Safety in the Lab

Getting Started Always get your teacher’s permission before beginning any lab experiment Read procedures and safety information before starting any lab If you are unsure of what a safety symbol means, ask your teacher before beginning

Safety Symbols

Eye Safety Wear safety goggles any time there is a chance something could harm your eyes. Examples of this include working with any type of heat source or any chemicals.

Safety Equipment Know the locations of all safety equipment when in the lab. You should also be familiar with the procedures of how to use the equipment.

Neatness Keep your work area free of all unnecessary books and papers. Long hair should be tied back. Loose articles of clothing should be secured.

Neatness Remove dangling jewelry. Never wear open-toed shoes/sandals/flip-flops in the lab. Never wear hair sprays on the days of a lab. Never eat, drink, or apply cosmetics in a lab setting.

Heat Wear safety goggles when using a heating device or a flame. Whenever possible, use an electric hot plate instead of an open flame. When heating materials in a test tube, always point the test tube away from yourself/your group.

Heat To avoid burns, wear heat resistant gloves. When handling glass, always remember: “Hot glass looks the same as cold glass.”

Electricity Be careful with electrical cords. Do not let cords hang over a table edge where someone could easily trip over them. Do not use equipment with damaged cords. Be sure that all equipment is turned off after each use.

Chemicals Wear safety goggles and gloves when handling any chemical. If a chemical is unknown, treat it as though it is dangerous. If a spill gets on you, call your teacher and immediately rinse it off for at least 5 minutes.

Chemicals Never mix chemicals unless your teacher tells you to do so. Never taste, touch, or smell chemicals. Before working with a flammable liquid or gas, check to make sure there are no heat sources/flames present in the room.

Glassware Examine all glassware before using it. Be sure that it is clean and has no chips/cracks. Report any damaged glassware to your teacher. Glass containers used for heating should be heat-resistant.

Cleaning Up After completing each lab, each group is responsible for cleaning their station as well as reporting any damage to the lab station to their teacher. Cleaning a station includes throwing away all trash, cleaning counter space, and reporting any damage.

Recap Use common sense above all else. Ask your teacher before you begin any experiment or if you are unsure of what to do. Never eat or drink anything in the lab. Treat all chemicals as if they are dangerous and all glassware as if it is hot.

Review Questions 1) When should you wear goggles in the lab? 2) What should you do if you are unsure on the first step of a lab? 3) What is included under “Neatness” in lab safety? 4) How should glassware be handled? 5) Why should you never allow electrical cords to hang off the side of a counter? 6)If you are unsure of a chemical, what should you do? 7) What should you do after completing each lab?