Safety First !

Safety is everyone’s responsibility… Safety Contract: 1-8, 10, 12, 15-18, 20-23, 25, 27, 29, 35-37, 39, Consider yourself a first responder. If someone is hurt or needs help, help them while getting my attention. Safety is too important to be my responsibility alone.

Don’t chase glassware. If you drop something let it fall. You only risk cutting yourself or others by trying to grab a piece of falling glassware. Never clean up glassware with your bare hands.

Safety or Fashion? Loose clothing, unbuttoned shirts, tassels, and long hair must be secured or buttoned up. Open toed shoes are not permitted. You may want to store a back up pair of shoes in your locker.

Ohh My eyes!!! Contact lenses may not be worn in labs involving chemicals. Chemicals will get trapped behind the contacts.

Act in a responsible and mature manner during lab activities. Never play practical jokes or pranks on other people during labs. Stay focused on what you are doing. After you finish the lab, clean up, return the equipment, and sit down in your seat. You may not roam around the lab stations and talk to other lab groups.

All valves should be confirmed to be in the off position, handle at a 90 degree angle to the port, before turning the gas on. Never open a gas valve unless it is being used.

Major Safety Equipment Safety shower is for major chemical spills Eyewash station is for chemical spills that contact eyes (20 minute minimum) –If someone needs to use either the safety shower or the eye wash station, they will need to be escorted there. Don’t wait for the instructor, a fellow student should get them there quickly. –Both the eyewash and the shower are hooked up to the blue light and siren outside each prep room. Pranks are easy to detect.

Major Safety Equipment (continued) The fume hood can be used to contain and exhaust noxious chemicals. Fire extinguishers are used primarily by the instructor to put out small fires involving or threatening the physical structure, i.e. lab cabinets, walls, ceiling etc. –Aim the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire and work your way up.

Major Safety Equipment (continued) Fires that involve only lab equipment or materials but not the physical structure should be allowed to burn out. The counter tops are fire-retardant. Fires that involve people should be extinguished with the fire blanket. –If someone near catches fire, step away from the person, tell them to STOP, DROP, and ROLL. Someone close to the fire blanket should bring the blanket over and start smothering the flames.

Major Safety Equipment (continued) Safety glasses should be stored neatly in the cabinet with the lenses facing the center or back of the cabinet. Gas shut buttons are located by the exit and inside the door leading to the prep room. Students are encouraged to push this button whenever an emergency evacuation or drill takes place. There is also a manual shutoff valve under the sink at the teacher’s desk.