Science Lab Safety
Personal Protective Equipment Many states require by law that students wear approved safety goggles or safety glasses when in the lab. This is an absolute "MUST"! This is not acceptable!
Proper attire Avoid floppy garments; avoid things that dangle These get tangled up in equipment or glassware and cause accidents Avoid long, loose hair styles for the same reason. When Bunsen burners are in use, long hair sometimes catches on fire The Safety Code of most schools will not approve of open footwear; so avoid sandals/thongs
Fire Extinguishers Fire Blanket First-Aid Kit Eye-wash Fountain Shower Goggle Station Safety Equipment
Fire Extinguisher There are two main types of fire extinguishers, carbon dioxide dry chemical (powder) Often, but not always, they carry different colors. In this case the carbon dioxide extinguisher is red, and the dry-chemical (powder) extinguisher is yellow. Read the tag to know which you will use. The tag also should show the date the extinguisher was last serviced.
Fire Blanket Good for fires involving equipment A dry-chemical extinguisher would trash a computer Usage: Yank the blanket out of the wall holder. Wrap it around the victim to smother the fire.
First Aid Kit These items may be used temporarily for small injuries (say, a cut finger) Go to the school nurse immediately afterward. Do not wait until the end of the day. However, if blood is in evidence-- STAY AWAY! Let the victim apply his/her own bandage. If blood is on the floor or lab bench, let trained personnel do the clean-up.
Eyewash Fountain Retract your eyelid (hold it open); this restricts water access. Run fresh water over your eye for several minutes. If the water is COLD, wash your eyes INTERMITTENTLY and rest in between rinses. Go to the school nurse immediately afterward.
Safety Shower Safety showers should be used for dire EMERGENCIES only! If you (or a lab mate) is ON FIRE, position yourself (or your lab mate) under the safety shower. Pull the handle a deluge of water will result. Flames will be rapidly extinguished. The safety shower should also be used if you suffer a massive spill of a dangerous chemical on yourself, and need to get it off rapidly. However, in a high school laboratory, this will seldom be necessary
Broken Glass Sweep it up right away as to not have it tracked in all period Place the broken glass in a "SHARP S CONTAINER. This is a thick walled carton, that will be sealed and discarded as such. If such a container is not available, a milk carton is an acceptable substitute.
Student Use in the Laboratory No UNAUTHORIZED experiments! These are terrible dangers in unskilled hands. No EATING or DRINKING in the LAB. A good practice is to assume everything in the lab is toxic.
Student Use in the Laboratory TESTING of ODORS: Do NOT smell the flask directly. If you absolutely must test the odor, carefully waft the vapor from the flask toward your nose with your hand. Keep the flask quite distant from your face.
Student Use in the Laboratory DO NOT add WATER to CONCENTRATED ACID. The heat generated may cause splattering. If necessary to prepare certain solutions, DO add ACID to WATER (instead of the reverse order of addition). The heat generated will be less, but splattering still may occur. A good practice in all lab operations is to keep things at arm s length. Always wear eye protection.
Student Use in the Laboratory Make sure that reaction tubes, e.g. test tubes, are not directed toward yourself or other persons. The chemicals may splatter out the tube.
Student Use in the Laboratory Bunsen Burner Usage Make sure the rubber hoses are firmly attached. Both at the gas outlet and at the burner. Otherwise, the flame may "strike-back". Ask your teacher what this term means. If a "flame-out" nevertheless occurs, merely turn off the gas.
Student Use in the Laboratory In a laboratory setting, horseplay, even if goodnatured, is absolutely unacceptable. No pushing! No shoving! Serious accidents all too often result involving the glassware or solutions in use. Ask your teacher about the disciplinary measures in effect at your school for accidents in the lab resulting from horseplay.
Student Use in the Laboratory At the end of the lab period: Exit the lab in an orderly manner after your lab table/area is clean. Again, no running, no pushing, no shoving. If the glassware present becomes broken, the situation is dangerous. FIRST TO PACK LAST TO LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!
Information and pictures provided by: the Department of Chemistry University of Nebraska-Lincoln C. A. Kingsbury Safety Director Hamilton Hall, UN-L comments to: ckingsbu@unlinfo.unl.edu