Lab Safety Rules

Many materials in the laboratory can cause eye injury. To protect yourself from possible injury, always wear safety goggles or glasses whenever you are working with chemicals, burners, or any substance that might get into your eyes.

Tie back long hair in order to keep it away from any chemicals, burners, and candles, or other laboratory equipment.

Never perform activites that are not authorized by your teacher. Always obtain permission before "experimenting" on your own.

Never handle any equimpent unless you have specific permission.

Take extreme care not to spill any material in the laboratory. If spills occur, ask your teacher immediately about the proper clean-up procedure.

Never simply pour chemicals or other substances into the sink or trash container.

Never eat or drink in the laboratory. Wash your hands before and after each experiment.

There should be no loud talking or horseplay in the laboratory.

Know the location and use of all safety equipment (goggles, aprons, eyewash, fire blanket, fire extinguishers, etc.)

Never work alone in the lab.

Again, never use any heat source such as a candle or burner without wearing safety goggles.
Never heat any chemical that you are not instructed to heat. A chemical that is harmless when cool can be dangerous when heated.

Always maintain a clean work area and keep all materials away from flames.

Never leave a flame unattended.

Never reach across a flame.

Make sure you know how to light a Bunsen burner. If the flame leaps out of a burner towards you, turn the gas off immediately. Do not touch the burner. It may be hot. And never leave a lighted burner unattended!

Always point a test tube that is being heated away from you and others. Chemicals can splash or boil out of a heated test tube.

Never heat a liquid in a closed container. The expanding gases produced may blow the container apart, injuring you or others.

Never pick up any container that has been heated without first holding the back of your hand near it. If you can feel the heat on the back of your hand, the container may be too hot to handle. Always use a clamp or tongs when handling hot containers. Hot glassware looks the same as cool glassware.

Never mix chemicals for the "fun of it." You might produce a dangerous, possibly explosive substance. No unauthorized experiments should be performed.

Never touch, taste, or smell any chemical that you do not know for a fact is harmless. Many chemicals are poisonous. If you are instructed to note the fumes in an experiment, always gently wave your hand over the opening of a container and direct the fumes toward your nose. Do not inhale the fumes directly from the container.

Use only those chemicals needed in the activity. Keep all lids closed when a chemical is not being used. Notify your teacher when chemicals are spilled.

Be extra careful when working with acids or bases. Pour such chemicals over the sink, not over your work bench.

When diluting an acid, always pour the acid into water. Never pour water into the acid.

Rinse any acids off your skin or clothing with water. Immediately notify your teacher of any acid spill.

Never pipet by mouth.

Be sure you use the correct chemical. Read the label twice.

Do not return any excess back to the reagent bottle.

Do not contaminate the chemical supply.

Keep combustible materials away from open flames (alcohol, carbon disulfide, and acetone are combustible).

Replace all stoppers and caps on the bottle as soon as you finish using it.

Mercury spills must be cleaned up immediately. Use the mercury sponge clean up kits.

Glass tubing should never be forced into a rubber stopper. A turning motion and lubricant will be helpful when inserting glass tubing into rubber stoppers or rubber tubing. Your teacher will demonstrate the proper way to insert glass tubing.

When heating glassware, use a wire or ceramic screen to protect glassware from the flame of a Bunsen burner.

If you are instructed to cut glass tubing, always fire polish the ends immediately to remove sharp edges.

Never use broken or chipped glassware. If glassware breaks, notify your teacher and dispose of the glassware in the proper trash container.

Never eat or drink from laboratory glassware. Always thoroughly clean glassware before putting it away.

When an experiment is completed, always clean up your work area and return all equipment to its proper place.

Wash your hands after every experiment.

Make sure all candles and burners are turned off before leaving the laboratory. Check that the gas line leading to the burner is off as well.

Do not use hair spray or hair mousse during or even before coming to laboratory class. These are highly flammable and might cause automatic ignition when in close proximity to a heat source.

Be respectful, follow your teacher's instructions, and don't take shortcuts.

Always get your teacher's permission before attempting any laboratory investigation.

Read the procedures carefully, paying attention to safety information and cautionary statements.

Dress appropriately on lab day, remove dangling jewelry and wear closed-toed shoes or sandals in the laboratory. Wear an apron to protect your clothing from staining, burning, or corrosion if instructed by your teacher.

Follow your teacher's directions for washing, unplugging and putting away the equipment.

Wash hands with soap and water after working in the laboratory.

Stay, work and talk to your own group. Don't leave your group and work area unless instructed by the teacher. Do not sit on counters or tables.