Name:______Date:______Period:______

#1 - Safety in the Laboratory

General Laboratory Rules

  1. Know the location of emergency equipment.
  2. Identify 2 pieces of lab safety equipment in the science classroom and its use:
  1. Know how to leave the laboratory in case of emergency.
  2. Find the emergency exit in this science classroom: Describe where we would go in an emergence:
  1. Read all lab materials before beginning the lab.
  2. Listen to the teacher as specific directions are given.
  3. Do not bring food or drink into the lab. Do not eat or drink in the lab.
  4. Keep lab areas clutter free.
  5. Which items should be brought to the lab desk with you?
  1. Which items should be left at your desk?
  1. Keep books and other supplies out of pathways and off lab surfaces.
  2. Be aware of any possible hazards.
  3. Accidents sometimes happen. REPORT ALL ACCIDENTS IMMEDIATELY.

Rules to keep you safe

  1. Inform your teacher of any medical conditions that might affect your safety (allergies (latex, peanuts, etc.), asthma, diabetes, etc.)
  2. Wear clothing that will not present a safety hazard. Roll up loose sleeves. Tie long hair back. Remove dangling jewelry.
  3. Safety goggles must be worn when required. Wear and clean contact lenses properly.
  4. WASH YOUR HANDS with warm water and soap.

Read and Understand the following list of possible laboratory hazards. Know what to do should danger arise.
Animal Hazard / This symbol indicates the need for care and caution in handling lab animals or when coming in contact with an animal in the field. The animal may bite, scratch, spit, release quills or setae, or sting you. It may be venomous, toxic, or poisonous. It may be a carrier for a potentially lethal disease. If you are injured, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. Control the bleeding and place a sterile dressing on the wound. Seek medical assistance immediately.
Biohazard / This symbol indicates the presence of biologically dangerous, infectious disease causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or protists. These organisms may be present in laboratory specimens. They can enter the body through the epidermis, respiratory or digestive system. They can enter the body through the ears or eyes. Care should be taken to avoid contact. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. DO NOT EAT IN THE LAB. Seek medical assistance if contact with biohazards occurs or is suspected.
Breakage Danger / This symbol indicates the need for care when using glassware or other breakable items in the lab. Chipped or cracked glassware should be disposed of immediately in the proper location. If the glassware you are using is chipped, or cracked notify your teacher immediately.
Corrosive Substance / This symbol indicates the presence of a caustic substance such as a strong acid or base. Avoid getting these substances on your skin, in your mouth or in your eyes. Goggles must be worn when using acids or bases. Protective clothing should also be worn. Do not inhale the vapors. If corrosive substances spill on your skin or gets into your eyes, immediately rinse for 15 minutes in water. Seek medical assistance.
Dangerous Vapors / This symbol indicates the presence of a substance that produces poisonous or noxious vapors.
Electric Shock Danger / This symbol indicates the potential for an electric shock. Disconnect all electrical equipment when it is not in use. Do not use electrical equipment when wet or around water.
Explosive Danger / This symbol indicates the potential for an explosive situation. Certain chemicals should never be mixed together. Read the warning label carefully on all chemicals-reagents and household chemicals alike. DO NOT MIX CHEMICALS.
Eye Hazard / This symbol indicates the need for eye protection. Goggles must be worn. If anything is splashed into your eyes, immediately rinse in water for 15 minutes and seek medical assistance.
Fire Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of an open flame. Hair must be tied back. Loose clothing should not be worn. Keep all flammable items away from the flame. Check the flammability of all chemicals that might come into contact with the flame. Participate in fire drills. Know the presence of all exits in a room. If smoke is produced, crawl along the ground. In a fire situation, feel the temperature of the door before opening. If your clothing catches fire: STOP DROP and ROLL.
Flammable / This symbol indicates the presence of a substance that can be easily ignited. Care must be taken to avoid flames or high heat.
Hand Danger / This symbol indicates that the potential for cuts or burns exists. Care must be taken when using scissors or scalpels. Glassware, microscope slides and cover slips can chip or crack producing sharp edges. Do not use force when using sharp instruments. Notify your teacher and dispose of all damaged glassware in the proper receptacle. Use protective gloves when working with hot, very cold or corrosive substances.
Hazardous Waste Danger / This symbol indicates the presence of a substance that must be disposed of in a special way. Do not place hazardous materials in the sink or on the ground.
Ingestion Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of a toxic or poisonous substance. Assume all chemicals in the lab are toxic. DO NOT TASTE ANYTHING.
Low Temperature Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of a substance with a temperature low enough to cause damage to the skin or lungs. Do not touch dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Use protective gloves.
Lung Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of a dangerous vaporous chemical. DO NOT SMELL CHEMICALS. Read the warning labels on all chemicals. Minimally, use in a well ventilated area.
Mechanical Warning / This symbol indicates the presence of machinery or equipment with moving parts that can cause physical damage. These objects can pinch fingers, hands or arms or catch loose clothing or hair. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Simple mechanical hazards are doors, drawers, or things that you might trip over. KEEP ALL BOOKS AND SUPPLIES OUT OF THE WAY. More complex mechanical hazards are belts, pulleys, electrical mixers, engines, etc.
Noise Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of loud sound. The damage caused to the ears by sudden or repeated loud sound is cumulative and irreversible. Wear ear protectors when working with loud equipment. Pay attention to the volume of music, television, video games, etc. that you are listening to. Reduce the volume to a level that can be heard comfortably.
Plant Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of unknown and potentially poisonous plants. Care should be taken when handling unknown plants. Never eat any part of an unknown plant. Know how to recognize poisonous plants in your area and avoid contact with them.
Poisonous / This symbol indicates the presence of a poisonous substance. Do not let poisonous substances come in contact with your skin. Do not swallow any of the substance. Do not breathe in any of its vapors. Call poison control 1-800-222-1222 or dial 911. Seek medical assistance.
Pressure or Vacuum Hazard / This symbol indicates that a situation where a pressure greater or less than normal atmospheric pressure is produced. The main danger is breakage or explosion of the container in which the pressure difference is present. This hazard occurs when gas pressures are increased or decreased in a container.
Radiation Hazard / This symbol indicates the presence of a radioactive substance that may produce harmful radioactive emissions. X-rays, ultraviolet and microwave radiation, laser light beams, and electromagnetic radiation are all possible sources of danger. Even extremely bright lights may be included in this class of hazards. Avoidance and protective clothing or eye wear are necessary.
Safety Clothing Required / This symbol indicates that a lab apron or coat must be worn. Protective gloves may also be necessary.
Safety Goggles Required / This symbol indicates the safety goggles should be worn. They must be kept on your face, covering your eyes, for the entire activity to protect from damage.
Static Electricity Hazard / This symbol indicates the potential to produce static electricity. Sparks produced by static electricity can ignite flammable substances. Care must be taken not to build up static electricity in the lab.
Water Danger / This symbol indicates that extra precautions must be taken when working near water – whether it is a marine or fresh water environment. Work in the field requires special knowledge of the specific area. Learn about the field environment before beginning work.
Physical Hazards / This symbol indicates the presence of sharp, pointed or fragile objects that have the potential to cause injuries. Be careful as you move these objects from place to place. Always carry dissection equipment in dissection trays. Be careful while working with glass objects- beakers, flask, microscope slides and cover slips
Read and Understand the following pictograms of possible laboratory hazards. Know what to do should danger arise.

