Lab Safety
Core Purpose and Priority:
Science is a hands-on laboratory class involving activities that require the use of hazardous chemicals.
Safety in the science classroom is designated as the priority for students, teachers, and parents.
Rules outlined in the safety contract must be followed at all times to maintain a safe learning environment.
Contract Distribution and Signatures:
copies of the safety contract are provided to each student.
copy must be signed by both the student and a parent or guardian before the student is permitted to participate in any laboratory activities.
The copy must be kept in the student's science notebook as a constant reminder of safety rules.
Institutional and Legal Metadata:
School Name: Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
Teacher: Ms. S. Fleming
Copyright Information: © 2015 Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A.
Reproduction permission is granted to science teachers who are customers of Flinn Scientific, Inc. No part of the material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage/retrieval systems) without written permission.
General Laboratory Conduct and Operational Rules
Personal Conduct and Supervision:
Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory.
Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If a direction or part of a procedure is not understood, ask the instructor before proceeding.
Never work alone. No student may work in the laboratory without an instructor present.
Upon entering a science room, do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials in the laboratory area until instructed to do so.
Never fool around in the laboratory. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are strictly prohibited and dangerous.
Laboratory Practice and Preparation:
Perform only authorized experiments. Never perform any procedure in the laboratory that is not called for in the laboratory procedures or by the instructor. Unauthorized experiments are strictly prohibited.
Be prepared for work in the laboratory by reading all procedures thoroughly before entering the laboratory.
Experiments must be personally monitored at all times. Work only at your assigned laboratory station.
Do not wander around the room, distract other students, or interfere with the laboratory experiments of others.
Students are never permitted in science storage rooms or preparation areas unless given specific permission by their instructor.
Housekeeping and Workstation Maintenance:
Observe good housekeeping practices. Keep work areas clean and tidy at all times.
Bring only laboratory instructions, worksheets, and/or reports to the work area. Other materials, such as books, purses, and backpacks, must be stored in the classroom area.
Keep aisles clear by pushing chairs under desks when not in use.
General Health, Hygiene, and Handling of Materials:
Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory.
Do not use laboratory glassware as containers for food or beverages.
Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth, and body while using chemicals or preserved specimens.
Wash hands with soap and water after performing all experiments.
Clean all work surfaces and apparatus at the end of the experiment, and return all equipment clean and in working order to the proper storage area.
Handle all living organisms used in a laboratory activity in a humane manner.
Treat preserved biological materials with respect and dispose of them properly.
If you have a medical condition (such as allergies or pregnancy), check with your physician prior to working in the laboratory.
Ventilation and Emergency Preparedness:
Always work in a well-ventilated area.
Use the fume hood when working with volatile substances or poisonous vapors. Never place your head inside the fume hood.
Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Notify the instructor immediately of any unsafe conditions observed.
Know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipment, including the first aid kit, eyewash station, safety shower, fire extinguisher, and fire blanket.
Know the locations of the fire alarm and exits.
Know proper protocols for fire drills during a laboratory period: containers must be closed, gas valves turned off, fume hoods turned off, and any electrical equipment turned off.
Sharps Handling:
When using knives and other sharp instruments, always carry them with tips and points pointing down and away from the body.
Always cut away from your body.
Never attempt to catch falling sharp instruments.
Grasp sharp instruments only by their handles.
Personal Protective Equipment and Attire
Eye Protection:
Laboratory goggles must be worn at any time chemicals, heat, or glassware are used. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Contact lenses should not be worn in the laboratory unless explicit permission is granted by the instructor.
Attire and Hair Guidelines:
Dress properly during a laboratory activity. Long hair, dangling jewelry, and loose or baggy clothing are recognized hazards.
Long hair must be tied back.
Dangling jewelry and loose or baggy clothing must be secured.
Shoes must completely cover the foot; sandals are strictly prohibited.
Protective Garments:
Lab aprons are provided for student use and should be worn during laboratory activities.
Emergency Procedures, Accidents, and Injuries
Incident Reporting:
Report any accident (such as spills or breakage) or injury (such as cuts or burns) to the instructor immediately, regardless of how trivial it may appear.
If you or your lab partner are hurt, immediately yell out "Code one, Code one" to obtain the instructor’s attention.
Chemical Exposure Emergency:
If a chemical splashes in your eye(s) or on your skin, immediately flush with running water from the eyewash station or safety shower for at least .
Notify the instructor immediately following the splash incident.
Mercury Spills:
When mercury thermometers are broken, the spilled mercury must not be touched.
Notify the instructor immediately upon breakage.
Safe Chemical Handling Procedures
General Chemical Safety:
All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous.
Do not touch, taste, or smell any chemicals unless specifically instructed to do so. The proper technique for smelling chemical fumes will be demonstrated.
Check the label on chemical bottles before removing any contents.
Take only as much chemical as needed for the procedure.
Never return unused chemicals to their original containers.
Never remove chemicals or other materials from the laboratory area.
Transfer and Pipetting Guidelines:
Never use mouth suction to fill a pipet; always use a rubber bulb or pipet pump.
When transferring reagents from one container to another, hold the containers away from your body.
Take great care when transporting acids and other chemicals from one part of the laboratory to another; hold them securely and walk carefully.
Acid Dilution and Flammable Liquids:
Acids must be handled with extreme care. The proper method for diluting strong acids will be demonstrated.
