Determining University Students’ Familiarity and Understanding of Laboratory Safety Knowledge—A Case Study

This work investigates students’ familiarity and understanding of laboratory safety knowledge among students in the College of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering at Tianjin University of Technology. A total of 1301 undergraduates and graduates participated in a survey of students’ safety knowledge. The questionnaire covered the GHS pictograms, common hazardous chemicals, and basic laboratory safety practices and emergency responses. The results showed that students confused the oxidizer pictogram with the flammable pictogram and that they had lower correct response rates for the typical properties of chemicals as well as deficiencies in emergency response knowledge. In addition, postgraduates and students with higher expected safety knowledge also demonstrated deficiencies in laboratory safety knowledge. Strategies for improving students’ laboratory safety learning outcomes include testing of safety knowledge and popularization of GHS classification and pictograms at all levels of safety education. Furthermore, safety education should be integrated into university courses to make safety a priority.