Year 7 Scientists Investigate: Lab Safety Crime Scene

At the start of their Science journey at Epsom, our new Year 7 students were thrown straight into a mystery. When they arrived for their very first practical session, they discovered that our usually reliable lab assistant, Steve, had made a complete mess of the laboratory. Instead of finding a clean and organised classroom, they were greeted with a crime scene full of broken safety rules.

Around the room, Steve had managed to break almost every rule in the Science safety handbook. There was a fizzy drink poured into a laboratory beaker, a bag dumped in the middle of the floor where someone could easily trip, and a Bunsen burner left burning with no one attending to it. On one bench, chemical spills had been left to spread, while on another, glassware had been stacked so precariously that it looked ready to topple at any moment. To make matters worse, Steve wasn’t even wearing safety goggles, had his coat and belongings all over the benches, and had left the gas taps running.

The students were tasked with becoming science detectives, moving around the laboratory in groups to collect evidence. Their challenge was to observe each of Steve’s “mistakes” and explain not just what rule had been broken, but also why that rule exists. The discussions that followed were thoughtful and insightful. Year 7 quickly identified that unattended flames and open gas taps are a fire hazard, that drinking from beakers could lead to dangerous chemical ingestion, and that bags and coats left in the way could cause someone to trip while carrying fragile or hazardous equipment.

There was plenty of laughter as the students pieced together Steve’s catalogue of errors, but beneath the humour lay an important message: science can only be done properly when it is done safely. By exploring the “crime scene,” the students not only learned the safety rules but also the reasoning behind them, which helps those rules feel relevant and memorable.

One student summed it up neatly: “It was like being detectives. It was fun spotting Steve’s mistakes, but it also made me think about why we can’t just do what we want in the lab.” Another added: “Now I know the rules aren’t just rules – they actually protect us.”

This memorable introduction to lab safety has given Year 7 an excellent foundation for the practical science work they will be carrying out throughout the year. With their sharp eyes, strong teamwork, and growing understanding of responsibility in the lab, they are well prepared to explore the exciting experiments and investigations that lie ahead.

Mrs Ellen Crann
Head of KS3 Science & Teacher of Biology