Results of the Survey on Laboratory Accidents in Secondary Schools in 2011/2012 School Year

2011/2012學年中學實驗室意外調查結果

2011/2012學年中學實驗室意外調查報告
Report of the Survey on Laboratory Accidentsin Secondary Schools for the 2011/2012 School Year

2011/2012學年的調查共有401所中學回應，其中285所學校(71%)申報並無發生任何實驗室意外。
申報的意外總數為348宗，當中共324名學生和4名教職員受傷。
大部分的損傷甚為輕微，而絕大多數(97%)意外都是由於學生不小心所引致的。
A total of 401 secondary schools responded to the survey for the 2011/2012 school year, in which 285 (71%) reported that there were no laboratory accident cases.
A totalnumber of 348 accident cases was reported, while 324 students and 4 staffs were injured.
Most of the injuries were minor. The great majority of the cases (97%) were due to carelessness of students.


(a) 割傷： 大多數意外涉及被玻璃儀器（例如試管、玻璃管）的碎片及工具（例如解剖儀器、切刀）輕微割傷，而割傷的部分集中在手指和手掌。此類意外有49%發生在科學(中一至中三)課堂及32%發生在生物課堂。
    Cuts: Most cases involved small cuts caused by broken glass apparatus (e.g. test tubes, glass tubing) and tools (e.g. dissection instruments, blade). Injuries were mostly found on fingers and palms. About 49% of the cases under this category occurred in Science (S1-3) lessons and 32% in Biology lessons.

(b) 灼傷或燙傷： 大多數意外主要是由不小心處理熱的物件（例如三腳架、鐵絲網、本生燈、玻璃器皿等）、熱的液體或本生燈焰引致的。此類意外有64%發生在科學(中一至中三)課堂及29%發生在化學課堂。大部分意外都只是輕微灼傷手部。
Heat burns or scalds: Most cases were mainly caused by carelessness in handling hot objects (e.g. tripods, wire gauze, Bunsen burners, glassware, etc.), hot liquids or Bunsen flame. About 64% of the cases under this category occurred in Science (S1-3) lessons and 29% in Chemistry lessons. Slight heat burns on hands were most common.

(c) 眼部意外： 所有個案均屬輕微意外。很多個案是由於化學液體濺向眼睛導致的，一般引起眼部輕微刺痛或不適。最常涉及的化學品是硫酸銅(II)溶液、稀酸和鹼。其中一宗個案涉及學生在實驗後除下安全眼鏡清洗玻璃器皿時被化學液體濺向眼睛。
Eye accidents: All cases were minor ones. Many cases involved splash of liquid chemicals onto the eyes, giving rise to slight irritation or discomfort. The chemicals commonly involved were copper(II) sulphate solution, dilute acids and alkalis. One case involved splash of chemicals onto a student’s eyes when he/she washed the glassware without wearing safety spectacles after the experiment.

(d) 化學品接觸皮膚： 很多個案是在傾倒、混合或加熱化學品時，化學品溢瀉而發生的，最常涉及的化學品是濃硫酸和稀酸。其中一宗個案涉及學生錯誤地將濃硫酸傾倒至裝有鹼的化學廢料瓶時被化學品濺到皮膚；另一宗個案涉及實驗室技術員在利用化學反應製備氧氣時，手部及面部被化學品濺到。
Chemicals on skin: Many cases involved spillage of chemicals during transfer, mixing or heating of chemical liquids. Concentrated sulphuric acid and dilute acids were the most common chemicals involved. In one case, chemicals splashed on a student when he/she erroneously poured concentrated sulphuric acid into a waste bottle containing alkalis. In another case, chemicals splashed on a laboratory technician’s hands and face when preparing oxygen gas from a chemical reaction.

(e) 化學品溢瀉： 所有個案均屬輕微意外。大部分個案是在傾倒或加熱化學品時發生的小規模溢瀉。有一個案涉及學生拿起試劑瓶時僅手執瓶塞而導致試劑瓶跌下，並溢出化學品；另外，亦有個案涉及進行原油分餾實驗時原油溢瀉。
Chemicals spillage: All cases were minor ones. Most cases involved small-scale spillage of chemicals during transfer or heating. In one case, a student picked up a reagent bottle by the stopper only and then accidentally dropped the bottle and spilled the chemical. Besides, cases of spillage of the crude oil in a fractional distillation experiment were reported.

(f) 燃著物品： 只有一宗申報個案。個案中一名學生不適當地將餘燼的鎂條棄置於垃圾桶而引起小火。個案中無人受傷。
Substances catching fire: Only one case was reported in which a student inappropriately discarded a burnt magnesium strip with glowing end into a rubbish bin, leading to a fire.

No injury was reported.
(g) 吸入氣體引致不適： 只有一宗申報個案。個案中一名學生在實驗桌上將氫氯酸和硫化鐵(II)混合產生硫化氫氣體，個案中有部分學生感到不適，但無人受傷。這實驗應在煙廚內進行。
Discomfort arising from inhalation of gases: Only one case was reported in which a student mixed hydrochloric acid with iron(II) sulphide on a bench, leading to the production of hydrogen sulphide gas. No injury was reported though some students reported feeling discomfort. This experiment should be carried out in a fume cupboard.

(h) 動物咬傷： 沒有此類意外的申報個案。
Bites by animals: No case under this category was reported.

(i) 其他： 所有納入此類別申報的個案均屬輕微意外。有一宗個案是因為地面濕滑而導致一名學生滑倒，並撞落另一名學生的眼鏡及令其輕微受傷。
Others: All reported cases under this category were very minor ones. In a case, a student slipped on the wet floor, and hit the glasses of another student, resulting in a minor injury.


(a) 每1,000名學生計的意外率： 按學校於2011/2012學年申報修讀科學科的中一至中七學生總數為293,631人，以及發生意外總數為348宗計算；即意外率為每1,000名修讀科學科的學生有1.1宗。
與2008/2009學年的調查結果比較(每1,000名學生計的意外率1.49宗)，意外率下降了20%。
Accident rate per 1,000 students: The schools reported that in the 2011/2012 school year, there were 348 accidents cases and a total of 293,631 students (S1-7) studied science courses. This corresponded to an accident rate of 1.19 cases per 1,000 students studying science courses,
i.e. a 20% decrease when compared with the rate of 1.49 from the survey for the 2008/2009 school year.

(b) 每10,000節實驗課計的意外率： 按學校於2011/2012學年申報共進行了966,811節實驗課，當中包括學生實驗、教師示範、實驗預備工作、專題研習和科學學會活動等；即意外率為每10,000節實驗課有3.60宗。
與2008/2009學年的調查結果比較(每10,000節實驗課計的意外率3.88宗)，意外率下降了7%。
Accident rate per 10,000 practical periods: The schools reported that in the 2011/2012 school year, a total of 966,811 periods were conducted with science practical activities, including student experiments, teacher demonstrations, preparation/try-out of experiments, project work and science club activities. This corresponded to an accident rate of 3.60 cases per 10,000 practical periods,
i.e. a 7% decrease when compared with the rate 3.88 from the survey for the 2008/2009 school year.



教育局通函第55/2013號 2011/2012學年中學實驗室意外調查結果
由1995/1996學年起，本局進行了多次中學實驗室意外調查，作為監察中學科學實驗室安全水平的其中一個途徑。
自2002/2003學年起，是項調查定為每三年進行一次。
調查結果會分發予各校參考，讓學校得悉有關常見實驗室意外的最新資料，從而採取預防措施。
本報告概述2011/2012學年的調查結果。

Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 55/2013  Results of the Survey on Laboratory Accidents in Secondary Schools in 2011/2012 School Year
As one of the ways to monitor the standard of safety in school science laboratories, survey of laboratory accidents occurring at schools were conducted since the 1995/1996 school year. From the 2002/2003 school year onwards, the survey has been conducted on a triennial basis.
The findings from the survey are disseminated to all secondary schools to provide updated information on common laboratory accidents, so that preventative measures can be taken.
This report presents findings of the survey for the 2011/2012 school year.