Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Risk Perceptions of Laboratory Safety Among Biomedical Engineering Students: A Case Study
Laboratory safety is a critical component of biomedical engineering (BME) education due to the interdisciplinary nature
of the field and the associated chemical and electrical hazards. Despite its importance, limited data exist on the safety
awareness of BME students in Saudi Arabia. To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and cognitive risk perceptions of
undergraduate BME students regarding laboratory safety. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 129 undergraduate
BME students from various Saudi universities using a 39-item questionnaire that covered demographics, safety
knowledge, attitudes, and risk perception. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests due to non-normal distribution.
The mean knowledge score was 8.4 2.4 (out of 12), with 65.1% demonstrating high knowledge levels. Knowledge
significantly increased with academic level, while gender, training, and access to safety manuals showed no effect.
Attitudes toward safety were mainly positive (25.0 4.0 out of 35); however, concerns were raised about the availability of
personal protective equipment and insufficiently emphasized safety policies. Risk perception was context-dependent:
students perceived significantly higher risk in non-compliance scenarios (19.4 4.0 out of 25) compared to compliant ones
(12.4 3.5 out of 25). Although students exhibited satisfactory knowledge and attitudes, critical gaps remain in chemical
hazard awareness and emergency preparedness. Integrating structured, hands-on safety training into biomedical
engineering curricula is crucial for advancing practical readiness and fostering a sustainable safety culture among
students and academic institutions.
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Laboratory safety is a critical component of biomedical engineering (BME) education due to the interdisciplinary nature
of the field and the associated chemical and electrical hazards. Despite…
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