1. Safety in the Science Laboratory
Wilkes-Barre Area School District
Science Department

2. General Laboratory Safety Rules
Learning and following safety rules in the science laboratory helps keep you and your classmates safe.
Only when every student in the lab is obeying the rules can everyone be safe.

3. The Three Most Important Rules:
PERMISSION:
Do not enter the science laboratory with out permission.
SUPERVISION:
Never do any work in the laboratory when the teacher is not present.
PREPARATION:
Read the laboratory lesson before entering the laboratory.

4. Additional Rules:
Tie back long hair and avoid loose clothing and sleeves.
This should always be done when working with an open flame!

5. Safety goggles and laboratory aprons should be worn when indicated in the laboratory manual.
Safety goggles and lab aprons MUST ALWAYS be worn when working with chemicals or an open flame!

6. There should be no eating, drinking or physical play in the laboratory.
Food and drink can become contaminated. Fooling around can be dangerous in the lab!

7. Your work area should always be kept uncluttered.
There is a much greater chance of an accident with a messy work area!

8. For vision correction, you are advised to wear glasses rather than contact lenses.
Contacts can serve as wicks to absorb vapors and liquids.

9. Electrical cords should not be placed across walkways.
Keep work areas dry when working with electricity!
At the end of the lab, all electrical equipment should be unplugged!

10. Separate broken glass from paper waste.
Broken glass should be placed in a separate container to prevent cuts!

11. Make sure all materials are properly stored.
Make sure you leave your lab station in a clean condition!

12. Wash your hands before and after laboratory work.
Always wash your hands after a spill!

13. Safety Symbols – Dress using glassware, sharp objects, or chemicals
Wear goggles and an apron when:
using glassware, sharp objects, or chemicals
heating an object
with anything that can easily fly up into the air and hurt someone's eye
Tie back long hair that hangs in front of your eyes
Remove any article of clothing-such as a loose sweater or a scarf-that hangs down and may touch a flame, chemical, or piece of equipment
Safety Goggles
Apron
Gloves

14. Safety Symbols – Heat and Fire
Keep your work area neat, clean, and free of extra materials.
Never reach over a flame or heat source.
Point objects being heated away from you and others.
Never heat a substance or an object in a closed container.
Never touch an object that has been heated. If you are unsure whether something is hot, treat it as though it is. Use oven mitts, clamps, tongs, or a test-tube holder.
Know where the fire extinguisher and fire blanket are kept in your classroom.
Do not throw hot substances into the trash. Wait for them to cool or use the container your teacher puts out for disposal
Fire Safety
Heating Safety

15. Safety Symbols – Electric
Never use lamps or other electrical equipment with frayed cords.
Make sure no cord is lying on the floor where someone can trip over it.
Do not let a cord hang over the side of a counter or table so that the equipment can easily be pulled or knocked to the floor.
Never let cords hang into sinks or other places where water can be found.
Never try to fix electrical problems. Inform your teacher of any problems immediately.
Unplug an electrical cord by pulling on the plug, not the cord.
Electric Safety

16. Safety Symbols – Chemicals
If you spill a chemical or get one on your skin or in your eyes, tell your teacher right away.
Never touch, taste, or sniff any chemicals in the lab. If you need to determine odor, waft. Wafting consists of holding the chemical in its container 15 centimeters (6 in.) away from your nose, and using your fingers to bring fumes from the container to your nose.
Keep lids on all chemicals you are not using.
Never put unused chemicals back into the original containers. Throw away extra chemicals where your teacher tells you to.
Pour chemicals over a sink or your work area, not over the floor.
If you get a chemical in your eye, use the eyewash right away.
Always wash your hands after handling chemicals, plants, or soil
Chemical Safety
Poison
Fumes

17. Safety Symbols – Glassware/Sharps
If you break glassware, tell your teacher right away.
Do not use broken or chipped glassware. Give these to your teacher.
Use knives and other cutting instruments carefully. Always wear eye protection and cut away from you.
Sharp Objects

18. Safety Symbols – Animal
Never hurt an animal.
Touch animals only when necessary. Follow your teacher's instructions for handling animals.
Always wash your hands after working with animals.
Animal Safety

19. Safety Symbols – Clean-up
Always separate glass from paper waste
Follow your teacher's instructions for throwing away or putting away supplies.
Clean your work area and pick up anything that has dropped to the floor.
Wash your hands.
Disposal

20. Safety Features in the Lab
Your laboratory should have various safety features.
You should be able to locate and use the safety equipment in your laboratory.

21. Fire Safety
Identify the location of the following fire safety equipment in your laboratory.
fire blanket
fire extinguisher
FIRE BLANKET
marked exit signs

22. Eyewash Station
Your laboratory should be equipped with an eyewash station.
If an eyewash station is not available, use a water faucet to flush the eye.
Do not flush toward your other eye.
Flush the eye for at least 5 minutes.

23. Drench Shower
A drench shower is used to flush away chemicals spilled on clothing.
Drench showers should be tested monthly for proper operation.

24. Fume Hoods Many laboratories contain fume hoods.
Fume hoods are specially ventilated stations used when experiments produce noxious or harmful vapors.
See if your laboratory has fume hoods.

25. First Aid Kit Find the location of your laboratory’s first aid kit.
Make sure the kit is properly stocked.

26. Emergency Numbers List emergency numbers near the laboratory phone.
Fire
Ambulance
Poison Control
911

27. Safety Begins With You!!
It is your responsibility to know and follow the rules of the laboratory.
Be aware of the safety features of your lab.
Doing these things will result in enjoyable and safe laboratory experience.

28. GOOD LUCK!
Be Safe
Learn
Have Fun