Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School
8th Grade Science
LABORATORY SAFETY PROCEDURES
1. Carefully follow all written and verbal instructions and precautions given by your teacher for each
lab.
 Read all steps of procedures thoroughly before performing any experiment or activity
 If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure, ASK MS. SOLARI before
proceeding with the activity.
2. Do not touch equipment or materials until instructed to do so.
3. Perform only those experiments authorized by teacher. Unauthorized experiments are not allowed.
4. Never leave your experiment unattended. Do not visit other lab groups; horseplay, practical jokes,
and pranks are dangerous and prohibited.
5. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory.
6. Observe good housekeeping practices. Work areas should be kept clean and tidy at all times.
7. Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Notify the teacher immediately of
any unsafe conditions that you observe.
8. Report any accident (spill, breakage, etc.) or injury (cut, burn, etc.) to teacher immediately, no
matter how small or unimportant it seems.
9. You must wear safety goggles when doing experiments that involve heat and/or use of chemicals. Do
not remove goggles until flame is extinguished, the hot plate is turned off and unplugged, and chemicals
have been removed from work area.
10. Never use chemicals from an unlabeled container. Check the label on all containers twice before
removing any of the contents. Take only as much chemical as you need.
11. Never return unused chemicals to the original containers unless told to do so by your teacher.
Dispose of waste chemicals or solids (e.g. broken glass, matches, mixtures) as instructed.
12. All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous. Do not taste chemicals or bring them
into contact with your eyes, nose, skin, or mouth.
 Never smell a substance directly—fan the vapor toward you, if given permission.
 If you do get acidic or caustic (corrosive) chemical in your eyes, use the eyewash (at front of
classroom) to flush out chemical for 15 minutes. If a large amount of an acidic or caustic substance
is spilled onto your skin or clothes, wash off immediately with lots of water (safety shower is
located at front of classroom).
 Wash your hands before leaving the lab when you have been working with chemicals.
 Always follow specific safety precautions and procedures teacher gives you for chemicals that
you are working with.
13. Never point the open end of a test tube toward yourself or others. Direct the open end of a test
tube or flask away from yourself and others when heating or combining chemicals.
14. Long hair and long sleeves should be tied and rolled back when performing an experiment
involving heat or chemicals.
15. Clean up spilled liquids or solids (non-corrosive) immediately with a wet sponge or paper towels.
16. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Sweep glass with broom into a dustpan and
throw away in the “broken glass” wastebasket. (The broken glass wastebasket is located at front of
room). Do not place broken glass in regular trash can!
17. Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped, cracked, or dirty glassware; it could shatter
during use.
18. If you do not understand how to use a piece of equipment, ASK THE TEACHER FOR HELP!
19. Report all broken and missing equipment to your teacher immediately. You are responsible for
all equipment issued to you and used by you in an experiment. If any equipment is broken due to
failure to follow directions or carelessness, you may be charged a fee for the loss. Do not take any
science equipment or chemicals out of the science room.
20. Turn off and unplug hot plates when heating is finished, before exiting the classroom, when the fire
alarm sounds, or when there is an emergency in the classroom.
21. Allow ample time for hot glass or hot plates to cool before touching; hot pads or tongs may be needed
to avoid burning yourself. Do not place (immerse) hot glassware in cold water; the glassware may
shatter.
22. Clean lab equipment and work area at the end of an experiment.
23. In case of fire: If something catches on fire, alert teacher immediately. The teacher will use fire
extinguisher and/or fire blanket to extinguish fire. If fire is uncontainable, exit room and building
immediately as outlined in procedure 24.
24. Follow fire emergency map and instructions (located next to door) in case of fire or fire drill.
a) If you notice that your teacher is missing during a fire or fire drill, tell another student in your
group, then find and tell another teacher or official. If you notice that another student from
your class is missing, tell your teacher immediately.
b) During a fire or fire drill, you are to exit the school in silence.
c) Before leaving a room, the lights should be off; windows and door should be closed.
Eye contacts: these may need to be removed before working with certain chemicals (please make teacher
aware of this possibility).
Allergy Notice: If you have any known allergies to any of the substances being used in a science lab (e.g.
latex balloons, sulfur, etc.), please make teacher aware before experimentation begins. I do not need to be
aware of any allergies to medicine or pollen/grass.
Color Blindness: If you are color blind, please make teacher aware.
Read, sign, and return this slip to Ms. Solari. Place safety rules in your science binder/folder.
AGREEMENT
I, (print your name)_________________________________________, have read and understand the laboratory
safety procedures. I agree to follow these safety procedures and any other additional instructions and precautions
provided by the teacher.
Student Signature____________________________________________ Date _________________
I have read the safety rules for 8th grade science with my child. I understand that my child may not be able to
participate in a lab if the safety procedures are not followed and that my child must earn a passing grade on the Lab
Safety Quiz in order to participate in any science labs.
Parent Signature____________________________________________ Date___________________
Please indicate if any of the following conditions apply to you. This will remain confidential.

I wear eye contacts sometimes/usually. _____

I have known allergies. _____ (please do not include information regarding allergies to medicines or
pollen/grass). I am allergic to ____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

I am color blind _____