arguments and skepticism.
• Scientific knowledge while durable has a tentative character.
• There is no one way to do science therefore there is no universal step-by-step scientific
method.
• Science is an attempt to explain natural phenomena.
• Laws and theories serve different roles in science; therefore, students should note theories
do not become law even with additional evidence.
• People from all culture contribute to science.
• New knowledge must be reported clearly and openly.
• Scientist require accurate record keeping, peer review and replicability.

2.2.2 Concept of Science Education

Education has diverse definitions which are influenced by cultural and philosophical inclinations
of different people of different ages. It could be seen as a process, a long-life process, a direction,
a preparation for life and a product among others. Ijaya (2019) gives a common characteristic of
education, irrespective of whether defined in a western way or traditionally, as change. Since it
has a dynamic nature, the definition of education as a process shall be considered. According to
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2014), education is the act of
developing the intellect, critical thinking abilities, social and cultural understanding, and
understanding of one's own self. These knowledges, skills, values can be imparted or acquired
through teaching and learning, especially in schools or institutions A kind or form of education is
science education (Tafe, 2014). Science education has its root in Science before its education
comes to fore. Hence, it's important to briefly look at what science is as there is no science
education without science.
Science has been presented both as a body of knowledge and process. The body of knowledge
represents the current understanding of natural systems and the process whereby that body of
knowledge has been established and is being continually extended, refined, and revised (National
Academic Press, 2015). National Research Council (2017) claims that both elements, that is,
science as a body of knowledge and a process, are essential as one cannot make progress in
science without an understanding of both. Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and
organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe . It
is inferable from the writings of South-Eastern Behavior Analysis Center, SEBAC (2012), that
science is hinged on facts which are known to be true; empirical; reliable and operationally or
functionally described. The goals of science are 3: research to understand (pure research),
research to solve a particular problem (Applied research) and dispensing of solutions (SEBAC,
2012). The understanding of science is evident in the ability of an individual to describe, predict,
control, synthesize and explain phenomena accordingly or as expected. These skills are expected
from any learner in the 21st century even when they are not learning science to become scientists
or technologists. Students in science need to be able to understand what leads to natural
phenomena such as earth quake, land slide, global warming among others in order to be an
informed and updated citizen of the 21st century. Science as a body of knowledge and process
are taught to students in schools. These students may be those that may end up being scientists or
not.

The process of teaching science is referred to as science education.

Science education deals with sharing of science contents and process with individuals who are
not primarily considered to be member of the scientific community in order for them to
understand science and utilize such knowledge for self and others benefit. Generally, members
not part of scientific community consists of individuals who could be students, farmers, market
women or a whole community. However, science education as conceived in the context of this
paper has to do with students undergoing training in sciences, be it in secondary or tertiary
institutions of learning. Science education could be viewed as a process of teaching or training
especially, within the school system to improve one's knowledge about the environment and to
develop one's skill of systematic enquiry as well as natural attitudinal characteristics. According
to University of Texas, Arlington UTA (2017), science education is one of the most important
subjects in school due to its relevance to students lives and the universally applicable problem-
solving and critical thinking skills it uses and develops.
The aim of science education may not be to educate future technologists or scientists alone but to
also share scientific contents to generality of individuals that may not be scientist (Trefil, 2018).
Teaching technological literacy, critical thinking and problem solving through science education
gives students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond. Science
education could be recognized worldwide as a pre-requisite to technological advancement and
involves the study of an in-depth science and in addition, educational knowledge and concepts
(Pember & Humbe, 2019). Aina (2013) sees science education in Nigeria as an endeavour that
concentrates on the teaching of science concepts, method of teaching and addressing
misconceptions held by learners regarding science concepts. This is not different from what it is
beyond the shores of Nigeria. Science Education is an important area which shapes and molds
the character of modern societies.

In spite of the importance of science education to enhancing the awareness of individuals and
progress the technological advancement of any nation, it continues to be faced with rather
complicated challenges not only in Nigeria but globally. Kubilay and Ozden (2016) present
challenges to be surmounted to have a sustainable science education.
These challenges are as listed below:
a) inadequate teacher compensation and professional development to attract,
prepare and retain high-quality teachers,
b) insufficient number of science and technology teachers taking active role in the preparation of
the programs,
c) the insufficient in-service training of the science teacher in the transition state of a new
program,
d) compartmentalized subjects taught by teachers isolated within and across
departments,
e) students generally lack motivation and have low selfconfidence in learning,
f) persistent achievement gaps in science and math among many student
subgroups,
g) demographic changes,
h) the huge numbers of the students in the class,
i) the informational education orienting students towards only exam achievement,
j) the broken link with other lessons,
k) insufficient physical conditions of schools (less laboratory opportunities),
l) the intensive curriculum but insufficient time allocation for science education and
m) the instruction of lesson in an information level and students in passive position (only
listening and writing), teachers in active position (writing on the board and teaching in a classical
way)
Others not explicitly mentioned in the list include: lack of appropriate monitoring of staff,
corrupt tendencies of all stakeholders amongst others. Also, Badmus and Omosewo (2018)
highlight the challenges of science education to include students poor performance, poor funding
and low budget allocation to education and claiming that all these challenges are attributed to the
faults of the government, students and teachers. Educational leaders such as school or institutions
heads, faculty heads, heads of departments etc. are not left out as contributors to these problems.
Since science education, as a subset of general education is faced with all these challenges, is it
not a pointer to the fact that our educational system is generally faced with issues? That our
educational system in Nigeria is facing challenges and needs overhauling is obvious when a state
of emergency was declared in the sector in the year 2018 by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice
President of Nigeria at a National Economic Councils meeting he chaired (Pulse, 2018). It is
quite unfortunate that our educational system is not delivering the right leaders and followers
both educationally and politically (Ijaya, 2019). The 21st century is characterized with rapid
advancement in science and technology such that virtually all areas of life are influenced by
technology and products of science. How well are our educational leaders ready to cope with the
trend and assist both teachers and learners of science in Nigeria to achieve the aims of science
education? ICT has been presented as a tool to assist educational leadership and influence
innovation (Yusuf, 2019). Does science education portend the potentials to also influence
educational leadership and innovation? Based on the claim that science education is very
important to the development of any nation. It is therefore necessary to explore the process or
methods of science education in order to understand if it has the capacity to deliver or influence
individuals with capacity of leadership and innovation.

2.2.3 Science Education In Nigeria

The goals of science education in Nigeria include among others, cultivating knowing, inquiring,
and rational mind for the conduct of good life and democracy; producing scientists for national
development; and providing understanding of the compexity of the physical world, the form and
the conduct of life, Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) on (NPE, 2013).

For any nation incliding Nigeria to attain sustainable development, there is need to recognise
science education as a priority area of education for her citizens (Ogunmade, 2013). That was
why Orukotan (2014) stated that science has introduced a lpt of changes in our world today and
it will continue to do so in the future. The slow rate in our technological advancement according
Ige (2013) is attributed to a number of factors, some of which are related to the state of science
education in Nigerian secondary school.