*Use the pictograms to identify three safety hazards from the Flinn Scientific label below..

i.

ii.

iii.

A.The following list includes hazards that might be found in the laboratory. For each example listed, indicated which type of hazard(s) are present.

1.Bacteria growing in a Petri dish:

2.Concentrated acids and bases:

3.A loud exhaust fan:

4.Rubbing alcohol:

5.An unprotected scalpel:

6.A beaker of water boiling on a hot plate:

7.A pile of books left in the middle of an aisle:

8.A baby raccoon found on the way to school:

9.A chipped flask:

10.A test tube with a stopper placed in boiling water on a hot plate:

11.Left over liquid preservative following dissection:

12.A potted poison ivy specimen growing in the green house:

13.An unlabeled chemical:

14.Wet hands plugging in a microscope light:

15.An experiment that uses dry ice:

B.Toxic and infectious agents can enter the body in many different ways. Ingestion (eating and drinking or accidental placement in mouth), inhalation (breathing), unprotected eyes and skin contact are three ways in which entry can occur. Identify the route of entry that is blocked by each of the following good lab practices:

  1. Using a fume hood or working with vaporous materials in a well ventilated area:
  2. Rules that forbid food in the lab:
  3. Wearing rubber gloves:
  4. Immediate wash up of all spills:
  5. Wearing goggles:

C.What procedure would you follow in each of these situations?

  1. Your clothing catches on fire:
  2. Chemicals spill on your hand:
  3. A particle is in your eye:
  4. You cut yourself with broken glass:
  5. A baby raccoon brought into school by another student bites you:

D.It is important to be familiar with your laboratory. Make a detailed drawing of the laboratory. Identify and label the following items in your drawing. Check them off. (Some of these are not present in all labs. Write NP for not present.)

_____Fire extinguisher_____Safety blanket_____Safety shower

_____Animals/Plants_____Goggles_____Fume hood

_____Exits_____Water faucets_____Electrical outlets

_____Microscopes_____Chemicals_____Eye wash station

E.The drawing on this page shows a mixture of safe and unsafe practices in a school laboratory. Circle as many unsafe practices you can find.

*Answer the following questions

based on this illustration and on

your knowledge of safety hazards

and proper lab behavior.

  1. List 3 unsafe activities shown

in the laboratory drawing and

explain why each is unsafe.

A:

B:

C:

  1. List 3 correct lab procedures

shown in the laboratory

drawing. Explain why each is

safe.

A:

B:

C:

  1. Name 2 safety guidelines that are not shown in the picture. Explain why they are important.

A:

B: