1. Student Lab Procedures
Lab Safety Orientation

2. Appendix D – Science Laboratory Regulations
These basic rules should be followed by you & your students.
The key to teaching lab safety is to role model it first.
A class should be spent on:
Location & use of safety equipment
Behavior expectations during lab activities
Student personal protection
Good lab practices
A copy of the Regulations should be given to each student.

3. Appendix E – Student Safety Contract
After Science Laboratory Regulations have been covered, students should sign a safety contract.
It is recommended that the parent sign as well, as an
informative measure.
Student will not be permitted to do lab work unless contract is returned.

4. Location and Use of Safety Equipment
Fire exit
Fire extinguisher
Safety blanket
Safety Shower
Eye Wash Station
Eye Goggles/Glasses
Lab Coats
First Aid Kit
Chemical Spill Kit
MSDS
Glass Disposal

5. Student Behavior Expectations
Maintain quiet, orderly behaviour during lab activities. Never “horse around” or play practical jokes in the lab.
Study the procedure of the experiment before performing it.
Listen to instructions carefully before attempting to do anything.
Do not begin an experiment until told to do so.
Never attempt unauthorized experiments.
Stand up while doing an experiment unless told otherwise.
Keep your work area uncluttered. Take to the lab station only what is necessary.

6. Personal Protection
Report any any medical conditions (contact lenses, allergies, respiratory problems – on safety contract).
Keep your hands away from your face/eyes/mouth.
Never bring food or drink into the lab and do not drink from lab glassware.
Do not chew gum. Never put anything into your mouth during a lab activity.
Beware of what appears to be drops of water on lab benches. They may be corrosive liquid.
The storage room is out of bounds to all students.

7. Safety goggles must be worn.
Never wear expensive clothing on lab day.
Avoid loose, bulky clothing - secure loose clothing and long sleeves.
Wear a lab coat when working with chemicals or substances that can stain or cause injury.
Shorts, skirts, sandals, and bare feet are prohibited. Wear shoes that completely cover your feet..
Tie back long hair.
Remove dangling jewellery. Best to remove hand jewellery.

8. Lab Practices

9. Electrical Equipment Never poke anything into electrical outlets.
Report any frayed cords, exposed wires and loose connections. Bare electrical wires can be extremely dangerous.
Be sure your hands and your lab area are dry before using electrical equipment.
Unplug cords by pulling the plug and not the cord.
Lay electrical cords where no one can trip on them or get caught in them.

10. Chemicals
Use caution when handling all chemicals. Never carry dangerous chemicals through a crowd of classmates.
Never taste chemicals.
Never return unused solutions to stock containers or reagent bottles. Clean scoopula in between collecting different chemicals
Never mix chemicals together unless you are told to do so (and then only in the manner specified).
Dispose of waste materials, chemicals and specimens as instructed.
Flush sink drains thoroughly after disposing of approved chemicals in the sink.

11. Chemicals Report all spills chemicals to the teacher.
Acid spills should be neutralized with a base, and base spills should be neutralized with an acid.
If you need to smell the odor of a chemical, waft the fumes toward your nose with one hand.
Do not put your nose over the container and inhale the fumes.
When pouring chemicals from a beaker, use a stirring rod to direct the flow.
Never pour water into a concentrated acid. Acid should be poured slowly into water.
Be especially careful with organic solvents; many are highly flammable and some are toxic.

12. Report sharp edges on prisms, mirrors, glass plates, metal objects.
Examine glassware before each use. Chipped or cracked glassware should not be used. Report it.
If a piece of glassware gets broken, do not try to clean it up by yourself. Report it.
Broken glassware should not be disposed of in a classroom trashcan. There is a special glass disposal container for it.
Do not immerse hot glassware with cold water or cold glassware in hot water.
Do not work with glass tubing that has jagged edges.
Check glass tubing to ensure that the flow of gas is not obstructed.

13. Never heat anything unless instructed to do so.
Never place combustible materials near a heat source.
The only type of glassware that may safely be heated is either Kimax or Pyrex.
Use the proper gloves when handling hot glassware.
Place hot glassware on a ceramic square or on the base of a rink stand. Do not allow hot objects to contact lab bench top.
Heat glassware by placing it on a wire gauze and a ring clamp attached to a ringstand Erlenmeyer flasks and beakers should also be clamped to ring stand.

14. Never look into the open end of a container being heated.
Do not point the open end of a test-tube toward yourself or anyone else.
When heating a test tube, move it around slowly over the flame to distribute the heat evenly.
Use a water bath when heating corrosive liquids in a test tube.
Never reach over an exposed flame or a heating element
Always allow ample time for the heated object to cool before touching them. Test to see if they are cool enough by bringing the back of your hand close to them
Always turn off any heat source when not in use.

15. Report all injuries to the teacher immediately, regardless how minor.
The most common type of student injury is a burn caused by touching objects which have just been heated.
Immediately flush with cold water until burning sensation is lessened.
Determine whether an object is hot by bringing the back of your hand up close.
All objects contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids must be reported to the teacher immediately for cleaning and/or proper disposal.

16. End of Lab Activity
Clean and wipe dry all desks, tables, or lab work areas.
Unplug all electrical equipment.
Disposed of waste materials, chemicals and specimens as instructed by your teacher.
Flush sink drains thoroughly after disposing of chemicals in the sink.
Always wash your hands with soap and water.
Do not leave lab until your workstation has been checked.