Lab Safety Rules
General
Always report any accident, injury, spill, to the teacher as soon as it happens. Don't wait! It doesn't matter if you think it is trivial, report it at once.
Never taste, eat, drink, or sniff any chemical in this room. Many of the chemicals we use are harmful or fatal if ingested.
Never use laboratory glassware to drink out of, even if it looks clean.
Protective eyewear is to be worn at all times during lab activities unless your instructor informs you otherwise.
Shoes must be worn at all times in this room. Glassware breaks frequently.
Always read the safety precautions and procedures for each lab assignment before going to your lab bench.
Never push, play, or fight in the lab area.
Fire Safety
Always keep the burner in the middle of the lab bench.
Hair is flammable. If your hair is longer than your shoulders, tie it back before going to your lab bench.
Clothing is flammable. Never reach over or position your body near the burner flame.
Paper is flammable (duh!). Keep papers and paper towels away from your Bunsen burner.
Lab ware takes a while to cool down. Things that have been heated are not safe to touch . Wait several minutes before attempting to pick them up.
Turn off the gas as soon as it is no longer needed.
Never play with a gas jet.
If someone catches on fire, they should be wrapped in the fire safety blanket which is located in the back corner of the room. Note: never attempt to use a fire blanket on a person who is standing, get them to the ground first.
The fire extinguisher is located on the wall between the student door and the prep area door.
Glass safety
Always wear shoes in the lab area. There may be small shards of broken glass on the floor.
Do not try to pick up broken glass; inform the teacher of the breakage and Mr. Samson will handle it.
Do not touch glass that has been heated.
Never, never drink out of laboratory glassware, no matter how clean it might look.
If someone is cut by glass, do not attempt to clean up their blood. Turn off your burner and move to your seats until the teacher tells you it is safe to return to the lab bench.
Never attempt to push glass tubing into or pull it out of a rubber stopper. Glass tubing breaks very easily.
Chemical Safety
Never taste or sniff any chemical in the lab. Always assume that a chemical is hazardous, even if you think it something harmless like water or sugar.
Always wash your hands at the end of lab. You never know what residues might be on your bench.
Never eat or drink in the lab area.
Inform the teacher if you have any chemical sensitivities or allergies to any of the materials used in a lab. You will be excused from the assignment.
Wear eye protection if caustic chemicals (such as acids and bases) are in use. Some of the chemicals we use can blind you! When wearing goggles, wear the strap over you hair and above your ears.
If you wear contact lenses you need to be especially careful about keeping chemicals out of your eyes. Contacts tend to trap chemicals (liquids or gases) against the eye. It is best not to wear them during lab.
If you get any chemicals in you eyes, the eye wash station is located on the wall between the student door and the prep area door. Forcibly hold your eye lids open and rinse your eyes for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them as soon as possible.
Do not attempt to clean up spilled chemicals by yourself. Report any spill to your teacher and let him handle the clean up.
If large amounts of dangerous chemicals are spilled on your clothing it might be necessary for you to use the emergency shower that is located in the prep area.
To avoid accidentally inhaling vapors, never stand directly over a container of chemicals.