The major goal of science education is to develop scientifically literate individuals that are
concerned with hugh competance for rational thoughts and actions. The objectives of science
education in his country according to Maduekwe (2016) include the need to prepare students to
observe and explore the environment, explain simple nationak phenomena, develop scientific
attitude including curiosity, critical reflection and objectivity, apply the skills and knowledge
gained through science to solve everyday problems in the environment, develop self-confidence
and self-reliance through problem solving activities in science. In recent times, countries all over
the world, especially the developing ones like Nigeria, are striving hard to develop
technologically and scientificaly, since the world is turning scientific and all proper functioning
of lives depend greatly on science.

Akpan (2018) opine that science contribute to the quality of life in such areas as health, nutrition,
agriculture, transportation, material and energy production and industrial development.He further
stated that it ensures that the air we breath and the water we drink are life sustaining, are not
vectors of disease and decay. He finally concluded that if science and technology form the
bedrock of sustainable development, that this revelation should constitute a beacon to our nation,
so that science education must be given prominance in Nigerian schools.

Accordibg to Ibiyengibo (2012), science education has failed to produce skilled human resources
needed for transformation into national prosperity, and is presented dogmatically in most schools
as a series of disjointed facts and concepts which students find difficult to relate to the real
world. He further reported that this implies that most of Nigeria's development in the dierection
of modernisation has been hapharzard leading to acquisition of obsolete technology. Sustainable
science education development therefore represent a catalytic process for social educational
training, and public awareness of the values, behavior and lifestyles required for a sustainable
future.

2.2.4 Concept of Biology

Biology is a natural science that deals with the living world, how the world is structured, how it
functions and what these functions are, how it develops, how living things came into existence.
and how they react to one another and with their environment (Umar, 2020), Biology according
to Osuanfor and Okonkwo (2017) is the study of living organisms that is divided into many
specialized fields involving the morphology, physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin and
distribution. In another perspective Ahmed (2019) Viewed biology as a pre-requisite subject for
many fields of learning that contributes immensely to the technological growth of the nation.
This includes medicine, pharmacy, nursing, agriculture, forestry, biochemistry and many other
areas.

Therefore, biology can seen as the scientific study of living things and relationship that exist
among them. The fundamental aim of teaching and learning biology is to produce educated
individuals some of whom may take biological studies in their professional pursuits (Akindele,
2009), Osuafor and Okonkwo (2013), described that biology plays a very important roles in the
life of every living thing Considering its fundamental characteristics and importance, biology is
today a standard subject of instruction at all level of our educational systems from pre-primary to
tertiary, institutions. It was stated that biology plays a vital role in the economic development of
the nations. On this Nwakonobi (2008), Opined that recent advances recorded in the field of
biochemistry, physiology, ecology, genetics and molecular biology have made the subject a
central focus in most human activities including solution to the problems of food scarcity,
pollution, population explosion, radiation disease, health, hygiene, conservation of natural
resources, family life, various social views as well as biotechnology and ethics. Susan (2023)
stated that biology is the study of living things and their vital processes. The modern tendency
toward crossdisplinary research and the unification of scientific knowledge and investigation
from different fields has resulted in significant overlap of the field of biology with other
scientific disciplines. Modern principles of other fields like chemistry, medicine, and physics, for
example are intergrated with those of biology in areas such as biochemistry, biomedicine, and
biophysics.

2.2.5 Division of Biology

Rogers (2023) opine that biology is subdivided into separate branches for convenience of study,
though all the subdivisions are interrelated by basic principles. Thus, while it is custom to
separate the study of plants (botany) from that of animals (zoology), and the study of the
structure of organisms (morphology) from that of function (physiology), all living things share in
common certain biological phenomena for example, various means of reproduction, cell division,
and the transmission of genetic material.

Biology is often approached on the basis of levels that deal with fundamental units of life (Edna,
2023). At the level of molecular biology, for example, life is regarded as a manifestation of
chemical and energy transformations that occur among the many chemical constituents that
compose an organism. As a result of the development of increasingly powerful and precise
laboratory instruments and techniques, it is possible to understand and define with high precision
and accuracy not only the ultimate physiochemical organization (ultrastructure) of the molecules
in living matter but also the way living matter reproduces at the molecular level (Rogers, 2023).
Especially crucial to those advances was the rise of genomics in the late 20th and early 21st
centuries.

Cell biology is the study of cells the fundamental units of structure and function in living
organisms. Cells were first observed in the 17th century, when the compound microscope was
invented. Before that time, the individual organism was studied as a whole in a field known as
organismic biology; that area of research remains an important component of the biological
sciences (F.E Zachos, 2016). Population biology deals with groups or populations of organisms
that inhabit a given area or region. Included at that level are studies of the roles that specific
kinds of plants and animals play in the complex and self-perpetuating interrelationships that exist
between the living and the nonliving world, as well as studies of the built-in controls that
maintain those relationships naturally. Those broadly based levels, molecules, cells, whole
organisms, and populationsmay be further subdivided for study, giving rise to specializations
such as morphology, taxonomy, biophysics, biochemistry, genetics, epigenetics, and ecology. A
field of biology may be especially concerned with the investigation of one kind of living thing
for example, the study of birds in ornithology, the study of fishes in ichthyology, or the study of
microorganisms in microbiology.

2.2.6 Science laboratory

Science laboratory is defined both as a place equipped for experimental study and as a period of
time set aside for laboratory work (Artdeg, 2018). Laboratories vary ranting from well-equipped
room with benches, shelves, test tubes and microscope to poorly equipped room. Laboratory also
ranges from school garden, pond near the school to the farm and river far away from the school.
In other words, laboratory is the scientist work and this could be anywhere a person chooses to
investigate natural phenomena (Feszterova, 2015). Natural science is frequently referred to as
laboratory and are often hears or reads about scientist and his laboratory.

Omosewo(2016) stated that a popular conception of the science laboratory is that is already room
with the unusual furniture, obnoxious odors and strange looking glassware. To be sure some
science laboratories are like this. But such a picture of laboratory is simply a place where
scientist has available to hind natural phenomena has wishes to study.

Reid and Shah(2017) define science laboratory simply as an environment or room which provide
the scientist with the condition necessary for the study of phenomena of interest, it may be a
special room or building which contains necessary sophisticated equipment that are use for
research.

The science laboratories have been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and
activities. Twenty years have been elapsed science since it published a frequently cited, critical
review of the research on the school science laboratory (Holstein, 2017). According to (James,
2015) Science laboratory is a facility that provides controlled condition in which scientific or
technological research, experiment and measurement may be performed. Laboratories used for
scientific research take many forms because of the differing requirement of specialist in the
various field of science. A physics laboratory may contain a particle accelerator or vacuum
chamber, while a metallurgy laboratory could have apparatus for casting and refining metals or
testing their strength (M.C Malin, 2017). A chemist or biologist might use a wet laboratory, while
a psychologist laboratory might be a room with one-way mirrors and hidden cameras in which to
observe behavior. In some laboratories such as those commonly used by computer scientist,
computers (sometimes super computers) are used for either simulations or the analysis of data
collected elsewhere scientist in other field will use laboratories as well as to design, build, and
test technological devices.Science laboratory can be found in schools and universities, in
industry, in government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and space craft.

