A Study on Status Laboratory Safety and Improvement According to the Safety Consciousness Survey of University Students in Korea

In laboratories, researchers frequently work using new methods with new tools and materials. So the workers in laboratories are exposed to risk from dangerous articles all the time. In the case of university laboratories, testing is done by the individual at night. Because of that, the risks in university laboratories are higher than in other places. In addition, students and managers in universities generally have little concern for laboratory safety. So students are sometimes injured or killed in laboratory accidents. In this study, 1,000 university students answered questions about university laboratory safety. Their answers have been analyzed to determine the state of actual conditions and to formulate countermeasures. The results indicate that we need to change the safety awareness of the universities and the students. Adequate safety training and safe practice must be implemented by each university to decrease accidents. Development of systematic safety training program suited to the specific conditions of the individual laboratory and formulation of specific counter plans should accidents occur are required.