Lab Safety and Lab Equipment/Procedures

I will only have books and notebooks needed for the experiment in the lab.

Do not bring other textbooks, purses, book bags, backpacks, or other items into the lab; keep these things in your desk or locker.

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are used to smother flaming hair or clothes. If the clothing is polyester, the best way of putting out the fire is to use the safety shower.

I will always ask the teacher before any unauthorized activity.

Student-designed procedures or inquiry activities must be approved by your teacher before you attempt the procedures or activities. Something as simple as burning a scar of paper or mixing left over chemicals could result in a serious accident. Always ask the teacher first!

Explosion Danger

Use safety shields or screens if there is a potential danger of an explosion or implosion of apparatus. Never use an open flame when working with flammable liquids such as ether or alcohol. Follow a water bath procedure to heat solids. Never risk an explosion by heating materials directly.

Heat-Resistant Mat

A heat-resistant mat should be placed under hot apparatus that needs to cool. This prevents the breakage of glass and porcelain containers that might otherwise shatter when they come in contact with the cool surface of the lab bench.

I will clean my lab station at the end of each lab.

After your work is done, clean the equipment you used with soap and water, and clean your work area. Broken glass, chemicals, and other waste products should be disposed of in separate, special containers. Dispose of waste materials as directed by your teacher. Put away all material and equipment according to your teacher's instructions. Be sure and report any damaged or missing equipment or materials to the teacher.

Hygienic Care

Always wash your hands after the lab. Keep your hands away from your face and mouth.

I know the location and usage of all safety and emergency equipment used in the lab.

Be able to immediately locate where the nearest eyewash stations, safety blankets, safety shower, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and chemical spill kid are located. Be sure that you know how to operate the equipment safely.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are labeled to indicate which of the four recognized classes of fires they can be used to extinguish. The teacher and students should be familiar with the operating instructions for all five extinguishers. Your local fire department can give instructions in extinguishing each type of fire.

Lab Gloves

Lab gloves protect your hands from lab hazards. Everyone should have a pair to wear when handling caustic chemicals, glass tubing, or heated materials.

Tongs

Tongs protect the hands from burns and chemical injuries. Always remember to use them when handling heated materials, especially in glass or porcelain containers.

Waste Containers

Waste containers reduce the chance of fires, explosions, and pollution. Separate waste containers should be provided for each other following: chemicals, matches, broken glass. Never use the wastepaper basket for disposal of materials.

I will never work alone in the laboratory.

Work in the lab only when supervised by your teacher. Do not leave assembled equipment unattended.

I will use caution when working with electrical equipment.

Working with electrical equipment for cords with frayed or twisted cords or wires can cause electrical shock. Also, be sure that your hands are dry before using electrical equipment as doing so can cause serious shock.

I will read the entire experiment and complete all pre-lab reports before entering the lab.

Be familiar with the instructions for the experiment, paying special attention to the safety precautions. Only materials and equipment authorized by your teacher should be used. When you do the lab work, follow the instructions and the safety precautions described in the directions for the experiment.

Glassware Safety

Check the condition of glassware before and after using it. inform your teacher about any broken, chipped, or cracked glassware; it should not be used. Air-dry glassware; do not dry by toweling. Do not use glassware that is not completely dry. Do not pick up broken glass with your bare hands. Never force glass tubing into rubber stoppers.

Proper Waste Disposal

Clean up the lab after you are finished; dispose of paper toweling, etc. Follow your teacher's directions regarding proper procedures for waste disposal, especially for hazardous waste disposal. Place broken glass in a specially designated container. Dispose of hazardous wastes only in proper containers, never in an ordinary trash can.

Gas Precaution

Do not inhale fumes directly. When instructed to smell a substance, wave fumes toward your nose and inhale gently. Use flammable liquids only in small amounts and in a well-ventilated room or under a fume hood. Always use a fume hood when working with toxic or flammable fumes. Do not breathe pure gases such as hydrogen, argon, helium, nitrogen, or high concentrations of carbon dioxide.

I will use a sparker to light a Bunsen burner using proper lab techniques, and I will not leave a lit Bunsen burner unattended.

Do not use matches. Be sure that all gas valves are turned off and that all hot plates are turned off and unplugged when you leave the lab.

Eye and Face Wash Fountains

Eye and face wash fountains prevent or reduce injuries from chemicals splashing in or near the eyes. The fountain is designed to provide a gentle flow of aerated water to cleanse the eye and surrounding areas of foreign substances. Affected areas should be flushed immediately for a period of at least 15 minutes. Fountains should be checked daily for proper operation.

I will be careful with hot equipment, Bunsen burners, and other heat sources.

