Biology Classroom Laboratory Student Safety Contract
Science is a process of discovering and exploring the natural world. Exploration occurs in the classroom/laboratory or in the field. As part of your biology class, you will be doing activities and investigations that involve the use of various materials, equipment, chemicals and other items which, if used incorrectly, can be hazardous. Safety in the science classroom/laboratory is the FIRST PRIORITY for students, teachers, and parents. To ensure safer classroom/laboratory experiences, a list of laboratory rules and regulations have been developed and provided to you in this Biology Classroom Laboratory Student Safety
Contract. These rules must be followed at all times. The rules and regulations must be followed at all times. After you have reviewed them with your teacher, read and review the rules and regulations with your parent/guardian. Their signature and your signature are required before you will be permitted to participate in any activities or investigations.
Your signature indicates that you have read these rules and regulations, understand them, and agree to follow them at all times while working in the classroom/laboratory.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory.
2. Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure, ASK
YOUR TEACHER BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE ACTIVITY.
3. Never work alone in the laboratory. No student may work in the science classroom without the presence of the
teacher.
4. When first entering a science room, do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials in the laboratory area
until you are instructed to do so.
5. Perform only those experiments authorized by your teacher. Carefully follow all instructions, both written and oral.
Unauthorized experiments are not allowed.
6. Do not eat food, drink beverages, chew gum, apply cosmetics, or in the laboratory. Do not use laboratory glassware
as containers for food or beverages.
7. Be prepared for your work in the laboratory. Read all procedures thoroughly before entering the laboratory. Discuss
the procedures with your lab partner or team. Assign specific tasks to individuals, especially if time is a factor in the
procedure (which it usually is).
8. Never fool around in the laboratory. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerous and prohibited.
9. Observe good housekeeping practices. Work areas should be kept clean and tidy at all times. Texts, notebooks,
book bags, sweaters, and other material should be stored away from the work area. Keep aisles clear. Push your
chair under the table when not in use.
10. Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Notify the teacher immediately of any unsafe
conditions you observe.
11. Dispose of all chemical waste properly. Never mix chemicals in sink drains. Sinks are to be used only for water or
teacher approved solutions. Check with your teacher for disposal of chemicals and solutions.
12. Labels and equipment instructions must be read carefully before use. Set up and use the equipment as directed by
your teacher.
13. Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth, and body while using chemicals or lab equipment. Wash your hands with
soap and water after performing all experiments.
14. Experiments must be personally monitored at all times. Do not wander around the room, distract other students,
startle other students or interfere with the laboratory experiments of others.
15. After you have completed your work, turn off all equipment and clean all work surfaces and apparatus. Return all
equipment and materials to the place that you got them. Report any broken or missing equipment.
16. To protect your eyes from possible injury, always wear safety goggles when working with heat, chemicals or
glassware (except microscope work). Your grade will suffer if you aren’t wearing safety goggles. Wear glasses
rather than contact lenses unless you have permission from the teacher. Goggles will fit over glasses.

