The NSTA position Statement is a nice reference:
https://www.nsta.org/about/positions/liability.aspx
"Science classes should have no more than 24 students to allow for adequate supervision during science activities, even if the occupancy load limit might accommodate more (NSTA 2014b). It is equally important to ensure adequate workspace
for each student. NSTA recommends 60 sq. ft. for each secondary student and 45 sq. ft. for each elementary student in a laboratory/classroom setting (Motz, Biehle, and West 2007)."
And the NSTA Safety Advisory Board paper on "Overcrowding in the Instructional Space" has some nice references at the end of the document.
https://static.nsta.org/pdfs/OvercrowdingInTheInstructionalSpace.pdf
Best,
Christina
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
On Behalf Of Derek Birkmire
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2020 12:55 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] High School Lab Class Enrollment Limits
Hi! First time poster. I think OSHA defers to NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) on this. I think they say 50 square feet net per student for teaching laboratories. I will try and find and send out the original document I found
stating that.
Aloha,
Derek
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
On Behalf Of Smiley, Cathy
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2020 3:54 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] High School Lab Class Enrollment Limits
The available bench space is for 24 students. The total square footage in the lab area is 522 sq ft. The whole classroom is 1200 square feet with students seating and lab area.
Cathy,
I was looking into lab occupancy guidance just yesterday. The most iron-clad reason would be if your local fire code dictated that limit. If that's not
feasible, could you provide the square footage and the amount of available bench space?
Sincerely,
Jack Reidy (he/him)
Research Safety Specialist
Environmental Health & Safety
Stanford University
484 Oak Road, Stanford, CA, 94305
Tel: (650) 497-7614
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
On Behalf Of Smiley, Cathy
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2020 1:08 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] High School Lab Class Enrollment Limits
My colleague and I are the Chemical Hygiene Officers in our school. We currently only allow 24 students in any lab based science class. We are being asked to justify this enrollment
limit. Our current lab space accommodates 24 students.
Does anyone have any resource guidelines that state we cannot go beyond this capacity?
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