Safety Requirements

For your safety and the safety of others attending the fair, all projects must be safe. Failure to do so will result in disqualification at the fair.
The following items are NOT permitted and shall be removed from your display. Take pictures and bring photos of your project or experiment instead!
Fire Hazards

  • Flames, candle, torch, or any heating device such as a hot plate

  • Excessive packing material under the table

Electrical hazards

  • Inappropriately grounded electrical plugs or sockets.

  • Modifications of CSA approved electrical equipment

  • Wet cell batteries such as lead acid

  • Dry cell batteries such as alkaline, NiMH, or Lithium ion.

Electronic equipment created by participants are only permitted if they have:

  • As low a voltage and electric current as possible

  • A non-combustible enclosure

  • An insulating grommet at the point where the electrical service enters the enclosure

  • All exposed terminals must be covered

  • Pilot light to indicate when device is powered

Biohazards

  • Biological toxins

  • Cell or tissue samples (including blood and blood products, except on sealed microscope slides)

  • Plants or plant tissue

  • Soil containing organic material

  • Cultures – petri dishes containing media, ziplocs with spores, etc.

Images of Humans

  • Sensational or offensive images of humans on project display

Animals and Animal Parts

  • Live animals or micro-organisms

  • Items naturally shed by an animal or parts properly prepared and preserved (e.g. quills, shed snake skin, feathers, tanned pelts and hides, antlers, hair samples, skeletons or skeletal parts)

Firearms, Hazardous Materials, and Equipment

  • Firearms, ammunition, dangerous goods, or explosives

  • Images of humans or animals injured by firearms or explosives

  • Functional X-ray and radiation-producing equipment

Structural and Mechanical Safety

  • Any structurally unsound backboard or display

  • Sharp edges such as the corners of prisms, mirrors, glass, or metal plates that are not in a case

  • Dangerous exposed moving parts such as belts, gears, pulleys, and blades

  • Motors that do not contain safety shut-offs

  • Pressurized vessels or compressed gas cylinders

  • Moving exhibits (such as robots) that are using more than their allocated space

Chemical Safety

  • Flammable, toxic or dangerous chemicals

  • Prescription drugs or over the counter medications

  • More than 1 L of liquid being displayed

  • Radioactive sources and materials (e.g. smoke detector sources)

Any chemicals on display other than water or table salt are not recommended.
Water, salt, and molasses can be used to simulate other materials. Write “simulated material” on the container. You may use food colouring and water to simulate chemicals if necessary.
If you have questions of what you can or cannot have at your display, please contact us.
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