Keep your body and clothing away from flames. Do not touch glassware, crucibles, ring stand, iron ring, etc, after you remove them from the flame of a Bunsen burner or a hot plate after it has just been turned off. They are probably hotter than you think and can cause serious burns.

Lab Aprons

Lab aprons are used to protect body and clothing from chemical hazards. The front side of the apron should be coded so that you always know which side may have caustic chemicals on it. Remember to clean the apron frequently.

Fire Safety

Make sure that fire extinguishers and fire blankets are available in the lab. Tie back long hair and confine loose clothing. Wear safety goggles when working with flames. Never reach across an open flame.

I will never fool around in the lab because I know this behavior is very dangerous.

Take your lab work seriously, and behave appropriately in the lab. Lab equipment and apparatus are not toys; never use lab time or equipment for anything other than the intended purpose. Be aware of the safety of your classmates as well as your safety at all times.

Ventilation Hoods

Ventilation hoods prevent the spreading of poisonous or noxious gases in an experiment. Ventilation-hood-escape outlets and fans should be checked frequently to assure proper operation.

Eye Safety

Wear approved safety goggles in the laboratory. Make sure an emergency eye wash station is available in the lab.

I will report all spills to my teacher immediately.

Call your teacher rather than trying to clean a spill yourself. Your teacher will tell you whether it is safe for you to clean up the spill; if it is not safe, your teacher will know how to clean up the spill.

I will be careful to take only the chemicals that I need, and I will NEVER put unused chemicals back in the reagent bottle.

If somebody accidentally puts a chemical into the wrong bottle, the next person to use it will have a contaminated sample. Ask your teacher what to do with any leftover chemicals.

If my clothes catch on fire, I will walk to the safety shower, stand under it, and turn it on.

If your clothing catches on fire, do not run; STOP - DROP - AND ROLL. If another student's clothes catch on fire, keep them from running and wrap them in the fire blanket provided in your lab to smother the flames. While doing so, call to your teacher. In case of fire, alert your teacher and leave the lab.

I will wear the right clothing for lab work.

Necklaces, neckties, dangling jewelry, long hair, and loose clothing can cause you to knock things over or catch items on fire. Tuck in neckties or take them off. Pull back long hair, and tie it in place. Do not wear a necklace or other dangling jewelry, including hanging earrings. It isn't necessary, but it might be a good idea to remove your wristwatch so that it is not damaged by a chemical splash. Nylon and polyester fabrics burn and melt more readily than cotton, so wear cotton clothing if you can. It's best to wear fitted garments, but if your clothing is loose or baggy, tuck it in or tie it back so that it does not get in the way or catch on fire. Wear shoes that will protect your feet from chemical spills - no open-toes shoes or sandals and no shoes with woven leather straps. You will not be allowed to do lab with open shoes. Shoes made of solid leather or holy polymer are much better than shoes made of cloth. Also, wear pants, not shorts or short skirts. If you happen to have shorts or a skirt, make sure you wear a long lab apron that covers all of your legs.

I will read all chemical labels.

Read a chemical label at least three times to make sure you are obtaining the right chemical. Always heed safety symbols and cautions listed in activities, listed on handouts, posted in the room, provided on chemical labels, and given verbally by your teacher. Be aware of the potential hazards of the required materials and procedures, and follow all precautions indicated.

Safety Goggles

Safety goggles protect your eyes from chemical and particle injuries. Each student should have his/her own pair, and the goggles must meet the ANSI standard. The type most commonly used in the school lab is a flexible soft-sided plastic model with a single large plastic lens. The goggles are available with baffled vents on the sides, so that air can flow through but liquids will not enter. Goggles can be worn over prescription glasses. The goggles should be washed frequently and stored in a protected place.

I will walk carefully in the lab.

Sometimes you will carry chemicals from the supply station to your lab station. Avoid bumping other students and spilling the chemicals. Stay at your lab stations at other times.

Spill Control Packages

Spill control packages are designed to minimize the harmful effects of a chemical spill by absorbing the chemical and restricting its movement across the lab bench or floor. Chemical manufacturers produce spill control kits that can be ordered. Some spill control packages consist of a pail containing a mixture of sand and soda ash. Sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate is useful in neutralizing acid spills. Other useful commercial products are spill control pads, pillows, and sponges that contain amalgamating powder.

I will always wear a lab apron and safety goggles in the lab.

Even if you aren't working on an experiment, laboratories contain chemicals that can damage your clothing, so wear your apron and keep the strings of the apron tied. Because chemicals can cause eye damage, even blindness, you must wear safety goggles. If your safety goggles are uncomfortable or get clouded up, ask your teacher for help. Try lengthening the strap a bit, or washing the goggles with soap and warm water.

