lab safety rules expectations for all lab activities
TRANSCRIPT
Lab Safety Rules
Expectations for all lab activities
General Rules
• Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully
• If you don’t understand something, ask your instructor before proceeding
• Never work in the lab without the teacher present
General Rules
• When 1st entering the science room, DON’T touch ANY equipment, chemicals or other materials for lab until instructed to do so
• Students are never permitted in the science storage rooms or preparation areas
General Rules
• No food
• No drinks
• No gum
• Never use laboratory glassware as containers for food or beverages
General Rules
• Only perform experiments authorized by your instructor
• Never do anything in the lab that is not called for in the procedures or by your instructor
• Unauthorized experiments are prohibited
General Rules
• Never fool around in the lab
• Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerous and prohibited
• There are no “warnings”
• Any misbehavior will result in being removed from lab and receiving zero points for that lab
General Rules
• Keep work areas clean and tidy
• Leave your backpack and any unnecessary materials at your desk
• Keep aisles clear. Push your chair in when not in use
General Rules
• Know the location of safety equipment
• Know the procedure for a fire alarm
General Rules
• Never pour chemicals down the sink unless told by your instructor
• Dispose of chemicals in the proper waste receptacle
General Rules
• Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth and body when using chemicals or preserved specimens
• Wash your hands with soap and water after ALL experiments
General Rules
• Experiments must be personally monitored at all times
• You will be assigned a lab station
• Do not wander to other stations, disturb other students, or interfere with other students’ lab experiments
General Rules
• Handle all living organisms in a humane manner
• Preserved biological materials are to be treated with respect and disposed of properly
General Rules
• When using knives and other sharp instruments, always carry with tips and points pointing down and away
• Always cut away from your body
General Rules
• Dress properly for lab activities
• Long hair must be tied back
• Dangling jewelry or baggy clothing must be removed
• Wear shoes that cover as much of your feet as possible
Accidents and Injuries
• Report ANY accident to the instructor immediately, no matter how trivial it may appear
• If a chemical splashes on your skin, flush with running water
• If it gets in your eyes, flush with water using the eye wash station
Handling Chemicals• All chemicals in the lab are to be
considered dangerous
• Don’t touch, smell, or taste any chemicals unless specifically instructed to do so
• When instructed to smell a chemical, waft the smell towards you. Don’t smell the chemical directly
Handling Chemicals
• Always double check the label on chemical bottles before removing any of the chemical
• Take only as much as you need• Never return unused chemicals to their
original containers• Never remove chemicals or other
materials from the lab
Handling Equipment/Glassware
• Never handle broken glass with your bare hands
• Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass
• Place broken glass in the designated glass disposal container
Handling Equipment/Glassware
• Never use chipped, cracked or dirty glassware
• Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water as it may shatter
• If you don’t understand how to use a piece of equipment, ask the instructor for help
Heating Substances• Exercise extreme caution when using a
gas burner
• Never leave a lit burner unattended
• Never leave anything that is being heated or is visibly reacting unattended
• Turn off burner or hot plate when not in use
Heating Substances
• You will be instructed in proper methods of heating/boiling liquids in test tubes
• Never point the open end of a test tube being heated at yourself or others
• Never look into a container that is being heated
Heating Substances
• Heated metals and glass remain very hot for a long time
• They should be set to cool and picked up with caution
• Use tongs or heat-protective gloves if necessary