School Safety: Science Fair Rewards and Risks

While science projects are great way to learn through experimentation, they also can be hazardous to your health.  Everyone involved must be aware of the risks to which our children are exposed and contingencies must be in place to medically treat any child who is injured. As teachers and parents that is our job. So let’s look briefly at what we can expect when a child becomes involved in a science fair project.

First area of liability is project selected and supervision required. What can go wrong that a parent need be concerned? What risks does your child’s experiment pose to them and other people? Remember most science fairs are open to the general public. How much supervision will this experiment require? Who should be supervising? When can the student safely work alone? These are all legitimate questions parents should discuss together and with their child. While learning is fun it can be dangerous and those risks may pose liability risks to the parents. Every parent should be aware of this and should have some form of liability insurance covering these risks. Most homeowners’ insurance policies cover this risk. Parents living in apartments should check to see if they have renters insurance that covers the risks associated with science experiments.

If parents are involved in the selection process and stay involved as supervisors there should be little chance of something going very wrong. The key is to be and to stay involved.

Liability Release Forms: What liability release forms can a parent expect to be asked to sign? What projects are safe is not always easy to think up. Interesting enough there are web sites that offer assistance in selection and providing supplies to create that great science project. Like anything in life that can cause injury to people these companies disclaim legal responsibility for risks to your child student. One site is Crystal Clear Science Fair Projects. At the bottom of the first page you’ll find the disclaimer.

It reads:

Disclaimer: While the science project experiments on this Web site are generally considered safe and a low hazard, please use care when performing any science experiment. Adult supervision of kids is always recommended. We expressly disclaim all liability for any occurrence, including, but not limited to, damage, injury or death which might arise from the use of any project or experiment here. You assume all liability and please use these projects at your own risk.

Students under 18, always make sure to have your parent's and/or guardian's permission to use a credit card.

The link to disclaimer you’ll find the following language.

Disclaimer

This site is designed to provide the best tools needed to create science fair projects and we take our mission very seriously. We take care to provide you with practical, reliable information. However, please make sure that you do your own 'due diligence' when researching or performing any science fair project.

The material at Crystal Clear Science Fair Projects is provided for informational, educational, noncommercial, and personal purposes only and does not necessarily constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any company or product. Crystal Clear Science Fair Projects does not make any representations and specifically disclaims all warranties, express, implied or statutory, regarding the completeness, timeliness, accuracy or fitness for any particular purpose of the material contained in this site. Please seek the advice of an appropriate professional should you need professional advice regarding your particular situation.

While the science project experiments on this Web site are generally considered safe and a low hazard, please use care when performing any science experiment. Adult supervision of kids is always recommended. We expressly disclaim all liability for any occurrence, including, but not limited to, damage, injury or death which might arise from the use of any project or experiment here. You assume all liability and please use these projects at your own risk.

Students under 18, always make sure to have your parent's and/or guardian's permission to use a credit card.

Medical Treatment Forms: Most science fairs today will require the parent to sign a release of liability and medical forms.  I found an example online for Cherokee Nation’s science fair.             

STUDENT AND PARENT

RELEASE FORM

Due by 5:00 pm on December 14^th 2007

 

PARENT(S) AND/OR GUARDIAN(S) MUST SIGN THIS FORM. IF THIS FORM IS NOT SIGNED BY BOTH STUDENT AND PARENT/GUARDIAN, STUDENT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN FAIR. 

LIABILITY FOR EXHIBITS

Every effort will be made to protect your exhibit. However, since the Science Fair Exhibition will be open to the public, Cherokee Nation cannot and will not accept any liability or responsibility of any nature for any theft of, or loss of, or damage to any exhibit or any other property of any exhibitor. Accordingly, it is recommended that each exhibitor take prudent precautions to prevent any theft, loss or damage to his/her exhibit and/or other property. Each exhibitor should secure and guard his/her exhibit and/or other property at all times during the Exhibition, and remove all valuable components, especially those which are easily portable, when the exhibit and/or property is left unguarded by the exhibitor. Computers should be secured with cables at all times by the exhibitor.

I have read the above paragraph, and understand and accept that Cherokee Nation cannot and will not accept any liability or responsibility for theft or damage to my exhibit. The Cherokee Nation Annual Science & Engineering Fair is a prestigious and newsworthy event. 

Cherokee Nation or businesses sponsoring awards at the Fair may want to publicize their involvement in such an important science competition by using photographs or information about you. Your cooperation may make it possible for other promising young students to get involved in science.

Cherokee Nation has my permission to use appropriate information about my child for publicity purposes. This includes any photographs, videos, or likeness(es) that may be used by Cherokee Nation, or the sponsors of awards for the purpose of illustrations, advertising or publication in any manner. I also consent to the use of my child’s name in connection therewith.

________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature       Date

________________________________

Participant Signature               Date 

This is all fairly typical for science fair project activities. New Haven’s Science Fair for 2008 provides similar releasing language. It releases the New Haven Public Schools and other partners of the New Haven Science Fair Program from any liability for loss or damage to projects during the setup, judging and exhibition period of the Science Fair. Whether courts will enforce this type of Release will depend largely on the law of your state.