The hands-on, design-based learning nature of technologically and engineering (T&E) education can help students’ become more technological and engineering literate, while also developing career and college readiness skills. The tools, equipment, materials, and chemicals students use to design solutions to T&E challenges can pose potential safety hazards and resulting risks. This often leads teachers and administrators to ask, “How can we provide engaging hands-on STEM learning experiences for all students while maintaining the safety of everyone in STEM labs, T&E labs, and makerspaces?” This is an important issue that requires careful consideration, planning, instructional strategies, and administrative practices. However, there has been a lack of data at a national level to inform safety considerations and recommendations in this area. This free eBook presents data addressing this gap and provides practical recommendations derived from the data.

Additionally, in an upcoming STEMinar, authors Drs. Tyler Love and Ken Roy will discuss recommendations and better professional practices informed by the results of a recent national safety survey. They will provide practitioner focused information and answer questions that build upon ITEEA’s soon to be released free downloadable book Safer Engineering Education and CTE Instruction: A National STEM Education Imperative. What the Data Tells Us. The following topics related to maintaining safer STEM labs, T&E labs, and makerspaces will be discussed: classroom conditions, facilities characteristics and design considerations, teacher and student safety training, required legal safety standards and better professional safety practices, and accidents and safety incidents.

Tyler S. Love, Ph.D. Dr. Love is an Assistant Professor of elementary/middle grades STEM education and the Director of the Capital Area Institute for Mathematics and Science (CAIMS) at The Pennsylvania State University’s Capital Campus in Harrisburg, PA. From 2016-2021 he served as editor of the Safety Spotlight articles for ITEEA's Technology and Engineering Teacher journal. He was named the Career-Safe® Safety Educator of the year at the 2018 ACTE CareerTech Vision conference. Since 2016 he has served on the NSTA Science Safety Advisory Board. He received his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, with a concentration in Integrative STEM Education from Virginia Tech in 2015. Additionally, he earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and graduate certificates in Integrative STEM Education and Higher Education Administration from Virginia Tech. His bachelor’s degree is in Technology Education from UMES.

Upon graduation from UMES, he taught Technology Education in the Maryland Public School System. Tyler has presented at various conferences and published numerous peer-reviewed resources regarding tort law, liability, and safer practices with-in science, technology, and engineering education laboratories, makerspaces, and Fab Labs. He is an authorized OSHA outreach trainer for general industry. In 2022 he was named a Distinguished Technology Educator (DTE), one of the highest honors awarded by ITEEA.

Ken R. Roy, Ph.D. has been a science/mathematics educator, K–12 administrator, and safety compliance officer/specialist for more than 50 years. In addition, he has a large number of experiences as an author and editor, with more than 800 published articles and 12 books addressing K-12 science education and laboratory safety. He presently serves as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Glastonbury Public Schools (Glastonbury, CT). He concurrently serves as Chief Science Safety Compliance Adviser and Chief Safety Blogger for NSTA and Safety Compliance Officer for the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA). Dr. Roy is also an independent safety compliance consultant and advisor working for professional organizations, school districts, magnet schools, insurance companies, textbook publishers, state departments of education and other organizations dealing with safety and science/technology and engineering education issues. He specializes in working with science and, technology and engineering education departments in K–12 schools relative to science labs, STEM labs, Fab Labs and makerspaces safety compliance issues (site designs, mock OSHA inspections for existing facilities, safety plan development, employee safety training, etc.). He serves as an expert witness in legal cases in-volving K–12 laboratory accidents. Dr. Roy earned a bachelor’s degree in science education and a master’s degree, both from Central Connecticut State University, and doctorate in 1985 from the University of Connecticut. In addition, he received a diploma in professional education from the University of Connecticut in 1981 and a Certificate of Instruction as an authorized OSHA instructor from the Keene State College OSHA Extension School.

Dr. Roy is a past chairperson of the NSTA Safety Advisory Board. He is an NSTA author and chief safety blog columnist. He has served as president and executive director of NSELA. He also was the North American Representative for eight years and chairperson of the safety committee for the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE).