Safety and ethical considerations

Science programmes and activities should not put students in situations where their health or safety is at risk.

Health and safety within schools

In planning and implementing their curricula, science teachers are required to take account of the appropriate Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations, the 1996 Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act (including the Exempt Laboratory Regulations 2001). They must also consider animal ethics, and human ethics when engaging in research or projects that involve people.

Learn more:

• Code of Ethical Conduct for the Use of Animals in research and teaching in schools, developed by the New Zealand Association of Science Educators.
• Ethical Practice When Doing Research: Guidelines for Students and their Supervising Teachers – Guidelines for the use of humans in experiments and research, developed by the New Zealand Association of Science Educators.
• Ministry of Education (2000). Safety and Science: Revised Edition: A Guidance Manual for New Zealand Schools. Wellington: Learning Media. Disclaimer: Safety and Science was first published in 1997, revised in 2000. It should be consulted in conjunction with other safety guidelines and Codes of Practice for School Laboratories.  This manual will be reviewed and updated in the near future. Meanwhile, Learning Media has given permission for the 2000 version of the document to be scanned and made available on the STANZ website.
• STANZ – Health and safety 

Reminder – Code of practice for school exempt laboratories guidelines

December 2017
Hazardous Substances Regulations came into effect on 1 December 2017.
For school laboratories, we are working with WorkSafe to develop guidance and compliance documents to replace the Code of Practice for School Exempt Laboratories. Until they are released. The Ministry of Education and WorkSafe suggest schools continue to use the Code of Practice for school exempt , as well as the Ministry's other guidance to the Code, (which outlines your responsibilities as a board) as their guidance documents for hazardous substance management.
We are also working with a number of education sector organisations to ensure that schools and their boards are supported in complying with the regulations.
Where can I find out more information?

• New Zealand Association of Science Educators
• WorkSafe New Zealand
• Science Technician’s Association of New Zealand
• Guide to the code of practice for school exempt laboratories [PDF, 1.7 MB]

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Education outside the classroom

Schools are required to have policies and protocols to ensure that off-site activities, such as field trips in their local community and the wider community, and industry visits, are properly planned and supervised.

Learn more:

• The Ministry of Education’s EOTC Guidelines clarifies schools’ responsibilities regarding curriculum-based education outside the classroom (EOTC) and provides guidance on how they can meet legal requirements and enhance learning and safety.

Last updated November 9, 2021

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