I understand that wearing contact lenses is not a safe practice in the lab.

Even while wearing safety goggles, chemicals could get between contact lenses and your eyes and cause irreparable eye damage. If your doctor requires that you wear contact lenses instead of glasses, then you should wear safety goggles designed for contact lenses in the lab. It will be imperative that you wear the goggles at all times.

Sand Buckets

Sand is used to smother small fires such as ones contained in beakers. A scoop or hand shovel should be used to apply the sand.

Heating Safety

Use proper procedures when lighting Bunsen burners. Turn off hot plates, Bunsen burners, and other open flames when not in use. Heat flasks or beakers on a ring stand with a wire gauze between the glass and the flame. Store hot liquids only in heat-resistant glassware. Turn off gas valves when not in use.

I will never taste chemicals or touch them with my bare hands.

You must also keep your hands away from your face and mouth while working.

Caustic Substances

Alert your teacher to any chemical spills. Do not let acids and bases touch your skin or clothing. If a substance gets on your skin, rinse immediately with cool water and alert your teacher. Wear your laboratory apron to protect your clothing. Never add water to acids; always add acids to water. When shaking or heating a test tube containing chemicals, always point the test tube away from yourself and other students.

Hand Safety

Always wear gloves when cutting, fire polishing, or bending glass tubing. Use tongs when heating test tubes. Never hold test tubes in your hand while heating them. Always allow heated materials, including glassware, to cool before handling them.

Radiation Precaution

Always wear gloves when handling a radioactive source. Always wear safety goggles when performing experiments with radioactive materials. Always wash hands and arms after working with radioactive materials.

I will report any accident, incident, or hazard - no matter how trivial - to my teacher immediately.

Any incident involving bleeding, burns, fainting, nausea, dizziness, chemical exposure, or ingestion should also be reported immediately to the school nurse or to a physician. If you have a close call, tell your teacher so that you and your teacher can find a way to prevent it from happening again.

First Aid Kits

First aid kits are used to give emergency treatment for burns, cuts, or other minor injuries, and such treatment should be administered only by your teacher. It is recommended that a chart showing proper treatment for specific injuries be posted prominently next to the kit.

I will use caution when working with glassware.

Glass breaks easily and can cause serious cuts. Check the condition of any glassware before and after using it. Inform your teacher of any broken, chipped, or cracked glassware, because it should not be used. Handle all glassware with care. To protect your hands, wear heavy cloth gloves or wrap toweling around the glass and the tubing, stopper, or cork, and gently push in the glass. Do not pick up broken glass with your bare hands. Dispose of broken glass appropriately.

If I get a chemical in my eyes, I will walk immediately to the eyewash station, turn it on, and lower my head so that my eyes are in the running water.

Hold your eyelids open with your thumbs and fingers, and roll your eyeballs around. You have to flush your eyes continuously for at least 15 minutes. Call your teacher while you are doing this.

If I spill a chemical on my skin, I will wash the chemical off in the sink and call my teacher.

If you spill a solid chemical on your clothing, brush it off carefully so that you do not scatter it and call your teacher. If you get a liquid on your clothing, wash it off right away if you can get it under the sink faucet, and call your teacher. If the spill is on clothing that will not fit under the sink faucet, use the safety shower. Remove the affected clothing while under the shower, and call your teacher. (It may be temporarily embarrassing to remove your clothing in front of your class, but failing to flush that chemical off your skin could cause permanent damage.)

I will keep my work area clean and uncluttered.

Make sure your lab station is always free of clutter that could cause a fire or other accidents.

Electrical Safety

Never handle electrical equipment with wet hands. Work areas, including floors and tables, should be dry. Never overload an electric outlet. Make sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded. Keep electrical cords away from areas where someone may trip on the cords, or where the cords can tip over laboratory equipment.

Chemical Safety

Never taste any substance in the laboratory. Do not eat or drink from laboratory glassware. Do not eat or drink in the laboratory. Properly label all bottles and test tubes containing chemicals. Never transfer substances with a mouth pipette; use a suction bulb. Never return unused chemicals to the original container.

Safety Showers

Safety showers prevent or reduce injuries from caustic chemicals or acid burns, from contact with toxic chemical reagents, or from clothing fires. A good water supply is essential for a safety shower. The shower heads must be non clogging, deluge-type fixtures capable of covering a contaminated area of skin with a flood of water that is sufficient to dilute material to a safe level in 15 seconds. They should be checked monthly for proper operation.

Clothing Protection

Wear lab aprons in the classroom. Confine loose clothing.

I will not inhale fumes directly.

When instructed to smell a substance, use your hand to wave the fumes toward your nose, and inhale gently.