Name ________________________________________Period ________
Date ________________
Safety in the Laboratory
Working in the laboratory is an
interesting and rewarding experience. During your labs, you will be actively
involved from beginning to end - from setting some change in motion to drawing
some conclusion. In the laboratory, you will be working with equipment and
materials that can cause injury if they are not handled properly. However, the
laboratory is a safe place to work if you are careful. Accidents do not just
happen. They are caused-by carelessness, haste, and disregard of safety rules
and practices. Safety rules to be followed in the laboratory are listed below.
Before beginning any lab work, read these rules, learn them, and follow them carefully.
General
1. Be prepared to work when
you arrive at the laboratory. Familiarize yourself with the lab procedures
before beginning the lab.
2. Perform only those lab
activities assigned by your teacher. Never do anything in the laboratory that
is not called for in the laboratory procedure or by your teacher. Never work
alone in the lab. Do not engage in any horseplay.
3. Work areas should be kept
clean and tidy at all times. Only lab manuals and notebooks should be brought
to the work area. Other books, purses, brief cases, etc. should be left at your
desk or placed in a designated storage area
4. Clothing should be
appropriate for working in the lab. Jackets, ties, and other loose garments
should be removed. Open shoes should not be worn.
5. Long hair should be tied
back or covered, especially in the vicinity of open flame.
6. Jewelry that might
present a safety hazard, such as dangling necklaces, chains, medal lions, or
bracelets should not be worn in the lab.
7. Follow all instructions,
both written and oral, carefully.
8. Safety goggles and lab
aprons should be
9. Set up apparatus as
described manual or by your teacher. Never use makeshift
10. Always use the
prescribed instrument (tongs, test tube holder, forceps, etc.) for handling
apparatus or equipment
11. Keep all combustible
materials away from open flames.
12. Never touch any
substance in the lab unless specifically instructed to do so by your
13. Never put your face near
the mouth of a container that is holding chemicals
14. Never smell any chemicals
unless instructed to do so by your teacher. When testing for odors, use a
wafting motion to direct the odors to your nose.
15. Any activity involving
poisonous vapors should be conducted in the fume hood
16. Dispose of waste
materials as instructed by your teacher.
17. Clean up all spills
immediately.
18. Clean and wipe dry all
work surfaces at the end of class. Wash your hands thoroughly.
19. Know the location of
emergency equipment (First aid kit, fire extinguisher, fire shower, fire
blanket, etc.) and how to use them.
20. Report all accidents to
the teacher immediately.
21. Read and double check
labels on reagent bottles before removing any reagent. Take only as much
reagent as you need.
22. Do not return unused
reagent to stock bottles.
23. When transferring
chemical reagents from one container to another, hold the containers out away
from your body.
24. When mixing an acid and
water, always add the acid to the water.
25. Avoid touching chemicals
with your hands. If chemicals do come in contact with your hands, wash them
immediately.
26. Notify your teacher if
you have any medical problems that might relate to lab work, such as allergies
or asthma
27. If you will be working
with chemicals in the lab, avoid wearing contact lenses. Change to glasses, if
possible, or notify the teacher.
Handling Glassware
28. Glass tubing, especially
long pieces, should be carried in a vertical position to minimize the
likelihood of breakage and to avoid stabbing anyone
29. Never handle broken
glass with your bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass.
Dispose of the glass as directed by your teacher.
30. Always lubricate
glassware (tubing, thistle tubes, thermometers, etc.) with water or glycerine before attempting to insert it into a rubber
stopper.
31. Never apply force when
inserting or re-moving glassware from a stopper. Use a twisting motion. If a
piece of glassware becomes "frozen" in a stopper, take it to your
teacher.
32. Do not place hot
glassware directly on the lab table. Always use an insulating pad of some sort.
33. Allow plenty of time for
hot glass to cool before touching it. Hot glass can cause painful burns.
(Remember: Hot glass looks cool.)
Heating Substances
34. Exercise extreme
caution- when using a gas burner. Keep your head and clothing away from the
flame.
35. Always turn the burner
off when it is not in use.
36. Do not bring any
substance into contact with a flame unless instructed to do so.
37. Never heat anything
without being instructed to do so.
38. Never look into a container
that is being heated.