Always add acid to water, swirl or stir the solution, and be careful of the heat produced, particularly when working with sulfuric acid.
Handle flammable hazardous liquids over a pan to contain spills.
Never dispense flammable liquids anywhere near an open flame or source of heat.
Chemical Waste Disposal:
Dispose of all chemical waste properly.
Never mix chemicals in sink drains. Sinks are reserved exclusively for water and solutions designated by the instructor.
Solid chemicals, metals, matches, filter paper, and all other insoluble materials must be disposed of in designated waste containers, not in sinks.
Check the label of all waste containers before adding chemical waste.
Equipment and Glassware Safety Guidelines
Glassware Handling and Inspection:
Carry glass tubing, especially long pieces, in a vertical position to minimize the likelihood of breakage and injury.
Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped, cracked, or dirty glassware.
Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water, as it may shatter.
Never handle broken glass with bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass, and place it in the designated glass disposal container.
Rubber Stoppers and Glassware Insertion:
Inserting and removing glass tubing from rubber stoppers presents hazard risks. Always lubricate glassware (tubing, thistle tubes, thermometers) before attempting to insert it into a stopper.
Always protect hands with towels or cotton gloves when inserting glass tubing into, or removing it from, a rubber stopper.
If a piece of glassware becomes "frozen" in a stopper, take it to the instructor for removal.
Electrical Equipment and Wash Bottles:
Fill wash bottles only with distilled water and use them only as intended (e.g., rinsing glassware and equipment, or adding water to a container).
When removing an electrical plug from its socket, grasp the plug itself, not the electrical cord.
Hands must be completely dry before touching an electrical switch, plug, or outlet.
Report damaged electrical equipment immediately, looking for frayed cords, exposed wires, and loose connections. Do not use damaged electrical equipment.
If the operation of a piece of equipment is not understood, ask the instructor for help.
Heating, Thermal Safety, and Burner Operation
Gas Burner Safety:
Exercise extreme caution when using a gas burner.
Ensure hair, clothing, and hands are kept at a safe distance from the flame at all times.
Do not put any substance into the flame unless specifically instructed to do so.
Never reach over an exposed flame.
Light gas or alcohol burners only as instructed by the teacher.
Heating Procedures and Monitoring:
Never leave a lit burner unattended.
Never leave anything that is being heated or is visibly reacting unattended.
Always turn off the burner or hot plate when not in use.
When heating and boiling liquids in test tubes, do not point the open end of the test tube at yourself or anyone else.
Never look directly into a container that is being heated.
Handling Heated Glass and Metal:
Heated metals and glass remain extremely hot for a long time. Set them aside to cool and pick them up with caution, using tongs or heat-protective gloves if necessary.
Do not place hot apparatus directly on the laboratory desk; always use an insulating pad.
Allow plenty of time for hot apparatus to cool before touching it.
When bending glass, allow sufficient time for it to cool before further handling.
Hot glass and cold glass have the exact same visual appearance. Determine if an object is hot by bringing the back of your hand close to it prior to grasping it.
Student Safety Questionnaire and Agreement Terms
Student Safety Background Questions:
Question 56: Do you wear contact lenses? (YES / NO)
Question 57: Are you color blind? (YES / NO)
Question 58: Do you have allergies? (YES / NO) — If so, specific allergies must be listed.
Student Agreement Statement:
The student acknowledges reading and agreeing to follow all safety rules set forth in the contract.
The student recognizes that obeying rules is necessary to ensure personal safety, as well as that of fellow students and instructors.
The student agrees to cooperate fully with instructors and peers to maintain a safe lab environment, following all oral and written instructions.
Consequences of Non-Compliance: Any violation of the safety contract resulting in unsafe conduct or misbehavior may result in:
Being removed from the laboratory
Detention
Receiving a failing grade
Dismissal from the course
Student Signatory Recorded: Lily Baez (L.ly LBang), signed on date .
Parent or Guardian Acknowledgment:
Informs parents/guardians of school efforts to create and maintain a safe science classroom/laboratory environment.
States that a safety instruction program eliminates, prevents, and corrects possible hazards through mutual cooperation.
Establishes that no student will be permitted to perform laboratory activities unless the contract is signed by both the student and parent/guardian and is on file with the teacher.
Parent signature indicates that they have read the Student Safety Contract, are aware of safety measures taken, and will instruct their child to uphold the agreement.
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard Pictograms
Health Hazard:
Carcinogen
Mutagenicity
Reproductive Toxicity
Respiratory Sensitizer
Target Organ Toxicity
Aspiration Toxicity
Flame:
Flammables
Pyrophorics
Self-Heating
Emits Flammable Gas
Self-Reactives
Organic Peroxides
Exclamation Mark:
Irritant (skin and eye)
Skin Sensitizer
Acute Toxicity (harmful)
Narcotic Effects
Respiratory Tract Irritant
Hazardous to Ozone Layer (Non-Mandatory)
Gas Cylinder:
Gases Under Pressure
Corrosion:
Skin Corrosion/Burns
Eye Damage
Corrosive to Metals
Exploding Bomb:
Explosives
Self-Reactives
Organic Peroxides
Flame Over Circle:
Oxidizers
Environment (Non-Mandatory):
Aquatic Toxicity
Skull and Crossbones:
Acute Toxicity (fatal or toxic)