INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Biology is a science that is concerned with life processes. The study of biology is mainly accomplished through practical activities usually performed in well equipped biology laboratories. The biology laboratory is a room or a building in a school or college where the practical side of biology is taught. It is usually a place set aside for conducting practical activities in biology .The central role of biology laboratory as identified by Voss (2012) is to provide illustration of some basic principles and to teach the students the applications of the principles so acquired. A well equipped biology laboratory enables students to develop good judgments, self reliance, critical thinking, technical personal contact with apparatus and materials present in the laboratories under the direction\supervision of the teacher.

A biology laboratory needs to be well organized so that a climate for investigating scientific concepts will exist such a climate ensures that the laboratory is safe for those using it. Since laboratory environment is meant for man to handle, accidents and injuries are bound to occur. Therefore the teacher in biology laboratory is responsibly committed to teaching his students on how to handle chemicals and materials, so as to bring about good results in a safe manner of preserving life. In this regard, Byrd (2004) posited that most of the accidents and injuries that occur in secondary schools biology mainly result from inadequate knowledge of safety rules, insufficient skill by the laboratory workers and carelessness .

The students when using the laboratory have the obligation to help themselves and others; the teachers on their own part have to inculcate safety knowledge and practices into their student so they can develop a philosophy of safety that emphasizes positive rather than negative habits.  

According to the advance learner dictionary, safety is freedom from danger or risk. The importance of safety measures in biology laboratories is very necessary for both students and teachers to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of laboratory hazards. In this regard, Osborne (2012) maintained that most laboratory hazards can be reduced to minimum occurrence by good value, careful manipulation of laboratory apparatus, adequate supervision and the knowledge of the safety practices and their applications. It is obvious that anyone who is not safety conscious stands the greatest risk of turning a minor hazard into an accident which may be fatal. Also, there is need for safety facilities like fume, eye goggles, fire extinguishers, sink, lab coat, waste containers and first aid boxes to be provided in the biology laboratory as their absence may create health hazard. Though it is not enough to provide these safety equipment, supervision of the students during laboratory activities is also necessary.

Appropriate safety practices in biology laboratories in secondary schools can reduce the rate of accidents and guarantee safety of the students in the laboratories. A standard biology laboratory should have certain specified rules and regulations as well as safety materials and equipment presented to the students before allowing them to work in the laboratory and their implementation should be ensured.

These safety rules are guidelines designed to help keep both the students and the instructors’ safe when experimenting. Some equipment and chemicals in a biology laboratory can cause serious harm. It is always wise to follow all laboratory safety rules which are a sample of the most basic rules that should be followed when in biology laboratory,