The Rules of Lab Safety
Halton District School Board

Failure to act in a safe and responsible manner will result in the removal of all science lab privileges.

Horseplay will be dealt with severely!
Professor Glickman, the lab practical joker, deftly places a single drop of hydrochloric acid on the back of Professor Bingham's neck.
-Gary Larson, the Far Side

General Safety Precautions
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No student should be in the lab unsupervised.
Be prepared for your lab. READ your procedure for any safety precautions.
Do not eat or drink in the lab. Your food may pick up harmful chemicals.
Never taste or directly inhale chemicals.
Do not sit on the lab benches.
Please stand while doing labs.
If designing your own experiment, you MUST first have your procedure approved by your teacher .

Handling Chemicals
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All chemicals in the laboratory are to be considered dangerous. Avoid handling chemicals with fingers.
Do not taste, or smell any chemicals.
Check the label on all chemical bottles twice before removing any of the contents. Take only as much chemical as you need.
 Never return unused chemicals to their original container. Dispose of chemicals as instructed by your teacher.
 Never remove chemicals or other materials from the laboratory area
 Look for WHMIS or HHPS symbols on containers.

Hazardous Household Product
Symbols
CORROSIVE EXPLOSIVE
Eats or wears away other materials.
Explodes or gives off deadly vapours.
FLAMMABLE POISONOUS
Ignites if exposed to heat or sparks.
May cause sickness or death if swallowed.

WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
Compressed gas
Flammable and combustible material
Oxidizing material
Materials causing immediate and serious toxic effects
Materials causing other toxic effects
Corrosive material
Biohazardous infectious material
Dangerously reactive material

Handling Glassware
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Do not use dirty or chipped glassware.
Clean drips off the sides of beakers and flasks for the safety of the next student.
Broken glass should be reported to the teacher who will dispose of it in the “Broken Glass” container.
Do not tightly stopper a flask where gas is being created. It could explode.
Clean and return all glassware at the end of the lab.

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Heating Substances
Never leave a heat source unattended.
Tie back long hair.
Do not wear loose or baggy clothing in the lab.
Hot glass does not look hot! Handle recently heated glassware with tongs.
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Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water. The glassware may shatter.
Never look into a container that is being heated.

Safety
Equipment
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Safety goggles must be worn whenever there is the potential for eye damage.
Goggles must always be worn when heat or corrosive chemicals are used.
Know the locations of all safety equipment in the lab: fire extinguishers, eye wash station, first aid box, fire blanket, fire exits.

Accidents & Injuries
Respond to emergencies sensibly and immediately!
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Inform a teacher if someone requires assistance.
If chemicals are spilled on skin or in eyes, rinse with water for 20 minutes.
If you break something or spill something, please inform a teacher immediately. Do NOT handle broken glass!
If a fire starts, inform a staff member immediately – STOP… DROP… ROLL!!!

When the lab is done . .
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Dispose of chemicals and materials only as instructed by your teacher.
Clean all glassware and put everything away according to instructions.
Wipe the counters clean with paper towels.
Sinks should be cleaned and should not contain any solid material.
Wash your hands and return your goggles.

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WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous
Materials Information
System
WHMIS is responsible for:
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 the determination and labeling of dangerous goods
The maintenance of material safety data sheets
Specify criteria of a chemical
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Mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, embryo and reproductive toxicity, respiratory tract and skin sensitivity

HHSP
Hazardous Household
Product Symbols
Corrosive
Flammable
Toxic/
Poisonous
Explosive