2.2.7 Role of Laboratory in Science Teaching

If the laboratory is a place where scientist do their work much of science can best be learned in
this setting, but this is not the only reason for considering the laboratory allows the student to
have experience that are consistence with the goal of science literacy and make sense in terms of
how we believe people best learn science, and that is in harmony with the unique characteristic
of the secondary school student. To highlight the place of laboratory in science teaching.
Holstein(2017) listed the most important functions that are grouped under (5) categories as:
• Learning about the nature of science and technology
By allowing student to experience full activities in the laboratory, they can come closer to
understanding science and technology, and how the two enterprises inter related. By
providing opportunities to behave like scientist student also stand a better chance of learning
that answer is seldom as neat, clean, clear out as they appear in the textbook, part of science
involves the cat of handling frustrations, mistakes and sometimes even failure mode of this
can only be learned in the laboratory.
The desire to know how or why somethings happen is a major compelling force behind
scientific investigations. As science procedure new knowledge other attempt to apply these
finding to human and social problems. The way in which scientific knowledge are applied is
what is called technology.
• Learning problem solving skills
Allowing students opportunities to develop basic skills has long been recognized as a major
goal for science education. A laboratory setting is an excellent place for students to learn how
to observe, discriminate, arrange, classified, measure, experiment, evaluation and in other
process of science.
• Learning manipulative skills
Laboratory is a place where students learn to master basic manipulatives skills such as
measuring with petite, focusing a microscope, bending glass tubing, disserting a flower or
lighting a Bunsen Buner. These skills required students to coordinate the knowledge with
rather complex muscular control. These and other skills are often taken for granted. However,
students do not learn how to use scientific equipment properly unless they are given
opportunities to handle materials, the laboratory is the major way and place to that these skills
are taught.
 • Learning Major Concept and Principles
Laboratory offer excellent opportunities for the students to gain exposure to factual
information and scientific phenomena indirect first hand manner, as a result of these concert
experiences, students are better able to grasp relationship such ass concepts and scientific
principles.
• Developing Interest, Attitude and Skills
Students interest in science is increased when opportunities for hand experiment are provided,
secondary school students like to get involve with the’’real things’’ and investigation initiated
in school laboratory can often lead to follow up activities at home or elsewhere. Many for the
phenomena investigated in the laboratory may also lead to or increase in the science related
carries, hobbies and other leisure time activities
Ramsey (2019) suggest that the school experience possible foe student in the laboratory
situation should be an integral part of any science cause has become to have a wide
acceptable in science teaching.
Herbert (2020 ) suggest that teacher chooses to limit his science teaching to either teaching
about science or other passive means of exposure to science, without having the student carry
out experiment the basis of the programmed is verbal, If the teacher isolate or recognize facts
in a continue verbal barrage , the program is not significantly charged by including pictures to
look at or a related activities for student to carryout , such science teaching does not convey
the active observation, experiment, search for order and prediction about new phenomena
which is science.

2.2.8 Concept of safety

Safety is frequently defined as the inverse of risk; the lower the risk, the higher the safety
(Moller, 2017). Safety as the antonym of risk certainly captures the important di- mensions of
safety, but it does not provide an exhaus- tive understanding of the concept (Hansson & Peterson,
2016). Risk is commonly understood as the product of likelihood and severity. By lower- ing
both likelihood and severity, safety is increased, which is the antonym or opposite of
risk.Business needs to transition from seeing safety as an absence of negatives, such as no
serious inci- dents, to seeing it as the presence of a positive ca- pacity to make work proceed
properly. A focus on safety and risk should become a focus of resilience (Dekker, 2015).

The fact that incidents are relatively rare events should remind all stakeholders that the absence
of a negative does not always result in a strong positive (Smith, 2017).In addition to describing
safety in terms of its nature (what), the definitions can be categorized by its characteristic:
absence from harm, risk acceptance and adaptable.Safety is no more and no less than a condition
or judgment of acceptable control over hazards and risks inherent to what an organization is
doing at a point in time or chooses to do at some future point (Balderson, 2018). Hazards
inherent to the business process, especially those not controlled to an acceptable level, repre- sent
the true challenge. The potential outcome from an uncontrolled hazard is harm (Montante, 2011).
Adding to this, hazard control is fundamental to safety management and is an integral component
of a proposed safety definition. Equally important is incorporation of how safety management is
integrated to achieve the desired safety performance.

When human induced hazards were created because of industrialism, safety barriers were
implemented to prevent incidents caused by these hazards. The concept of safety barriers is often
re- lated to an incident model called the energy model (Makin, 2017).Safety barriers are physical
and/or nonphysical means planned to prevent, control or mitigate un- desired events or incidents
(Sklet, 2012). A common safety management approach is to work toward having sufficient
barriers in place to prevent an incident or to implement additional barriers after an incident
occurs. Defense in depth (barriers) provides an easy to understand linear methodology to
evaluate and prevent incidents; however, implicitly it suggests that barriers work independently
of one another (winder, 2010). In some instances this may be the case but is a limiting view for
the complex nature of safety management. In addition, the energy model suggests one additional
barrier will prevent an incident from occurring without addressing or improving other barriers
(e.g., implementing additional training after an incident without evaluating and reinforcing
accountability). Barriers are most effective when they work as a unified whole but require the
components of safety management to be fully evaluated and implemented. Instead of the linear
barrier model, (Balderson, 2010) suggests that the proposed safety definition or model
incorporate an integrated view of safety management with the components collectively working
together.

2.2.9 Characteristics of Safety

According to the UK Health & Safety Commission, a safety culture is "the product of individual
and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behavior that determine
the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organizations health and safety
management."

An organizations safety culture is ultimately reflected in the way that safety is managed in the
workplace (Michael J. Smith, 2014). Alexander (2014) opine that a strong safety culture has a
number of characteristics in common which are;

• Communication: Communication is most effective when it comprises a combination of

top-down and bottom-up interaction. Senior management sets the strategic goals and
vision for the companys safety program. It is vital that all levels of management (senior,
middle, supervisory) communicate the strategy clearly to the workers who have to carry
out the companys mission. It is equally important that workers provide feedback on a
practical level about whats working and whats not. Management needs to listen, take that
feedback seriously, and act on it”or workers will stop giving it.

• Commitment; It is one thing to say that safety is a priority; it is another thing to show that
it is. When it comes to safety, actions truly speak louder than words. A lack of
commitment, as demonstrated by action (or lack thereof), comes across loud and clear to
staff. For example, requiring staff to work excessive hours to meet productivity goals,
which may result in fatigue and increased likelihood of an accident, sends a clear
message that productivity is more important than employee safety.

• Caring; Caring takes commitment a step further. It involves showing concern for the
 personal safety of individuals, not just making a commitment to the overall idea of safety.
Caring is about doing whatever is necessary to ensure employees return home safely
every night. Again, how employees are treated is a much stronger indicator of caring than
what the company says.

• Cooperation: Safety works best if management and workers feel like they are on the same
team. Cooperation means working together to develop a strong safety program (e.g.,
management involving line workers in creating safety policies and procedures). It means
that management seeks feedback from workers about safety issues and uses that feedback
to make improvements. And it means that there is no blame when incidents occur.
Incident investigations focus on fact finding, not fault finding.

