Extent of Implementation of Safety Practices in Biology Laboratory Among Senior Secondary School Biology Students

Abstract
The study will investigate the extent of safety practices implementation in biology laboratories in secondary schools Anambra State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted to systematically present factors relevant to the research questions. The population of the study comprised 1345 SS 1 students from 11 government-owned secondary schools, with a sample of 200 students selected using simple random and convenience sampling techniques. Data were collected through a structured close-ended questionnaire, titled “Extent of Safety Practices Implementation in Biology Laboratories Questionnaire (ESPIBLQ)”, consisting of sections for personal information and research-specific inquiries. The instrument’s validity was established through face and content validation, while reliability was confirmed via Cronbach Alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.90. The questionnaires will be administered to students, and data will be analyzed using frequency percentage and mean/standard deviation. A mean score of 2.5 and above will denote high implementation, while below 2.5 indicates low implementation of safety practices. The findings revealed that while essential safety equipment like safety goggles, lab coats, and fire extinguishers are generally available, critical resources such as emergency showers and chemical spill kits are lacking. Moreover, the study identified significant gaps in the implementation of safety practices, particularly in areas like regular safety inspections, waste disposal, and adherence to safety protocols. The study also highlighted key challenges impeding effective safety practices, including inadequate funding, insufficient training, limited awareness, and poor infrastructure. Based on these findings, recommendations were made.