Lab Safety Article

PPE stands for:

• Personal Protective Equipment

• Professional Practice Evaluation

• Protective Procedures for Experiments

• Proper Physical Examination

The SDS is used to:

• Schedule daily science activities

• Provide safety and handling information for chemicals

• Track student data sheets

• Identify scientific diagrams and symbols

Which of the following is not considered emergency equipment?

• Eyewash station

• Fire extinguisher

• Bunsen burner

• Safety shower

A beaker is hot after heating. Which is the safest way to handle it?

• Pick it up with bare hands

• Use heat-resistant gloves or tongs

• Blow on it until it cools

• Leave it on the table until the next day

Why is eating in the lab unsafe?

• It attracts pests

• It distracts from work

• Food can become contaminated with chemicals

• It makes the room smell bad

Which piece of equipment would be most useful when working with dangerous fumes?

• Safety goggles

• Fume hood

• Safety shower

• Apron

During a lab, you notice a classmate removing their goggles while others are still handling acids. Your best immediate response is to:

• Tell them it's fine as long as they stand back

• Inform the teacher immediately

• Hand them your goggles to use

• Move their lab group to a different table

An experiment requires heating a flammable liquid. Which is the safest approach?

• Heat directly over an open flame

• Use a hot plate in a well-ventilated area

• Warm it by holding in your hands

• Place it near a window to heat in sunlight

Which situation represents the greatest safety risk?

• A student wearing gloves while handling chemicals

• Wearing sandals during a lab involving glassware

• Using a fume hood when mixing chemicals

• Reading SDS sheets before starting

Your school is designing a new science lab. Which set of three rules would most effectively promote safe behavior, while encouraging student responsibility?

• No running, no touching chemicals, no talking

• Wear goggles, follow teacher instructions, know emergency equipment locations

• Don't break glassware, don't eat, don't use phones

• Ask before acting, move cautiously, handle materials with respect