39. When heating a substance
in a test tube, make sure that the mouth of the tube is not pointed at yourself
or anyone else.
40. Never leave unattended
anything that is being heated or is visibly reacting.
First Aid in the Laboratory
Classroom
Accidents do not often happen in well-equipped chemistry
laboratories if students understand safe laboratory procedures and are careful
in following them. When an occasional accident does occur, it is likely to be a
minor one. The school nurse is responsible for treating injuries. However, for
some types of injuries, you must take action immediately, before the nurse
takes over. The following Information will be helpful to you if an accident
occurs.
1. Shock. People who are suffering from any severe injury (for
example, a bad burn or major loss of blood) may be in a state of shock. A
person in shock is usually pale and faint. The per-son may be sweating, with
cold, moist skin and a weak, rapid pulse.
Shock is a serious medical
condition. Do not allow a person in shock to walk anywhere--even to the nurse's
office. While emergency help is being summoned, place the victim face up in a
horizontal position, with the feet raised about 30 centimeters. Loosen any
tightly fitting clothing and keep him or her warm.
2. Chemicals in the Eyes. Getting any kind of a chemical into the eyes
is undesirable, but certain chemicals are especially harmful. They can destroy
eyesight in a matter of seconds. Be cause you will be wearing safety goggles at
all times in the lab, the likelihood of this kind of accident is remote.
However, if it does happen, flush your eyes with water immediately. Do Not attempt to go to the nurse's office before flushing your
eyes. It is important that flushing with water be continued for a prolonged
time--about 15 minutes. While flushing is continuing, the school nurse should
be informed.
3. Clothing or Hair on Fire. A person whose clothing or hair catches
on fire will often run around hysterically in an unsuccessful effort to get
away from the fire. This only provides the fire with more oxygen and makes it
burn faster For clothing fires, throw yourself to the ground and roll around to
extinguish the flames. For hair fires, use a fire blanket to smother the flames
Notify the nurse immediately.
4. Bleeding from a Cut. Most cuts that occur in the chemistry
laboratory are minor. For minor cuts, apply pressure to the wound with a
sterile gauze, and take the victim to the school nurse. If the victim is
bleeding badly, raise the bleeding part, if possible, and apply pressure to the
wound with a piece of sterile gauze. While first aid is being given, someone
else should notify the school nurse.
5. Chemicals in the Mouth. Many chemicals are poisonous to varying
degrees. Any chemical taken into the mouth should be spat out and the mouth
rinsed thoroughly with water. Note the name of the chemical and notify the
nurse immediately. If the victim swallows a chemical, note the name of the
chemical and notify the nurse immediately. If necessary, the nurse will contact
the Poison Control Center, a hospital emergency room, or a physician for
instructions.
6. Acid or Base Spilled on the Skin. Flush the skin with water for
about 16 minutes. Take the victim to the school nurse.
7. Breathing Smoke or Chemical Fumes. All experiments that give off
smoke or noxious gases should be conducted in a well-ventilated fume hood. This
will make an accident of this kind unlikely. If smoke or chemical fumes are
present in the laboratory, all persons--even those who do not feel ill--should
leave the laboratory immediately. Make certain that all doors to the laboratory
are closed after the last person has left. Since smoke rises, stay low while
evacuating a smoke-filled room. Notify the nurse immediately. Thoroughly
ventilate the room before going back to work.
Laboratory Safety Agreement
I have read and understood
the attached document on safety and first aid in the laboratory.
_________________
(Date)
The office of the school
nurse is located:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(State
location)
The nearest fire alarm to
the chemistry laboratory is located:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(State
location)
The laboratory’s fire
blanket is located:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(State
location)
The nearest telephone to the
chemistry laboratory is located
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(State
location)
I have read and understood the attached document on
safety and first aid in the laboratory and agree to abide by the rules and
procedures described in within. I will also abide by any other rules and
regulations provided by my chemistry teacher.
________________________________________________________ ________________________
(Name - Please print
clearly) (Date)
_________________________________________________________
(Signature)
I have read and understand the attached rules and
procedure and pledge my support in encouraging my son/daughter to follow them.
________________________________________________________ ________________________
(Parent’s name - Please
print clearly) (Date)
_________________________________________________________
(Signature)