CLEAPSS Supporting practical science and technology
Welcome to the new CLEAPSS Science Website
What is CLEAPSS
CLEAPSS resources give teachers ideas for exciting and engaging practical activities that fire pupils' imaginations and then, unlike many other sources of ideas, go on to show teachers and technicians in detail how to translate the ideas into safe and exciting experiences in the classroom.
CLEAPSS advice and documentation is recognised by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Education.. (read more)
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CLEAPSS online training - Health & Safety for Science Technicians
This FREE unmediated self-study course consisting of 4 video presentations interspersed with DIY tasks.  

For further details please click here

After completing the course you may wish to sign up to our follow-on live online H&S course.
Supply of chemicals - New Regulations

The regulations for supplying explosives precursors and poisons was updated on 27th September 2023 and came into force on 1st October. These put in place new requirements on the supply of certain chemicals which include the following commonly used in schools:

Explosives precursors: acetone, aluminium powders, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sulfur and sulfuric acid.

Poisons: ammonia, phenols, sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrite and sodium hypochlorite solutions. 

The regulations state that businesses and professional users should be verified by the supplier every time a new purchase is made of these regulated chemicals. 

 Where they are being supplied frequently or on a routine basis to the same professional user or business, verification should occur every 18 months or whenever there is a change or deviation from normal purchasing patterns. This is something suppliers can choose to do, but given schools don’t generally make frequent purchases of these chemicals, it is likely that the information will be required for each order.

The person making the sale (the supplier) must obtain the following from the business customer (i.e. the school):

<!--the business customer’s name and address. If the business customer is not an individual, the name of an individual who is authorised on behalf of the business customer should be recorded;

<!--a form of photographic identification of the business customer or, if the business customer is not an individual, of the individual making the purchase; this could be a school photo ID card

<!--a statement of the nature of the business customer’s trade, business or profession, or of the public function that the business customer performs; and the business customer’s VAT registration number, if the business customer has such a number

Your school will have to decide who is authorised on behalf of the business to make the purchase (the name on the order must match the individual). For schools it is most likely to be a technician, head of science or finance manager.

There is no licence which applies to these regulations, so there is nothing schools will need to apply for.

This information should be provided when requested by the company making the sale, there is no need to provide it in advance.

Further details including a list of the regulated substances and concentration thresholds can be found in the Explosives precursors and poisons: general guidance on the government website  

New edition of CLEAPSS guide GL016
We have just updated CLEAPSS Guide GL016 - Technical justification showing how L93 risk assessments meet the suitable and sufficient requirements of the Approved Code of Practice L121.

This revised version contains an additional table in Appendix 1 - that lists the dose rates at a range of distances for all the sources currently listed in L093.

The HSE have indicated that they will expect the RPS (schools) to have a copy this version and be aware of the dose rates for the sources in their school.
Heads of Science Training
Are you a head of science / subject / dept ? 

Not sure on how H&S law applies to you and your team ?

Then our H&S Course for HoD is ideal for you, find all the details here
CLEAPSS at the ASE Conference Northampton 2024
We were pleased to be returning to the ASE Conference in 2024 in Northampton.

Find our workshop details here.

Book your place with the ASE to join us here.



What's new.. more..

GL401 - Getting started - Microbiology
A diagrammatic guide on how to get started with microbiology, outlining the key actions with links to associated guidance.
 (4 Dec 2023)

PP138 - Investigating the effect of ultraviolet C (UVC) light on UV-sensitive yeast
A straightforward method investigating the effect of UVC exposure on the growth of UV-sensitive yeast.
 (4 Dec 2023)

GL415 - Keeping (frog) tadpoles
This document provides guidance on how to safely: collect, keep and release frog tadpoles.
 (4 Dec 2023)

RB126 - DCPIP
Guidance on the preparation of DCPIP (2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol).
 (1 Dec 2023)

GL400 - Planning for microbiology
This guide gives general advice to technicians/ teachers about the time needed for preparing and carrying out common microbiology tasks.
 (1 Dec 2023)