Laboratory Safety

What should you do if a chemical spills on your skin?

• Wipe it off with a paper towel.

• Rinse it off immediately with plenty of water and notify the instructor.

• Ignore it and continue working.

• Cover it with a bandage.

Which of the following items of clothing is appropriate to wear in the lab?

• Loose, flowing clothing

• Open-toed shoes

• Long pants and closed-toed shoes

• Sandals and shorts

Before starting any lab activity, you should:

• Begin immediately to save time

• Read and understand the entire procedure

• Ask a classmate what to do.

• Skip the procedure and follow the instructor’s oral directions only.

Eating and drinking in the laboratory:

• Is allowed if you are careful.

• Is never allowed.

• Is allowed only during non-experiment times.

• Is okay if the instructor permits it.

If you do not understand the instructions for an experiment, you should:

• Skip the parts you don’t understand.

• Guess what to do.

• Ask the instructor for help.

• Proceed carefully.

Which of the following statements about lab safety equipment is correct?

• Fire extinguishers should be used by students without instruction.

• Safety showers are used to rinse chemicals off the body.

• Eye wash stations are for rinsing off your hands.

• Fume hoods are for disposing of solid waste.

If you break a piece of glassware, you should:

• Pick it up with your hands and dispose of it in the trash.

• Leave it for the next class to clean up.

• Notify the instructor and dispose of it in the designated glass disposal container.

• Push it to the side and continue working.

When heating a substance in a test tube, you should:

• Point the open end of the test tube away from yourself and others.

• Hold the test tube with your bare hands.

• Look directly into the test tube to observe the reaction.

• Heat the test tube until it boils over.

In the event of a fire, you should:

• Panic and run.

• Use the fire extinguisher without telling anyone.

• Notify the instructor and follow their directions.

• Try to put out the fire yourself without informing anyone.

Which of the following is NOT a correct safety practice?

• Tying back long hair and securing loose clothing.

• Use the fire extinguisher without telling anyone.

• Notify the instructor and follow their directions.

• Try to put out the fire yourself without informing anyone.