Name: ___________

STUDENT LAB SAFETY RULES TA/Class: ______

(to be printed and kept in your binder all year)

Your personal safety and the safety of those around you depend upon the care
with which you follow some general rules for safety in the laboratory.

The best way to handle accidents is to prevent them!

1. Know the location and use of the: fire extinguisher, eye wash station (Take out
contact lenses first!), fire blanket, first aid kit.

2. Before performing any experiment, read through the experiment, and all safety precautions. Listen
carefully to your teacher’s instructions.

3. All experiments must have teacher approval before beginning. Do NOT start the lab until the teacher
says so.

4. When working at your lab station, talk quietly with your group members. Do NOT visit with other groups.
Keep all movement to a minimum when performing a lab.

5. When the teacher asks for your attention you MUST STOP what you are doing and listen
IMMEDIATELY- the teacher should not have to ask more than once for your attention. In an emergency
situation, remain at your station unless directed otherwise. Do NOT crowd around a hazard area

6. Notify the teacher of ANY accident, no matter how minor the accident seems to you.

7. Report any broken or cracked glassware to the teacher. Put all broken glass in the proper glass container,
NOT in a regular garbage can.

8. Wear protective clothing when necessary. (lab coat/apron, safety glasses, gloves). Do NOT touch
chemicals with your hands unless directed to do so.

9. There should be NO food, drink or gum in the lab! Also, do NOT drink from any container unless directed
by your teacher. Do NOT taste chemicals, unless directed by the teacher.

10. Always keep your working area clean and uncluttered. Avoid spillage, but if you spill, clean it up
immediately with water and paper towel (unless otherwise told by your teacher). Wipe up all spilled liquids
or solids immediately. If you spill chemicals or acid on yourself, rinse IMMEDIATELY with water and then
tell the teacher of the accident.

11. Appropriate clothing should be worn at all times in the lab. Long hair must be tied back & closed toed
shoes must be worn at all times (wear a hair elastic around your wrist for all science classes and have
closed toed shoes available to change into– the teacher might not have told you ahead of time that you will
be doing a lab that day, always come prepared!) Cotton or wool clothing is the best. Do not wear
polyester clothing, long, loose sleeves/jewelry or a jacket in the lab.

12. Do NOT play with any equipment unless directed to by the teacher. This includes all digital media
equipment. Do not put foreign objects into the sinks/electrical outlets or play with the taps.
13. No horseplay or fooling around will be tolerated. You will lose your lab privileges if you fool around.

14. Sitting and standing positions:

- Do NOT sit on lab benches or on chairs during labs.
- Stand, with chairs /stools under the bench or desk, especially when handling chemicals and
equipment. All chairs should be pushed in and books placed on the seat of the chair to avoid
accidents. Only lab papers should be on the desks.

15. Do NOT smell or breathe in chemical vapors directly. Instead, fan the vapor (waft) toward you by sweeping
your hand over the top of the container.

16. Read the labels on all bottles carefully before removing the material. Failure to do so could result in a
serious accident if the wrong chemical is used.

17. Never carry supply bottles to your station. Instead measure out the amount of material you need into
another container to take to your station. Do NOT return unused materials to their supply bottle. Instead,
discard into the garbage or sink. Never discard matches, filter paper, or any insoluble materials into the
sink (our sinks get clogged and then we can’t do labs!

18. Use only Pyrex glassware (heat-resistant) when heating substances. When heating anything, keep hands
and clothing away from the heat source (flame or hot plate/burner). Allow ample time for hot glass to cool
before cleaning and putting away. Remember that hot glass looks like cool glass. When heating a
substance in a test tube, hold the test tube at a 45-degree angle and pointing away from people and keep
the test tube moving over the heat source. Never look into a test tube that is being heated, substances can
explode out of the top and get on you!

19. Acid can burn clothes/ skin and even paper if spilled. Always pour acid into water to avoid a chemical
explosion. A  Z

20. When pouring a liquid, pour down the side of a glass-stirring rod. Liquids should always be stirred or mixed
with a stirring rod and not thermometers, scoopulas, etc.

21. Scoopulas, forceps (tweezers) and spatulas (measuring spoons) are provided for the handling and
dispensing of dry chemicals.

22. LAB CLEAN-UP must occur promptly and efficiently. At the end of the lab, clean all equipment and
return to its designated spot in the lab. The teacher is NOT your maid or custodian! Clean up when
told to do so- - - do NOT continue working.

23. Make sure you wash your hands and lab counter/desk thoroughly before leaving a lab.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE ABOVE RULES AND SAFEGAURDS COULD RESULT IN THE STUDENT
BEING ASKED TO QUIT THE LAB AND SIT DOWN. THESE RULES AND SAFEGUARDS ARE MEANT TO
PROTECT BOTH YOU AND YOUR CLASS MATES.
The best way to handle accidents is to prevent them!