Safety Rules

1. Know where all emergency equipment is and how to use it. Know the proper the fire drill procedure.
2. Be able to identify and properly use all science equipment used in the classroom.
3. Read and follow all directions very carefully.
4. Listen to your teacher for all verbal instructions and safeguards before beginning the experiment.
5. If your teacher asks for your attention during the experiment, immediately stop what you are doing and pay special attention.
6. Never mix, touch, taste, heat or inhale chemicals unless you are told by your teacher that is all right to do so.
7. Always wear safety goggles (covering the eyes!) when they are required.
8. Handle all hot objects with clamps or tongs. Use the proper tool for the proper job. Do not use these items for any other purpose.
9. Take extra precaution when handling dangerous chemicals.
10. Do not perform any unauthorized experiments.
11. Do not perform any experiments when your teacher is not in the room.
12. Turn off the gas when it is not in use.
13. Never work alone. Read all labels on all bottles carefully before using the contents. Have your lab partner check to see that you are using the proper amounts of chemicals.
14. Loose clothing should not be worn near burner flames. Long hair should be tied back. All excess chemical should be placed well away from the flame.
15. When heating liquids in a test tube, use boiling stones or a water bath.
16. Never point a test tube you are heating toward yourself or anyone else.
17. When mixing acid and water, always add the acid to the water slowly, using the greatest caution.
18. When inserting a glass tube into a cork, first fire polish the end of the tube then lubricate it with water, soap or glycerin. Hold the tube near the end with a cloth and carefully twist the stopper onto the tube.
19. When testing for odors, hold the chemical about an arm’s length away and wave your hand over it, cautiouls sniffing from a distance.
20. Never contaminate solutions by pouring chemicals back into their original bottles. Also, never exchange stoppers between bottles or lay stoppers on the table.
21. To prevent contamination, all science equipment (especially glassware) should be clean before use.
22. When working with animals or chemicals, wash hands thoroughly at the end of each lab experiment.
23. In case of burns from an acid or base, wash the affected area immediately with plenty of running water. If the eye is involved, quickly rinse it with running water by holding the eyelid open and rinsing from the inner corner of the eye outward (for 15 minutes). Report all accidents to your teacher immediately!
24. Do not throw matches into waste paper baskets. A special container should be provided for their disposal.
25. Do not use household electricity for experiments. Instead, use batteries or low voltage power supplies. When inserting or removing an electrical plug from it’s socket, grasp the plug and not the cord.
26. Inspect all electrical power cords for bare or frayed wires.
27. Dispose of all waster material (chemicals, etc.) in the special container identified by your teacher. Do not pour solid waste or broken glass down the drain of a sink.
28. All science projects or individual experiments must be approved by the teacher before you begin.
29. When observing the sun, use only an indirect method of observation.
30. Never eat or drink from laboratory equipment. Always use a mechanical method to pippette a liquid. Never put your mouth on a pippette.
31. When chiseling or grinding rocks, safety goggles must be worn.
32. Be extra safe when working with sharp instruments such as dissecting tools. Be aware of the mechanical advantage that simple machines have and use caution when using them.
33. Be prepared for the unexpected Have a plan for specific emergencies.
34. Science can be fun if you play it safe.