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Posted By Laurie
Does anybody know of specific legislation restricting the number of students allowed in a Science Lab (FE College)? Obviously the Fire Regs and Welfare Regs apply to a degree, but I have a lecturer who insists that there is a specific figure for teaching laboratories.
My own recommendation is a properly carried out risk assessment having regard to the experiment being carried out and the level of knowledge of the students involved will ascertain a safe figure, but he insists that there is a statutory floor space:student ratio.
Would appreciate any help or guidance.
Laurie Richards
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Posted By Ed Carter
Laurie,
Your colleague may be thinking of the suggested guidelines originating from design notes No's 33,37 from the Dept. of Education & Science Architecs & Building Group (possibly now defunct) These suggest working space of 2.5m squared per student and, at Annex D of note 37, a list of areas per student for a variety of room types. Labs, both science and Tech suggest 3.0m squared.
whilst Note 33 suggests 3.0m-4.6m for non advanced labs.
These are the documents most of our staff tend to quote.
If you send me your E-M address I'll try and send you the bits I have.
Hope it this helps,
Ed
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Posted By Bob Howden
Somewhere (?) there is also a recommended teacher/student ratio, irrespective of the size of the lab.
I suspect this will have more influence on the numbers, unless the lab is the size of a broom cupboard. {:>)
Regards
Bob Howden
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Posted By Laurie
Thanks for the responses waiting when I returned from holiday.
It is really as I suspected - while there are various recommendations, there is no actual H&S legislation
Laurie
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Posted By Ken Taylor
Design Notes 33 and 37 are no longer listed by the DfEE but Building Bulletins 80, 81 and 82 are (Science, DT accommodation and area guidelines) but these are related to schools and only guidance.
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