Grade 10 Science - Rules of Lab Safety

General Safety Precautions

• No student should be in the lab or prep room unsupervised.

• Be prepared for your lab.  READ your procedure for any safety precautions.  

• Do not eat or drink or chew gum in the lab.  Your food may pick up harmful chemicals.

• Never taste or directly inhale chemicals.

• Do not smell chemicals. Use the wafting technique

• Do not sit on the lab benches.

• Students must stand while doing labs.

• Keep work area tidy and free from clutter when performing experiments

• If designing your own experiment, you MUST first have your procedure approved by your teacher

• Butane lighters, matches and other flammable materials must not be brought to class.

Safety Equipment

• Know the locations of all safety equipment in the lab: fire extinguishers, eye wash station, first aid box, fire blanket, fire exits.

• Safety goggles must be worn for all experiments. Contact lenses should not be worn, use prescription glasses with goggles.

• Dress appropriately during a lab activity. Long hair must be tied back, and dangling jewellery and baggy clothing must be secured. Shoes must completely cover the foot. No sandals allowed on lab days.

• Your teacher may require additional safety equipment, which must be worn.

Handling Chemicals

• All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous. Avoid handling chemicals with fingers. Do not taste, or smell any chemicals.

• Check the label on all chemical bottles twice before removing any of the contents. Take only as much chemical as you need.

• Never return unused chemicals to their original container.

• No Chemicals go down the sink. Dispose of chemicals as instructed by your teacher.

• Never remove chemicals or other materials from the laboratory area

• Look for WHMIS or HHPS symbols on containers.

Handling Glassware

• Do not use dirty or chipped glassware.

• Clean drips off the sides of beakers and flasks for the safety of the next student.

• Broken glass should be reported to the teacher who will give instructions for the safe clean up and disposal. There is a designated “Broken Glass” container.

• Do not tightly stopper a flask where gas is being created. It could explode.

• Clean and return all glassware at the end of the lab.

Heating Substances

• Light a bunsen burner as instructed by teacher. Never leave a heat source unattended.

• Hot glass does not look hot! Handle recently heated glassware with tongs.

• Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water. The glassware may shatter.

• When heating a test tube, always point the test tube away from yourself and others. Never look into a container that is being heated.

Accidents & Injuries

• Report all accidents and injuries to the teacher at once, no matter how minor.

• If chemicals are spilled on skin, rinse well with water for as long as directed by teacher.

• For chemicals splashed in eyes, rinse at eye wash station for at least 30 minutes.

• If you break something or spill something, please inform a teacher immediately. Do NOT handle broken glass!

• If a fire starts, inform a staff member immediately – If you are on fire; STOP… DROP… ROLL!!!

When the lab is done . .

• Dispose of chemicals and materials only as instructed by your teacher.

• Clean all glassware and put everything away according to instructions.

• Wipe the counters clean with paper towels.

• Sinks should be cleaned and should not contain any solid material.

• Clean goggles and return to designated storage.

• Wash your hands with soap and water.