Safety First

The Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair

Science-Technology-Engineering-Math

Inquiry-Based Learning at it's Best!

Welcome to the Fair

SAFETY Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 ANNOUNCEMENT

SEE HOME PAGE FOR CURRENT INFORMATION AND DEADLINES

FOR 2020 ALL PROJECTS WILL BE SUBMITTED VIA THE E-FAIR OPTION

FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS,

THERE WILL BE NO PROJECTS THIS YEAR AT QUEENY PARK

SCAN AND SUBMIT SIGNED SAFETY FORM WITH YOUR UPLOADED LOGBOOK - SEE "HOW TO VIDEO" ON HOME PAGE

First and Foremost

The parent or teacher supervising should use his or her best judgment to ensure the safety of the student and any subjects (human or other animals). Also, to ensure the safety of visitors to the Fair, students should include photographs on projects, rather than displaying breakable, valuable or potentially harmful objects--including chemicals and any kind of food.

IMPORTANT:

Parents and teachers assume responsibility
for the safety of the student and any test subjects involved in the project

Students should complete the safety form and attach it to the inside cover of their log book. Students should also provide detailed descriptions on how they followed the safety guidelines in their log book.

C LICK HERE TO PRINT OUT SAFETY FORM - REQUIRED FOR EVERY PROJECT (worth 10 points)

Summary of Required Safety Forms

ALL Projects (worth 10 points!) need 2020 AOS Safety Form

AS OF MARCH 10, 2020, Projects in all grades that involve fire, hazardous materials or bacteria will not be allowed.

Projects that involve human studies need 2020 Consent Form for Human Studies.

Guidelines

Animals: no animal (this includes invertebrates) should be harmed or caused pain.

Recording: all safety procedures need to be recorded in your log book.

Signed Safety Form: a signed safety form must be included on the inside cover of your logbook. (Please fold the form over to conceal your identity during judging)

Gloves: safety gloves should be used for any testing with food or chemicals.

Eye Protection: Safety glasses should be used for any experiments with chemicals or if any kind of splash may come in contact with your eyes

Allergies: Remember human subjects may be allergic to different substances. Always ask about allergies. Human subjects under 18 need signed 2020 CONSENT FORM FOR HUMAN STUDIES to participate.

Fire: AS OF 3.10.20, Projects will not be allowed that involve fire or burning objects.

Humans: No experiments should be done on humans that can cause any potential harm to the human. Exceptions include observational type studies such as thinking type exercises, etc. Bottom line…it is ok as long as there is no possible way that any person can be harmed. Note: you need written parental permission for students to be involved in any experiments including taste testing. 2020 CONSENT FORM FOR HUMAN STUDIES.

Bacteria: AS OF 3.20.20. Due to the potential for inhaling or coming in contact with harmful bacteria, projects involving bacteria will not be allowed.

Other:
Guns: No experiments will be allowed using firearms. No guns or firearms of any kind. No nerf guns or nerf bow and arrows. No slingshots.
Drugs: Experiments using prescription drugs, illegal drugs or alcohol will NOT be allowed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I….

mask Q. Explore the effect on mold on bread?
A. Use gloves and a mask…some may be allergic so be careful. Project needs adult supervision and containment. These projects need to be completed in school with permission of teacher and principal.

Q. Use household chemicals in my experiment?
A. You may use household chemicals as long as all safety procedures on the chemical packaging are followed. Adult supervision should be given.

Q. Have people eat or drink (taste test) different food or beverage?
A. Yes, but you should ask about all allergies. A permission form from each student’s parents must be signed before any taste testing is done. These permission forms should be included in the final project. 2020 Consent Form For Human Studies.

dog Q. Have animals eat or drink different kinds of dog food in various amounts?
A. Yes, but animals should not be harmed in any way and you need written permission from your parent/guardian before experimentation. Parent/guardian supervision is required for all animal experimentation.

Q. Is it ok to have people hit a ball with a bat for various tests?
A. Yes, however, you need a 2020 Consent Form for Human Studies from the parent/guardian and constant supervision by an adult. To prevent injury, the area must be clear from other humans. Participants need to wear a helmet.

Sample

Here is a suggestion on how a safe project concerning toothpaste might be designed and included in logbook as safety precautions:
A permission slip needs to be signed by an adult. New toothbrushes need to be used for each person. Only apply toothpaste to new toothbrushes. Wear gloves. No toothbrush can be reused. Toothbrushes need to be disposed of in trash bag, seal the bag and disposed of in a trash can.

Questions

If you have questions, contact your school science teacher.
If you need further assistance, contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Fair Director, Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair 314-533-8291
peggyn (at) academyofsciencestl.org