• Coaching: It is difficult for everyone to remember everything required to maintain a safe

working environment. Coaching each other peer to peer, supervisor to employee, even
employee to management is an important way to keep everyone on track. Coaching
involves non-judgmentally providing feedback for improvements and, correspondingly,
accepting and incorporating that feedback as constructive criticism. Disciplinary actions
are sometimes necessary for repeated rule violations, but punishment is not the first
management action in a strong coaching culture.

• Procedures: There should be documented, clear procedures for every task. This not only
prevents disagreement about what is required, it also shows commitment when things are
put in writing. Procedures should be designed jointly by management and workers for
practicality and to encourage improved cooperation, communication, and buy-in.
Procedures should be reviewed periodically and updated, as needed.

• Training: Training is a more formal, documented process for ensuring that employees
follow safety processes and procedures. Management can demonstrate its commitment to
safety training by creating formal, written training materials; tracking employee training;
and checking for employee understanding. Formal training should happen frequently
enough for employees to feel prepared to safely do their jobs.

• Tools: All equipment and tools should be in good repair, free of debris, and functioning as
designed. Inadequate tools directly impact safety/protection and indirectly impact
perception of management commitment. For example, if the company doesnt invest in
appropriate PPE, good housekeeping practices, or equipment maintenance, it sends a
clear message that employee safety isn't important.

• Personnel: There must be enough workers to do each task safely. The company should
not sacrifice individual safety because of being understaffed (i.e., requiring
shortcuts/overtime to meet production goals). In addition, the company should have
safety experts on staff that employees can go to with safety-related questions.

• Trust: Trust in the safety program, in senior management, and in each other is built when
each of these characteristics is present and treated as a company-wide priority.

2.2.10 Safety Rules and Regulations

M Adams (2015) stated that there is a strong political concensus in a number of countiries that
occupational safety and health regulation is shifting industrial innovations, developing and
feeding a culture of damaging risk aversion and petty bureaucracy. A standard list of basic
laboratory safety rules are given by Pekdag (2020), and must be followed in every laboratory that
uses hazardous materials or processes. These basic rules provide hygiene and behavior safety
information to avoid accidents in the laboratory. Laboratory specific safety rules may be required
for processes, equipment, and materials, which should be addressed by laboratory standard
operating procedures (SOPs).

* Know locations of laboratory safety showers, eyewash stations, and fire extinguishers. The
safety equipment may be located in the hallway near the laboratory entrance.
* Know emergency exit routes.
* Avoid skin and eye contact with chemicals
* Minimize all chemical exposures.
* No horseplay will be tolerated.
* Assume that all chemicals of unknown toxicity are highly toxic.
* Post warning signs when unusual hazards, hazardous materials, hazardous equipment, or other
special conditions are present.
* Avoid distracting or startling persons working in the laboratory.
* Use equipment only for its designated purpose
* Combine reagents in their appropriate order, such as adding acid to water.
* Avoid adding solids to hot liquids.
* All laboratory personnel should place emphasis on safety and chemical hygiene at all times.
* Never leave containers of chemicals open.
* All containers must have appropriate labels. Unlabeled chemicals should never be used.
* Do not taste or intentionally sniff chemicals.
* Never consume and/or store food or beverages or apply cosmetics in areas where hazardous
chemicals are used or stored.
* Do not use mouth suction for pipetting or starting a siphon.
* Wash exposed areas of the skin prior to leaving the laboratory.
* Long hair and lose clothing must be pulled back and secured from entanglement or potential
capture.
* No contact lenses should be worn around hazardous chemicals even when wearing safety
glasses.
* Laboratory safety glasses or goggles should be worn in any area where chemicals are used or
stored. They should also be worn any time there is a chance of splashes or particulates to enter
the eye.Â
* Closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times in the laboratory. Perforated shoes or sandals are
not appropriate.
* Determine the potential hazards and appropriate safety precautions before beginning any work.
* Procedures should be developed that minimize the formation and dispersion of aerosols.
* If an unknown chemical is produced in the laboratory, the material should be considered
hazardous.
* Do not pour chemicals down drains, and do not utilize the sewer for chemical waste disposal.
* Keep all sink traps (including cup sink traps and floor drains) filled with water by running
water down the drain at least monthly.
* Do not utilize fume hoods for evaporations and disposal of volatile solvents.
* Perform work with hazardous chemicals in a properly working fume hood to reduce potential
exposures.
* Avoid working along in a building. Do not work alone in a laboratory if the procedures being
conducted are hazardous.
* The permissable exposure limit (PEL) and the threshold limit values (TLV) must be observed
in all areas. If exposure above a PEL or TLV is suspected for an ongoing process, please contact
EHS immediately.
* Laboratory employees should have access to a chemical inventory list, applicable safety data
sheets (SDS), departmental laboratory safety manual, and relevant standard operating
procedures.
* Access to laboratories and support areas such as stockrooms or specialized laboratories should
be limited to approved personnel only.
* All equipment should be regularly inspected for wear or deterioration.
* Equipment should be maintained according to the manufacturer's requirements and records of
certification, maintenance, or repairs should be maintained for the life of the equipment.
* Designated and well-marked waste storage locations are necessary.
* No cell phone or ear bud usage is allowed in the active portion of the laboratories or during
experimental operations.
* Clothing made of synthetic fibers should not be worn while working with flammable liquids or
when a hazard is present as these materials tend to melt and stick to exposed skin.
* Laboratory coats should not be stored in offices or break rooms as this spreads contaminates to
other areas.
* Computers and instrumentation should be labeled to indicate whether gloves should be worn or
not. Inconsistent glove use around keyboards is a source of potential contamination.
* Avoid wearing jewelry in the lab as this can post multiple safety hazards.

2.2.11 Laboratory Safety Practice

Laboratory safety practices

According to Walters (2017) Good lab practices are an integral part of conducting research
safely. Engineering controls can limit exposure to hazards and PPE can protect a researcher's
body, but making sure your behavior doesn't expose you or your colleagues to risks is important.
These safe laboratory practices cover many of the common routes of exposure but are by no
means a comprehensive list (W.Lawrence and walters,2017).

No Food or Drink
Consuming food in the lab can pose many hazards.
* Eating or drinking in the lab can, first and foremost, increase your risk of exposure to
hazardous materials.
* Food or drink can leave a mess increasing the risks for contamination of your experiments and
potentially attracting pests.
* Eating or drinking in the lab can also be a distraction that can lead to a spill or more serious
incident.

