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Chemistry Laboratory Safety Rules
Honors Chemistry is a lab science. You will be doing laboratory investigations frequently this year which will
require the use of flames, boiling liquids, and potentially dangerous chemicals such as strong acids. Safety in
the lab, then, is an absolute requirement and a #1 priority. To ensure safety in the lab, the following rules are
presented and must be followed at all times. Make sure you read these rules and are familiar with them.
1. Never mess around in the lab. Horseplay, practical jokes and pranks are dangerous and will not be
tolerated. Any violation of this rule will be subject to immediate dismissal from the lab and, depending on
the severity of the violation, subject to further disciplinary action up to and including permanent
banishment from the lab and even suspension.
2. When you enter the chemistry room, do not touch, handle, or fiddle with any equipment or chemicals out
on the lab benches until you are instructed to do so.
3. Never abuse equipment. Use equipment only in the manner to which it is prescribed.
4. No food, drink (not even drinking water), or gum chewing is allowed in the lab.
5. Adhere at all times to the following general guideline: if it is not in the procedure, don’t do it. This
means that you perform only those steps in a lab as is in your procedure. Do not perform impromptu
experiments by randomly mixing chemicals together.
6. During a lab remain at your assigned lab station. Do not wander around the room or to other lab stations.
Above all, do not distract, annoy, or interfere with other students’ work.
7. Many experiments in chemistry will involve (i) flames, (ii) caustic chemicals such as acids. Goggles will be
worn at all times in any lab involving anything potentially dangerous to your eyes. Goggles must be over
the eyes, not propped on your forehead anytime you are in the lab area.
8. Dress appropriately for labs. There will be no open toed shoes worn, no loose clothing, no dangling
jewelry. Long hair will need to be tied back. Wearing contact lenses in lab is strongly discouraged. If you
like to wear flip - flops or other open - toed shoes, bring in an old pair of sneakers to wear during labs.
9. Lab aprons are provided and are highly recommended. Wearing aprons will be mandatory in labs where
acids are used or chemicals that can potentially stain clothing.
10. Smell chemicals by “wafting”, not by sticking your nose over the top of the vessel.
11.Notify the teacher immediately when a spill occurs, breakage, or if there has been an injury, no matter
how small.
12. Always discard used chemicals as instructed by your teacher. Never return unused chemicals to their
original containers.
13. Never use mouth suction to fill a pipette. Use a rubber bulb or pipette pump.
14. Examine glassware before each use. Discard any cracked or chipped glassware.
15. Know the location of emergency equipment such as the emergency shower and eye wash.
16. Read the label – twice – before obtaining a chemical. Take only what you need.
17. Use extreme care with Bunsen burners – never leave them unattended and never insert objects into the
flame.
18. Sweep up broken glass, don’t pick it up. Dispose of broken glass in the proper receptacle. Each lab
station has a dust pan and brush for this purpose.
19. When a flame is being used, assume that all vessels are hot. Use hot mitts in handling hot equipment.
20. Wash your hands before leaving the lab and immediately if you come in contact with a chemical
Do you wear contact lenses? _______ yes
______ no
Do you own glasses that you could wear to perform a lab? ________ yes ________ no
Agreement
I, __________________________________________________ (student’s name) have read the rules and
understand them, I agree to follow all safety rules to the letter as set forth in this contract. I realize that I must
follow these rules to insure my own safety and the safety of my classmates. I am aware that any violation of
this contract may result in being removed from the laboratory, detention, receive a failing grade on that lab,
and/or suspension depending on the severity of the infraction.
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Print Name
Student signature
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Class period
Date