17. Tie back long hair and loose clothing and remove jewelry when you work at the lab station. Roll up loose sleeves
that might fall into chemicals or become caught on equipment.
18. Do not wear open-toed shoes or sandals in the lab when using glassware or chemicals. NEVER go barefoot.
19. Lab aprons are available for your use to help protect clothing from stains and spills.
ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES
20. Know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipment including the fire extinguisher, fire blanket,
first aid kit, eyewash station, and other safety equipment. Know where the fire alarm is located. Know the shortest
exit route from the classroom.
21. Know what to do if there is a fire drill during a laboratory period; containers must be closed, and any electrical
equipment and/or flames turned off.
22. Report any accident (spill, breakage, etc) or injury (cut, burn, etc) to the teacher immediately, no matter how trivial it
seems. Do not panic.
23. If you or your lab partner is hurt, immediately get the teacher's attention. Do not panic. If a chemical should splash
in your eye(s) or on your skin, immediately flush with running water from the eyewash station for at least 15-20
minutes. Notify the teacher immediately.
24. In case of fire: On a person – do not run! Fall to the floor and cover with a fire blanket. Do not try to put out any
other fire by yourself.
HANDLING CHEMICALS
25. All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous. When making an observation, keep at least 1 foot
away from the specimen. Do not touch, taste, or smell any chemicals unless directed by your teachers. Waft fumes
toward your nose by waving your hand over the mouth of the container if directed to smell a chemical.
26. Check the label on all chemical bottles twice before removing any of the contents (many chemicals look alike). Take
only as much chemical as you need. Label all containers into which you put materials (This is very important!).
27. Never return unused chemicals to their original container.
28. Never remove chemicals or other materials from the laboratory area.
HANDLING GLASSWARE AND EQUIPMENT
29. Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped, cracked, or dirty glassware.
30. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Tell your teacher immediately and let your teacher clean up the
broken glass.
31. Allow plenty of time for hot glass to cool before touching it. Glass shows no visible sign of its temperature, and can
cause painful burns. Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water; it may shatter.
32. Learn the names of the equipment and glassware you use so there is no misunderstanding. If you do not
understand how to use a piece of equipment, ASK THE TEACHER FOR HELP.
DISSECTIONS
33. Follow all instructions given provided by the dissection guides and by your teacher.
34. Avoid contact with preservative chemicals. Rinse the specimens completely before dissection. Inform you teacher of any illness as a result of exposure to chemicals used in specimen preparation.
35. Wear safety goggles to prevent the splashing of any chemicals into the eye.
36. Properly mount the specimens to dissecting trays. Do not dissect a specimen while holding it. Treat specimens
respectfully.
37. Handle scalpel with extreme care. Use dissection tools as directed. Always cut away from your body and away from
others.
38. Never ingest specimen parts.

39. Never remove specimens or specimen parts from the classroom—until the dissection is completed, all parts of the
dissection much remain within the dissection tray.
40. Properly dispose of dissected materials.
41. Store specimens as directed by your teacher.
42. Clean up the work area and return all equipment to the proper place when the dissection is completed. Wash hands
after each dissection.
43. During our dissections all specimens, living or non-living, should be treated with respect.
COPY OF THE AGREEMENT FOR YOUR RECORDS
I, __________________________________ (student's name) have read and agree to follow all of the safety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these rules to insure my own safety, and that of my fellow students and teachers. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my instructor and fellow students to maintain a safe science lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory or misbehavior on my part, may result in my being removed from the lab classroom, detention, receiving a failing grade, and/or further disciplinary action.
______________________________________ _____________________________
Student signature Date
Dear Parent or Guardian:
We feel that you should be informed regarding Mount Olive High School's effort to create and maintain a safe science classroom/laboratory environment. With the cooperation of the teachers, parents, and students, a safety instruction program can eliminate, prevent, and correct possible hazards. You should be aware of the safety instructions your son or daughter will receive before engaging in any laboratory work. Please read the list of safety rules above. No student will be permitted to perform laboratory activities unless this contract is signed by both the student and parent/guardian and is on file with the teacher. Your signature on this contract indicates that you have read this Student Safety Contract, are aware of the measures taken to insure the safety of your son or daughter in the science laboratory, and will instruct your son or daughter to uphold his or her agreement to follow these rules and procedures in the laboratory.
_______________________________________ ________________________________
Parent/Guardian signature Date

Biology Classroom Laboratory Student Safety Contract
Signatures are required before you will be permitted to participate in any activities or investigations.
I, _____________________________________________ (print student's full name) have read and agree to follow all of the safety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these rules to insure my own safety, and that of my fellow students and teacher. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my teacher and fellow students to maintain a safe science lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the teacher. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory, or misbehavior on my part, may result in my being removed from the lab classroom, detention, receiving a failing grade, and/or further disciplinary action.
__________________________________ __________________________
Student Signature Date
Dear Parent or Guardian:
We feel that you should be informed regarding Mount Olive High School's effort to create and maintain a safe science classroom/laboratory environment. With the cooperation of the teachers, parents, and students, a safety instruction program can eliminate, prevent, and correct possible hazards. You should be aware of the safety instructions your son or daughter will receive before engaging in any laboratory work. Please read the list of safety rules above. No student will be permitted to perform laboratory activities unless this contract is signed by both the student and parent/guardian, and is on file with the teacher. Your signature on this contract indicates that you have read this Biology Classroom
Laboratory Student Safety Contract, are aware of the measures taken to insure the safety of your son or daughter in the science laboratory, and will instruct your son or daughter to uphold his or her agreement to follow these rules and procedures in the laboratory.
__________________________________ __________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
Please sign and return this form by _________________________________, 2014