Wear Your Proper Laboratory Attire

Lab coat, gloves, eye protection, and appropriate attire should be worn at all times in the lab.
* Long pants and shoes completely covering the top of the foot should be worn at all times when
working in the lab.
* Lab coats will protect your clothes and your skin from splashes, spills, or other exposures to
chemical or biological agents, and flames in some cases.
* Safety glasses or goggles will protect your eyes from physical of chemical harm. Skin will
heal after minor burns or lacerations but your eyes will not. Eyes are fragile and safety glasses
take about three seconds to put on, an eye injury can be permanent.
* Gloves protect your skin from hazardous materials your hands may come into contact with.
However exposure can occur when removing gloves and disposing of them. Follow the steps in
the video below to properly remove any gloves used in the lab.
Good Hygiene
* Wash hands after handling any hazardous materials, before and after eating, and before leaving
the lab.
* Keeping personal items separate from lab work. This will prevent spread of hazardous reagents
and cut off a potential exposure route.
* Do not apply cosmetics while in the lab. Applying anything to your face, especially around
your mouth or eyes, pose a significant risk of exposure.
* Dry and cracked skin can provide a route to exposure. Using lotion to keep the skin on your
hands healthy can help prevent exposure.
Use Proper Storage Containers
This applies to individual containers, storage cabinets, and waste.Â
* Storing organic solvents in plastic bottles can compromise the container, just like acids in metal
containers or HF in glass. Chemicals should be stored in containers made of materials that will
not react.
* Large volumes of flammable chemicals must be stored in fire rated cabinets. Acids and
caustics should ideally be stored in separate cabinets lined with plastic to prevent any vapors
from reacting with the metal housing. Chemicals known to react violently when mixed
should be stored separately. Â
* As with chemical storage, waste should be stored in non-reactive containers, or containers
with non-reactive liners. Â
 Label Your Work Space
* All containers should be labeled with their contents. This is crucial so those working near
you and anyone visiting the lab will know what hazards may be present. Ideally the hazards
present should be included on any label.
* Any research process with a particular hazard should also be labeled with that hazard.
Don't Work Alone
During normal operations one should never work alone in a laboratory setting.Â
* Additional eyes in a situation may notice hazards you can not initially see.Â
* Having other researchers around will also provide faster support in the event of an emergency.
Adapting to situations where it is necessary to reduce the number researchers in a space requires
modifications to this policy.
* Notify your PI or supervisor before entering the lab and upon departure.Â
* Communicate with neighboring labs so everyone knows when someone will be in the general
area.

Stay Focused and Aware of Your Surroundings

* A lab can be a very busy environment. Researchers are working side by side on differing
projects that can have different hazards. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and
the work that is going on around you. Â
* Work with purpose. Labs can also be an environment filled with distractions. When
working with hazardous material it is critical that you focus on what you are doing and try to
eliminate distractions.
* Avoid using headphones. Listening to music while doing repetitive work can be relaxing
but it eliminates one of your five senses used in situational awareness. If you can not hear
what is going on around you it is possible to miss the sound of a glass container breaking or a
warning from a colleague. To better hear what is around you try listening to music at lower
volume, or with only one ear covered.
Participate in Safety Exercises
* Ensure all lab members are familiar with the lab's safety equipment.
* Make sure everyone knows where the nearest fire pull station, extinguisher, spill kit, first aid
kit, and AED are.
* Know how to get out of your building and where to go after and evacuation.
* Organize or attend an annual evacuation drill.
Store and Use Batteries Properly
Batteries provide reliable power for devices used both in the lab and in the field. While they
are very useful for research they do pose potential hazards. If stored improperly both lead-acid
and lithium ion batteries are potential ignition sources for fire and can cause chemical burns.Â
Lithium ion batteries can pose a more serious fire risk if they are charged or used improperly.Â
Batteries should never be disposed of in the trash, instead they can be recycled at various
locations across campus. For more information on the proper use and storage of batteries
click on the links below.

2.2.12 Laboratory Accident and Cause

Laboratory has some of the characteristic of highway. It can be as safe as dangerous as the
individual using it choose to make it. Every little practical work usually results in an accident
which shows that little or no emphasis is aimed at knowing how much safety practice are going
in that laboratory.
Laboratory accident is defined as an unforeseen and undersigned injury to a person using the
laboratory (M.Chem, 2020). Accident are common occurrence in science laboratory appropriate
safety practice can reduce tremendously the rate of an accident and hence guarantee the safety of
leavers(JG. Choi, 2018).
There is different type of accident that are bond to occur in the laboratory, some are caused by
wrong handling of chemicals, spills, or glass breakage but some are due to electrical faults which
can lead to fire outbreak(S.Zhu, 2023). Laboratory provides student with the best opportunities to
gin practical knowledge. Student and teachers should make themselves aware of the possible
hazard that may be present in the laboratory.
Pavia, (2007) writing a laboratory accident pointed out that science teacher and student have to
be conscious of accident and prepare themselves against it he further state that accident can be
such serious that the person involved may have no second chance or be in a position to explain
how the accident has occurred there have been many cases here people were burnt to death.
Gaston (2009), carried out a survey on the causes of accident in high school science laboratory in
Washington D.C and found out that negligence was one of the major causes of accident in the
laboratory. Student especially in the early years of studying science are not conscious of the
dangers involved in chemical glassware and some apparatus. Gaston also noticed lack of
maintenance of the equipment as causes of accident in the laboratory. He also found out that lack
of knowledge or appropriate usage of safety equipment present in science laboratory would lead
to great and fatal loss of lives and properties. Laboratory accident occur mostly because of
ignorance, poor judgement, and negligence.

2.2.13 Laboratory Safety Equipment

When working in laboratory it is important to have the correct safety equipment in place. School
has to be a large selection of critical lab safety equipment. According to (Mack,2020) safety
equipment are the set of apparatus which are been use to protect against any danger that may
occur in laboratory during practical work by student and teacher.
The following are the laboratory safety equipment:
1. Safety goggles are essential piece of lab safety equipment. They protect the eyes from
chemicals, liquid, and particles.
2. Fume hoods (or fume cupboard) is a large piece of safety equipment and is critical for use in
labs that produce noxious vapors or perfumes.
3. Fire extinguishers come in several classes each design to fight different type of fire outbreak.
4. Lab coat are knee length smock coat usually with long sleeves. They protect the clothing
beneath as well as any exposed skin.
5. First aid kit should always be kept in hand. A basic first aid kit should contain disposable
gloves, bandages, eyes bandages, eyes wash, sterilized water, tape, plaster, scissors, a sling,
and sterile dressing.
6. Sand bucket is the bucket that that fill with sand in order to stop fire outbreak.
7. Fire blanket these is a blanket that use to cover the body case of fire break in the
laboratory.
8. Emergency light these are light which is help to alert people in the laboratory to know that
there is no accident in lab so that to exist.
9. Hand glove protects against corrosives and irritant in the laboratory.
10. Lab apron is use to cover and protect your clothing.
11. Eye wash it use in washing eyes in cases if unwanted material get contact with your eyes.
12. Respirator these is used to cover the nose in case of outbreak of harm gases.

• Review of Related Empirical Studies

Walters and Lawrence (2017) investigate current state of chemical laboratory safety
awareness, attitudes and practices among tertiary students in Trinidad. It was sought to
determine if there was any correlation between awareness and practice, and if there were any
useful predictors for likelihood accidents in the laboratory. They conducted a cross sectional
survey at three institutions with a sample size of 226 students. They use self administered
questionnaire to collect data which analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson
correlation coefficient, and binary logistic regression. Additionally they conducted semi
structured interview with a member of supervisory staff at each institution to get insight into
the established safety procedures. The result show that though awareness was high there were
deficiencies in the areas of hazard identification and emergency responses. It was
recommended that attitudes and practices were acceptable but needed improvement, with a
weak correlation existing between these two variables. The characteristics of the particular
institution were found to be the only predictor of the likelihood of accident.the study
investigate the current state of chemical laboratory awareness, attitudes and practices among
tertiary students in Trinidad.current study will investigate the availability of adequate safety
equipment and student attitudes toward safety equipment in biology laboratory in Gwale
educational zone, Kano state.

