CONSEF Safety

Use the following guidelines to ensure project safety compliance. Please review the Endorsement Flowchart before starting your project.

SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR EXPERIMENTS AND DESIGN PROJECTS

• Projects involving firearms and explosives are not accepted.

• Drones may be used in a project provided the use complies with all Federal, State, and community rules, regulations, and ordinances. In addition, the use of a drone for a science project may not infringe on anyone’s privacy or airspace.

• Any project involving non-human vertebrate animals, pathogenic agents, controlled substances, recombinant DNA, bacteria and fungi, human or non-human vertebrate animal tissue, laser (except the lowest class laser), UV light, X-ray, radioactive materials, or high-intensity radio waves requires prior SRC approval. All required forms must be submitted before the experimentation.

• If your project involves bacteria and fungi, recombinant DNA, human and non-human animal tissue, pathogenic agents, controlled substances, laser (except the lowest class laser), U-V light, X-ray, radioactive materials or high intensity radio waves, you are required to do your research/experiment under the constant supervision of a qualified scientist in a university, a medical or research facility, an industrial institution or in a school laboratory.

• If your project involves non-human vertebrate animals, you are required to do your research/experiment under the constant supervision of a qualified scientist in a university, a medical or research facility, an industrial institution, in a school laboratory, field, or at home.

SRC APPROVALS

When planning to experiment with bacteria and fungi, recombinant DNA, human and non-human animal tissue, pathogenic agents, controlled substances, or non-human vertebrate animals, laser (except the lowest class laser), UV light, X-ray, radioactive materials, or high intensity radio waves, follow one of two pathways to get SRC approval. Please click to see the Endorsement Flowchart.

OPTION 1

Work with a qualified scientist in a university, a medical or research facility, or an industrial institution, and get approval from their Science Review Committee.

Submit:

• Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form (1C)

• Qualified Scientist Form (2)

• Designated Supervisor Form (3)

• SRC/IRB Approval Form (7)

If your project involves:

• Non-human vertebrate animals; Submit Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Form (5) additionally

• Human and non-human vertebrate animal tissue; Human and Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Tissue Form (6) additionally

OPTION 2

Work with a qualified scientist in a school laboratory and apply to the CONSEF Science Review Committee. Fill out the student application form along with the required endorsement forms and submit them for our team to review. You should hear by phone or e-mail from CONSEF within one week of submitting your forms. If not, please contact us at info@consef.org.

Submit:

• Qualified Scientist Form (2)
• Designated Supervisor Form (3)

If your project involves:

• Non-human vertebrate animals; Submit Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Form (5) additionally (Experimenting with the Non-human vertebrate animals can also be handled at home under the same circumstances described above)

• Human and non-human vertebrate animal tissue; Human and Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Tissue Form (6) additionally

Submitting these forms does not guarantee the project’s qualification.

FIRE AND RADIATION SAFETY

• Students using radiation sources (laser, UV light, X-ray, microwaves, or high-intensity radio waves) should be adequately shielded from such sources.

• Many experiments using these sources should not be undertaken unless under the constant supervision of a qualified scientist with the equipment and hazards involved.

• No student may work with any radioactive materials unless the work is conducted in a licensed laboratory under the direct supervision of a licensed individual.

USE AND CARE OF NON-HUMAN VERTEBRATES

• Experiments using vertebrates must be conducted with respect for life and an appreciation of humane considerations.

• The student and the sponsor are responsible for ensuring that all animals receive proper care in well-ventilated, well-lit locations, with proper nutrition, appropriate temperature, adequate water, and sanitary surroundings. Care must be taken to see that the organisms are properly cared for during weekends and vacation periods.

• No changes may be made in an organism’s environment that could result in undue stress, injury, or death to the animal without prior approval.

• No vertebrates can be used as the independent or dependent variables in an experiment that could result in undue stress, injury, or death to the animal.

• No intrusive or pain-producing techniques may be used. These prohibited techniques include, but are not limited to:

  • Surgery

  • Injections

  • Taking blood

  • Burning

  • Electrical stimulation

  • Giving of over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol to measure their effect

• For maze running and other learning or conditioning activities, food or water cannot be withheld for more than 24 hours. If the animal has a high metabolic rate, food or water cannot be withheld for a period that would cause undue stress.

USE AND CARE OF MICROORGANISMS

• All microorganism experimentation must be conducted in a laboratory setting, such as a science laboratory or professional research facility.

• Experiments with microorganisms, except for Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Baker’s yeast), may not be done at home.

• Any projects involving mold growth or the rotting of organic material must be conducted in a science laboratory or a professional research facility.

• It is the sole responsibility of all teachers/sponsors to teach students proper safety methods and aseptic techniques.

• Students should wear safety goggles, gloves, and wash their hands after each experiment.

• Projects involving viruses and recombinant DNA should be conducted with the assistance of a professional and comply with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines, unless the project is limited to a kit obtained from a legitimate supply house.

• All cultures must be destroyed by methods such as autoclaving or with a suitable NaOCl (bleach) solution before disposal.

USE AND CARE OF HUMANS AS TEST SUBJECTS

• Any project involving human subjects requires IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval before experimentation. The IRB consists of at least one medical professional, one science teacher, and one school administrator.

• The participants must fill out the Human Subject Form (4) for each human tested and submit it to the IRB chair for approval.

• The IRB Approval Form (7) must be submitted through the online application form – reg.consef.org.

If using humans as test subjects, the following rules must be observed:

• Humans must not be subjected to treatments that are considered hazardous and/or that could result in undue stress, injury, or death to the subject.

• Quantities of food and non-alcoholic beverages are limited to normal serving amounts or less and must be consumed in a reasonable amount of time.

• Normal serving amounts must be substantiated with reliable documentation, such as a food label. This documentation must be attached to the Humans as Test Subjects Endorsement form.

• No project may use over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol in order to measure their effect on a person.