Lab Safety Rules/Guidelines

LAB SAFETY RULES Appropriate Dress 1. Always wear safety goggles. 2. Take care when wearing contact lenses. DO NOT rub eyes while wearing your contacts. 3. Always tie back long hair. 4. Tie back or remove loose clothing and jewelry. General Safety Rules 1. Read all directions carefully before you begin your experiment. 2. Always maintain a clean work area. 3. Do not perform an experiment without the permission of your teacher. 4. Only use the equipment designated by your teacher. 5. Clean up all spills immediately. 6. Never eat or drink in the lab. 7. Never horseplay in the laboratory. First Aid (Your teacher will instruct you on the specific techniques that apply to your classroom.) 1. Report all accidents to your teacher immediately. 2. Know how to rinse your eyes at the eye wash station. 3. Rinse chemicals on your body with lots of water. 4. Know where the first-aid kit is in the classroom. 5. Know how to report an accident or fire. 6. Know the location of the fire extinguisher. Heating and Fire Safety 1. Do not use a heat source without wearing safety goggles. 2. Never heat a substance that you have not been instructed to heat. 3. Never reach across a flame. 4. Follow your teacher's instructions on the proper way to light a Bunsen burner. 5. Always point a test tube or bottle being heated away from you and others. 6. Never heat a closed container. 7. Always use a clamp or tongs when handling hot containers. Chemical Safety 1. Never mix chemicals for the "fun of it". 2. Never touch, taste or smell a chemical that you don't know for sure is harmless. 3. If you are instructed to note the fumes of a chemical, gently waft your hand over the container and direct the fumes to your nose. Never inhale fumes directly. 4. Only use the chemicals needed in the experiment. 5. Keep all lids closed when a chemical is not being used. 6. Dispose of all chemicals as instructed by your teacher. 7. When using acids and bases, always pour such chemicals over a sink, and never over your work bench. 8. When diluting an acid, always pour the acid into water. Never pour water into an acid. Glassware Safety 1. Always use a turning motion and a lubricant when inserting glass tubing into a rubber stopper. 2. Never heat wet glassware. 3. Always use a wire screen to protect glassware from the flame of a Bunsen burner. 4. Never use broken or chipped glassware. 5. If glass breaks in the lab, sweep it up immediately with a broom and dust pan, and dispose of it in the proper container labeled by your teacher. 6. Never pick up hot glassware without checking for radiant energy first with the back of your hand. 7. Never eat or drink out of laboratory glassware. Sharp Instrument Safety 1. Always cut away from you. 2. Use extreme caution when handling sharp instruments. End - of - Experiment Rules 1. Always clean up your work area and return all equipment to its proper place. 2. Wash your hands before you leave the laboratory. 3. Double-check that all burners are turned off before leaving the classroom.

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