Walters and Ayana (2019) studied perceptions of chemical safety in laboratories. The study
aimed to determine the state of perceptions of chemical safety in laboratories among
undergraduate student of the biomedical engineering department at German Jordanian
university in Jordan. A cross sectional survey was conducted anonymously with a random
sample size of 174 students. Data were collected randomly and analyzed using descriptive
statistics, which include the calculation of measures of central tendency, standard deviation
and frequency counts. The data were displayed using frequency tables and bar charts. To
analyze the responses of the questionnaire, the data was transformed to a score that was
calculated for the variables at mean of 6.05 and 2.00. The descriptive statistics showed that
demonstrated fair to good familiarity and understanding of chemical hazard warning signs.
Most students had poor to fair attitudes towards chemical laboratory safety. Base on the
findings it is recommended to improve the culture of safety ethics among the university staff
and students. Although this study was carry out on perceptions of chemical safety in
laboratories, but it is foreign and does not focus on biology laboratory. Hence there is need to
organize similar study in Nigeria that will focus on students attitudes toward biology
laboratory safety equipment in secondary schools at Gwale educational zone.

Romklao (2012) investigate undergraduate students scientific understanding of laboratory

safety . The purpose of this research study was to investigate The undergraduate students
scientific understanding of safety signs. The survey questionnaire was administered to 192
fourth-year undergraduate students at the Faculty of Education who enrolled chemistry
laboratory instruction course. The research questions were answered using descriptive
statistics of frequency counts and percentage.The hypothesis were tested through an
inferential statistics of analysis of variance at 0.05 level of significance.The findings indicated
that a majority of the students misunderstood the definition of chemical hazards. In addition,
they experienced confusion in matching chemicals commonly found in school science
laboratory (i.e., sodium hydroxide) and the meaning of chemical safety sign. The interview
revealed that they did not pay attention to safety signs labeled on containers during
conducting experiments. The findings from this study provide basic information for teaching
and learning in the course to promote students’ awareness of the proper handling, storage
and disposal of hazardous materials.this study examined the understanding of safety signs
among undergraduate students, while the current study is set to investigate the safety
equipment in biological laboratory and students attitudes toward safety equipment in biology
laboratory. The study adopted survey research designed whereas the current study will also
adopt survey designed.

Oladejo (2020) in his study title Chemical safety awareness and practices in Nigerian
schools.Using a mixed-method survey, the objective of the study is to investigate the
awareness level and implementation of the best practices of chemical safety by 1246 senior
secondary school chemistry students. Students in rural schools were found to have a lower
level of awareness of chemical safety compared to the students in urban schools. Statistically
significant differences were found in all except one of the awareness measures—washing
hands before practicals and after leaving the chemistry lab. Urban students were more in
breach of chemical safety practices than students in rural schools. Most of the observed
differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Interview (qualitative) data from 20
students show four emerging themes to explain the findings, including a low level of
chemistry laboratory resourcing, poor chemical safety training of the teachers, inadequacies
in safety tools, charts, and kits, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Based on the
data from the study, recommendations were made for bolstering the awareness level of
students in chemical safety and their chemical safety practices. These include the
incorporation of chemical safety in the core curriculum, requiring quality assurance entities to
enforce resourcing of basic safety equipment to schools, government-directed workshops on
the need for chemical safety, and requiring teachers to provide chemical hazards information
to students. The study is carry out on the awareness level and implementation of the best
practices of chemical safety, while the present study will investigate the safety equipment in
biological laboratory and students attitudes toward safety equipment in biology laboratory.

Mariona (2019) researched on student’s risk perceptions in chemistry laboratories . This

study aims to study the risk perceptions of safety hazards in chemistry laboratories among
college students. Undergraduate college students from the chemistry and biology department
of a university in Mexico were surveyed. The Workers’ Risk Perception Dimensional
Evaluation (EDRP-T) was used to characterize risk perceptions through nine dimensions and
the overall perceived risk for three risk factors: laboratory work, chemical splashes, and
chemical-substances inhalation. Perceived risk was characterized in a sample of 521
undergraduate students. Students felt confident in successfully dealing with the risk factors
evaluated despite feelings of dread and vulnerability as well as concerns about the severity of
the consequences of an injury as the result showed . Their perceived ability to control and
avoid these risks might have reflected the students’ self-efficacy. Discrepancies in
characterizing risk perception as a multidimensional construct or a direct, measurable
characteristic were identified. The study recommended on gaining an understanding about
what undergraduate students do and do not perceive as hazardous is a valuable input to
develop risk management and communication strategies with the potential to influence
students’ decision-making process that can result in safer behaviors. Successful design
and implementation of chemical education programs requires recognizing gaps at all
levels.the study This study characterized risk perceptions of safety hazards in chemistry
laboratories among Undergraduate college students from the chemistry and biology
department of a university in Mexico, while the current study will investigate on the safety
equipment in biological laboratory and students attitudes toward safety equipment in biology
laboratory.

Khairul Hafezad and fadzli shah (2020) investigate on safety behavior in the laboratory
among university students. This is a quantitative study on safety at science laboratories at
universities. Specifically, this study involved a sample randomly selected 361 undergraduates
from five public universities in Malaysia. The study aimed to (i) examine how safety
knowledge and safety motivation directly affect safety behaviour in laboratories among
students, and (ii) explore the mediating effect of safety commitment on the relationship
between safety knowledge, safety motivation and safety behaviour among students while
working in the laboratories. Data collected through a questionnaire was then analysed using
IBM SPSS Statistics and SEM SmartPLS 3.0. The findings indicated that safety knowledge
and safety motivation directly affected safety behaviour among students in the laboratory.
Safety commitment had also mediated the relationship between safety knowledge, safety
motivation, and safety behaviour among students in the laboratory. The mediation effect of
safety commitment contributed more than the direct effect of safety motivation and safety
behaviour. Safety commitment was an essential element in enhancing safety motivation and
safety behaviour among students in the laboratory. The university management should,
therefore, give importance and allow the participation of the Student Representative Council
to represent the voice and commitment of students to enhance laboratory safety. These
findings also affirmed that the combination of the subjective norm (safety motivation) and the
intention (safety commitment) as in the Theory of Planned Behaviour had contributed to the
knowledge of behavioural science. Therefore, for future research, it is deemed necessary that
safety motivation be examined intrinsically and extrinsically in order to identify and assess
the types of safety motivation that might effectively affect student safety behaviour in the
laboratory. This study investigate on safety behavior in the laboratory among university
students, while current study investigate on students attitudes toward safety equipment in
biology laboratory.

