Lab Safety

If you spill an acid or a base on yourself, you should:

• rinse with a neutralizing solution

• ask your teacher what to do

• immediately wash with soap and cool water and tell your teacher

• do nothing unless you feel a burn or irritation

You may remove your goggles while in the lab room:

• never

• if no one is doing an experiment or washing glassware

• if you are wearing glasses or contacts

• anytime

You can safely wear contact lenses while doing a chemistry lab:

• if you are wearing goggles

• if they are soft lenses

• never

• if you are heating a substance but not using chemicals

Broken glassware left around the lab is a hazard because:

• if on the floor, someone might step on it and cut their foot

• if on the lab bench, someone might lean on the bench and cut their arm

• if in the sink, someone might try to pick it up to throw it away properly and cut themselves

• all of the above

You have looked up the hazards of the chemicals you will be using in a particular lab, and found out that they are mild health hazards, requiring you to avoid skin contact and vapor inhalation. Therefore, when in lab you should:

• wear short shorts and sandals

• wear long pants, closed toed shoes, a lab apron, and gloves

If the fire alarm sounds, you should:

• do nothing - it is probably a false alarm

• shut down your experiment, get your stuff, then leave the building

• leave the building immediately following fire alarm protocols

• grab a fire extinguisher and/or safety wash

What should you do with your waste chemicals from your lab when you are done performing the experiment?

• Pour it down the drain.

• Leave it in the container you have it in.

• Deposit in appropriate waste beakers in front of room, unless your teacher tells you it is OK to pour the contents down the drain.

You get a chemical in your eye. What should you do?

• nothing

• rinse with water for a few minutes and tell your teacher

• immediately flush with water, continue washing for 15 minutes and tell your teacher

• go to the restroom and rinse with water because the water is better there

All accidents and/or injuries in the science lab should be handled by the students themselves.

• True

• False

The correct way to combine acid & water is to add acid to the water.

• True

• False