Assessment of awareness and comprehension of chemical hazard symbols among chemistry students

Background: Laboratory activities must be planned and organized carefully because of the danger they may cause. The purpose of this study was to assess students’ awareness and comprehension of chemical hazard warning signs at the Departments of Chemistry of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out to assess students’ awareness and comprehension of chemical hazard warning signs. Data were collected from 175 students enrolled in Chemistry Laboratory Classes during the second semester of the year 2012-2013. The participants were selected randomly. The collected data was entered into SPSS software and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Results: The results of the study revealed that the majority of the respondents (81%; n = 143) were familiar with hazard signs of laboratory chemicals. After obtaining information on their level of awareness about potential hazards of laboratory chemicals, the respondents were also requested to match chemical properties with the corresponding labels or pictograms. Conclusions: The results indicated that the students had a high level of familiarity and understanding of hazard warning signs. The study also surveyed the preferred labeling technique and revealed that the majority favored the use of both colors and signs.