Inaam and Rihab Nasr (2022) carried out research on the hazardous Waste Management
(HWM) among workers in scientific laboratories of two universities in Lebanon.the aim of
this study is to predict the availability of safety measures and knowledge toward hazardous
waste in scientific laboratories . A surveybased observational study was conducted in
scientific laboratories of a public and a private university in Lebanon, where a total of 309
participants were recruited to evaluate the knowledge regarding safety measures to be applied
when collecting and storing waste. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, Independent
Sample T-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and ANOVA were used for comparing
differences and associations among socio-demographic variables. Linear regression models
were used to map predictors of knowledge score and its relationships with demographic
variables as well as training on proper HWM.A significant association (p< 0.05) was found
between knowledge score and job function, years ‘experience, educational level,
professional status, work schedule, and training on HWM. Participants had adequate
perceptions regarding the impact of HWM on health and the environment. Linear regression
modeling revealed that knowledge score was significantly higher among bachelor level lab
workers compared to those with doctoral degrees (p= 0.043), full-time workers versus part-
timers (p= 0.03), and among public university participants compared to those of private
university (p< 0.001). It highlights the importance to improve the culture, attitude, and
practice of proper HWM in scientific laboratories. The study investigated on the hazardous
Waste Management (HWM) among workers in scientific laboratory, while the present study
will focus on the attitudes of biology students toward safety equipment and availability of
adequate safety equipment in biology laboratory.

Nasrallah (2022) in his study prevalence of accident occurrence among scientific laboratory
workers of the public university in lebanon and the impact of safe measures. The main
objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of accident occurrence and associated risk
factors among laboratory workers at the scientific laboratories of the public university in
Lebanon and the impact of safety measures training and availability
In this observational study, a survey was conducted for one year in scientific laboratories at
faculties of the public university. He use questionnaire to collect data which analyzed using
descriptive statistics. the result shows that among the participants (N =Â 220), 45.0% have
had accidents; the main cause was exposure to chemicals (73.7%) and more specifically by
inhalation (45.4%). Females (85.9%) were more exposed to accidents than males. Laboratory
workers with a master's degree, a full-time schedule, and more than ten years of experience
were significantly more exposed to accidents (p < 0.05). A significant association was
found between accident occurrence and training on management of hazardous products
(p = 0.044), risks related to workplace (p = 0.030), eyewash and emergency shower
(p < 0.001), first aid (p = 0.012), and facial protection availability (p = 0.019). In
spite of the lack of safety culture and efficient training on laboratory safety, participants have
shown a very good perception regarding safety measures to be applied in case of work
accidents.Based on the findings, the prevalence of accident occurrence is elevated among lab
workers at the public university. The impact of regular training on laboratory safety
preventive measures is of great importance to ensure the efficiency of occupational health and
safety in scientific laboratories. This study investigated the prevalence of accident occurrence
among scientific laboratory workers of the public university and the impact of safe measures.
The study carry out among scientific laboratory workers of the public university in lebanon.
While the present study carry out on biology students attitudes toward laboratory safety
equipment and availability of adequate safety equipment in biology laboratories at senior
secondary schools in Gwale educational zone, kano State.

A Hussein and shifera (2022) investigate on the knowledge,attitudes, and practice of teachers
and laboratory technicians toward chemistry laboratory safety in secondary schools. This
study aims to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practice of teachers and
laboratory technicians toward chemistry laboratory.This study assessed the chemistry
laboratory safety knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of teachers and laboratory
technicians in secondary schools of South Wollo, Ethiopia. The sample included 300
chemistry teachers and 76 laboratory technicians selected using stratified random sampling
technique. Data were collected using academic achievement test, questionnaires,
observational checklists, and document analysis. The findings revealed that knowledge of
teachers and laboratory technicians was scored as moderate (57.08%) and good (60.28%),
respectively. The attitude of teachers was good (62.59%) and that laboratory technicians was
excellent (71.55%). However, the practices of laboratory safety among teachers and
laboratory technicians were inadequate. The cumulative percentage of teachers (45.37%) and
laboratory technicians (48.59%) indicated that the practice of chemistry laboratory safety in
respective schools was very poor and below the standard level. The practice of personal
protective equipment and waste management was not properly implemented in the schools,
and no adequate individual safety training was arranged for teachers and laboratory
technicians. Safety equipment was not sufficiently available, and emergency exits were not
clearly marked. The statistical t test indicated that teachers’ KAP was not significantly
different from laboratory technicians. Finally, the study recommended possible remediating
strategies such as cooperative lab work, audio–visual based interventions, prepare
standardized laboratory manual, formulating chemical inventory and inspection groups,
updated chemical safety education and training, and fulfillment of safety equipment to
promoting a stronger laboratory safety culture in secondary schools. This study focuses on
teachers and laboratory technicians attitudes and knowledge toward chemistry laboratory
safety in secondary schools in south wolo,Ethiopia. while the current research focuses on
students attitudes toward safety equipment in biology laboratory at Gwale educational zone,
Kano . Both studies focus on secondary schools and the data were collected using
questionnaires.

Guixiang Wu, Yanfei Yang, and Chenglin Xu (2023) on their study determination of
university students laboratory safety awareness. The objective of the study is to determine the
laboratory safety awareness of university students.Based on four types of laboratory safety
questions (chemical, biological, physical, and medical), a cross-sectional survey of students at
Kunming University of Science and Technology (China) was carried out to determine the
awareness of laboratory safety among university students. The survey was completed by 335
students in total, with a response rate of 95.71%. GHS pictograms, attitudes toward lab safety,
practices for lab safety, and emergency equipment and procedures were all covered in the
survey. The survey’s findings showed that 63.58% of students did not have an excellent
awareness of laboratory safety. With mean scores of 2.56 and 2.20, respectively, the
student’s ability to identify GHS pictograms and laboratory emergencies was poor. In
addition, close to 5% of students maintained a negative attitude toward laboratory safety, and
a small number of students (1.79–6.27%) reported never having complied with any of the
measures in the questionnaire regarding laboratory safety practices. Comparative analysis
revealed statistically significant relationships between different majors, whether they had
experienced laboratory safety training and some survey questions (p < 0.05), and further
identified factors and odds ratio values (5.382–8.037) that influence students’
awareness of laboratory safety. Based on the results of the research, specific
recommendations for instructors, university administrators, and the government are also
given to improve university students’ awareness of laboratory safety. This study
investigated on students laboratory safety awareness, at Kunming University of Science and
Technology China. while the current study investigate students attitudes toward safety
equipment in biology laboratory at Gwale educational zone, Kano.

Belkiz (2021) studied secondary school students knowledge and views on laboratory safety.
This study aims to determine the knowledge and views of secondary school students on
laboratory safety and to identify their deficiencies in this regard. The survey method was used
in the study. The study sample consists of 136 students from 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students
of a public secondary school in Kastamonu Province, Turkey. An open-ended questionnaire
was used to determine the students' knowledge and views on the subject, and the data
obtained were analyzed by the content analysis method. As a result of the study, it was seen
that although secondary school students have some general information about laboratory
safety, they have deficiencies in terms of most of the information. It was determined that
students do not know most of the behaviors that must not be made in the laboratory. Based on
the results of the research, specific recommendations for instructors, school administrators are
given to improve students’ knowledge of laboratory safety. This study determine the
knowledge and views of secondary school students on laboratory safety and identify their
deficiencies in this regard. while the current study investigate students attitudes toward safety
equipment in biology laboratory at Gwale educational zone, Kano.

