Safety in the Science Laboratory A Guide to

Safety in the Science Laboratory A Guide to Success in the Laboratory C. Marsh Rm # A-16 THS

Chemistry Safety • This presentation was created following the Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia. Certain materials are included under the Fair Use exemption of the U. S. Copyright Law. Further use of these materials and this presentation is restricted.

Accidents happen every day in many activities. Statistically, most accidents happen in the home or while driving a car. Few accidents have occurred in the science classroom. However, in order to decrease the chances of any accidents occurring, all students and visitors to the science lab are required to follow the safety procedures that will follow.

• Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times. • Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully.

Never Perform an unauthorized experiment. Many chemicals emit dangerous gases or may explode if combined. Never conduct experiments in the laboratory alone.

• When entering a lab, do not touch any equipment, chemicals or other materials until you are instructed to do so.

• Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory. eat or drink from lab equipment. NEVER taste chemicals for any reason.

• Horseplay, running, pushing, shoving, and practical jokes are a serious hazard in the science lab. There are many glass objects and chemicals which could be damaged or could injure you. Such behavior is not permitted.

VGood housekeeping is essential in maintaining a safe lab. VWork areas should be kept clean and tidy. VAll work surfaces in the laboratory should be cleaned after each use with water.

VBring only your laboratory instructions, worksheets, and/or reports to the work area. VMake sure that you place all backpacks in the desk seat and push outer desk to the inside.

Know the location of all the exits. Locate the nearest sink and shower. Know the location of the fire extinguisher, fire blanket, and eye washes. Your teacher will point these out to you before doing any lab activities.

• Be alert and proceed with caution!! • Notify your instructor immediately of any unsafe conditions • Dispose of all chemicals properly. • Never mix chemicals in sink drains. • Sinks are to be used only for water and those • Solutions designated by the instructor.

Hygienic Care Wash hands after lab. Keep hands away from face and mouth.

• Experiments must be personally monitored. • NEVER leave an experiment unattended. • Do not wander around the room, distract other students, or interfere with the laboratory experiments of others.

Students are never permitted in the chemistry supply room!!

Goggles must be worn when engaging in or observing activities involving potential hazards to the eye.

Contact lenses should not be worn while doing many chemical experiments. When labs are assigned that require you to remove contact lenses, be sure to bring you containers and solution.

Dress properly during a laboratory activity. • Long hair must be tied back during lab. • Dangling jewelry and loose or baggy clothing must be secured. • Shoes must completely cover the foot. No sandals/flip flops.

Report all accidents and injuries to your teacher immediately. Don’t be afraid to tell the teacher of an accident because you broke a rule. The threat of infection or other side effects of the accident are more important than the reprimand the teacher may give you for breaking the rules.

If you or your lab partner are hurt, immediately yell out, “Code one, Code one” to get the instructor’s attention.

If a chemical splashes in your eye(s) or on your skin, immediately flush with running water for at least 20 minutes. Notify someone immediately.

z. Take great care in noting odors or fumes. Use a wafting motion of the hand. NEVER put a bottle to your nose and breathe deeply.

ÙNever try to pick up broken glass. It should be swept up carefully. ÙBroken glass in sinks should be promptly removed as it presents a serious hazard to all using the sink. Notify your teacher when this happens.

Electrical Safety Never touch electrical equipment with wet hands. Don’t overload an electric current. Make sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded. Never make it a walking hazard.

ðNever allow the open end of a heated test tube to be pointed toward anyone. ðNever touch any heating equipment or recently heated glassware. It may not look hot, but could burn you badly.

z. Never heat a closed container. The stopper could act as a projectile. z. Make certain that all hot plates and open burners are turned off when leaving the laboratory.

Excessive talking keeps the instructor from hearing when someone could be injured. Please refrain from talking loudly during lab. In case of emergency-DO NOT RUN. Leave by the nearest safe exit. DO NOT SCREAM OR YELL. Screaming will only create confusion.

Follow all instructions given by your instructor. Everyone is responsible for keeping the laboratory a safe environment in which to learn.

Fire drill • In the event of a fire drill – close containers, – turn off gas valves – Turn off fume hood – Turn off electrical equipment • Exit the room and turn right. Exit the door at the end of the hall, stay to the left, and gather in the student parking lot at the end of the building

Tornado drill • In the even of a tornado drill – close containers, – turn off gas valves – Turn off fume hood – Turn off electrical equipment • Exit the room from the back door, into the chemical supply room. Assume the “tornado position” on the left side of the room.

Safety Counts Playing in the lab is serious business. If you think the rules are stupid, read these accounts, and realize just how dangerous not following the rules can be.

GOGGLES SAVE EYES In an experiment in which children were creating synthetic clouds, it was necessary to build pressure into a flask. When Charles’ A. Put too much pressure on the flask, the glass shattered, sending shrapnel flying around the room and into his right eye. • Do you have all the necessary equipment for the lab? • Is your lab clear of anything that will get in the way? • Are you, your lab partners, and the people around your station wearing goggles?

Don’t be afraid to… TELL A TEACHER Leslie Miller was participating in a lab using potassium Hydroxide (KOH), A very dangerous “Caustic” substance. Some of the crystalline KOH came in contact with Leslie’s skin, but she did not tell the teacher. Later in the day, when the KOH came in contact with the moisture in her skin, she was too late to stop the damage. By the time she had received medical treatment, she had caused permanent disfigurement of her right thigh requiring reconstructive surgery.

NO FOOD OR DRINKS A 14 -year old boy put potassium dichromate in a bottle of soda two students were sharing in a physical science lab. The two students became seriously ill and were rushed to a hospital.

WORK SAFE Students in a high school chemistry class were studying the difference between mixtures and compounds. In the first part of the lab sulfur was mixed with iron and the sulfur was removed by dissolving the sulfur in carbon disulfide. In the second part of the lab iron and sulfur were mixed in the correct proportions to make iron sulfide. The sample was heated to bring about the desired reaction. Unfortunately some of the students were much faster than others and the two parts of the experiment were occurring at the same time. One student placed her solution of sulfur and carbon disulfide in the chemical crock and put the cover back on. Shortly thereafter a second student placed a hot test tube in the crock. The resulting explosion sent glass flying in all directions, fortunately everyone was wearing their goggles and no one was injured.

Resources used for this Presentation ýhttp: //www. barrysclipart. com/chemistry/chemex. html ýhttp: //www. bestclipart. com/linkpages/science. htm ýhttp: //agpublications. tamu. edu/clipart/ ýhttp: //cgl. microsoft. com/clipgallerylive/default. asp