• Implication of the Literature Review on the Present Study

Academic laboratories, like industrial and governmental laboratories, are concerned with
meeting the fundamental safety goals of minimizing accidents and injuries, but there are
differences. Forming the foundation of lifelong attitude of safety consciousness, risk
assessment, and prudent laboratory safety practice is an integral part of every stage of
scientific education from classroom to laboratory and academic institutions must accept this
unique responsibility for attitude development toward laboratory safety.
Ensuring a safer laboratory environment is the combined responsibility of laboratory
personnel, and the management of a school though the primary responsibility lies with the
individual students performing the work of course, federal, state, and local laws and
regulations make safety in the laboratory a legal requirement and an economic necessity.
Laboratory safety equipment in secondary school level, although altruistic, is not a purely
voluntary function in Gwale Local Government Kano. It requires mandatory safety rules and
programs and an ongoing commitment to them. A sound safety organization that is respected
by all requires the participation and support of laboratory administrators, employees, and
students. The ultimate responsibility for creating a safe laboratory environment and for
encouraging a culture of safety rest with the head of the organization that is principal’s
government secondary schools and its operating units. Leadership by those in charge ensures
that an effective safety program is embraced by all. Even a well conceive safety program will
be treated casually by laboratories workers if it is neglected by top management.
Secondary school students are faced with the problem of introducing inexperienced people to
the culture of laboratory safety. Although some students enroll in knowledge of laboratory
safety practice with good preparation from their teachers, many others bring little or no
experience in the laboratory safety. They must learn to evaluate the wide range of hazard with
the functional safety equipment in laboratories and learn risk management techniques that are
designed to eliminate various potential dangers in Biology laboratories at secondary school.
There should be resolute commitment by the entire faculty to the departmental safety
program to minimize expose to hazardous materials and unsafe work practices in the
laboratory. Teaching safety and safe work practices in the laboratory should be a top priority
for laboratory as they prepare students for careers industrial, governmental, academic, and
health Biology laboratories. By promoting safety during the secondary school level years, the
faculty will have a significant impact not just on their students but also on everyone who will
share future work environments.

(Stephanie,2018), Safety climate measurement: an empirical test of context-specific and

general assessments, which aims to develop and use both general and industry-specific safety
climate measures. Theories about language comprehension suggest that context facilitates
meaning; however, the relative value of context-specific safety climate measures in the
prediction of safety outcomes is an empirical question that has not been rigorously tested. The
purpose of the present study was to provide a rigorous comparison of context-specific vs.
general safety climate measures.
Design: Seven hundred forty-six university laboratory personnel from five different kinds of
research labs (i.e., animal biological, biological, chemical, human subjects/computer, or
mechanical/electrical) completed contextualized safety climate measures, a general safety
climate measure, and measures of other safety-related constructs.
Findings, Measurement equivalence analyses indicated that the general safety climate
measure was not equivalent across the five lab types. Hypothesis testing revealed that
contextualized information was most helpful when included in safety climate measures for
less, rather than more, safety-salient contexts, but overall, there was relatively little difference
in the validities for general and context-specific measures.
Implications, Results suggest that context has a small influence on how individuals respond to
safety climate measures and provide guidance for researchers/practitioners when deciding
between using industry-specific or general safety climate measures. It appears most beneficial
to use industry-specific measures when examining safety climate in a less-safety-salient
context. This study offers one of the first empirical tests of a contextualized safety climate
measure involving a rigorous, unconfounded comparison of five context-specific safety
climate measures with a general measure. Here they is need to organize a safety climate
measure in Nigeria that will focus on safety equipment in biology laboratory in Gwale
educational zone, Kano state.

Lincoln (2016), An Empirical Test of Context-Specific Safety Climate Measurement: A

Comparison of Five Research Laboratory Safety Climate Measures to a General Measure of
Safety Climate Nathanael Keiser, Safety climate researchers include both general and
contextualized items in their safety climate measures. However, the relative value of
including contextualized items in the prediction of safety outcomes is an empirical question
that has not been rigorously tested. Theories about language comprehension and ambiguity
indicate that context facilitates meaning. Additionally, memory theories and corresponding
empirical research indicates that context facilitates recall. By excluding contextual
information, general safety climate measures might provide a comparatively deficient
assessment of the underlying construct as indicated by weaker relationships with various
safety-related constructs (e.g., safety knowledge, injuries, etc.). In the current study, 757
university laboratory personnel completed a contextualized safety climate measure (i.e.,
chemical, biological, animal, or human subjects/office research laboratory), a general safety
climate measure, and measures of a number of other safety-related constructs. In addition,
because some safety climate dimensions appear more conducive to specificity (e.g., safety
equipment & housekeeping, co-worker safety practices, and safety training) than others (e.g.,
management commitment to safety), item level analyses were also conducted. Hypotheses
were tested by contrasting the contextualized vs. the general safety climate correlations with
various safety outcomes. Only the contextualized human subjects/office laboratory measure
was consistently more strongly related to the predictors than the general safety climate
measure. The results suggest that contextualized information might facilitate comprehension
and recall for individuals who work in less (rather than more) safety-salient contexts. Item-
level analyses indicate that contextualization for the rewards safety climate dimension is
particularly helpful. The results of this study provide a rigorous test of contextualized
measure effectiveness; however, further research is warranted to explicitly test the underlying
theory and boundary conditions under which contextual information is beneficial.
Hence, they are needs to organize a similar study in Nigerian that focus on Context-Specific
Safety Climate Measurement in Biology laboratory in Gwale local government educational
zone.

A review and critique of academic lab safety research Nature chemistry (John, 2020).
Over the past ten years, there have been several high-profile accidents in academic
laboratories around the world, resulting in significant injuries and fatalities. The aftermath of
these incidents is often characterized by calls for reflection and re-examination of the
academic discipline’s approach to safety research and policy. However, the study of academic
lab safety is still underdeveloped and necessary data about changes in safety attitudes and
behaviors has not been gathered. This Review article critically examines the state of academic
chemical safety research from a multifactorial stance, including research on the occurrence of
lab accidents, contributors to lab accidents, the state of safety training research and the
cultural barriers to conducting safety research and implementing safer lab practices. The
Review concludes by delineating research questions that must be addressed to minimize
future serious academic laboratory incidents as well as stressing the need for committed
leadership from our research institutions. They is need to organize a similar study in Nigerian
that focus on safety nature Biology laboratory in Gwale educational zone at Kano state.

An assessment of occupational health and safety measures and performance of SMEs: An

empirical investigation. (Ali, 2017).
An empirical study was undertaken to identify the relationship between occupational health
and safety measures (OHSMs) and performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs). Survey data was collected from 35 SMEs located at S.I.T.E. Kotri, Sindh Pakistan,
through questionnaire. Appropriate sampling of the collected data was carried out and
analyzed in two stages using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) software. Initially,
reliability of the data was checked with the help of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which was
0.80; and that reflects good and consistent. Afterward, descriptive statistics (mean and
standard deviation) and then inferential statistics techniques (Pearson correlation and simple
regression) were used. Results revealed a moderate positive correlation among OHSMs and
performance of SMEs. This reflects that OHSMs were not properly carried out which
influenced the performance of SMEs. Therefore; Pakistani SMEs need to pay a serious
attention towards proper implementation of the OHSMs. They is need to organize a similar
study in Nigerian that focus on of occupational health and safety measures and performance
of safety equipment in Biology Laboratory at Gwale educational zone.