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Name _____________________________________
Purpose

Scienceisahandsonlaboratoryclass.Youwillbedoingmanylaboratoryactivitieswhichrequirethe
useofhazardoussubstances.Safetyinthescienceclassroomisthenumberonepriorityforstudents,
teachers,andparents.Toensureasafescienceclassroom,alistofruleshasbeendevelopedand
providedtoyouinthisstudentsafetycontract.Theserulesmustbefollowedatalltimes.Twocopies
ofthecontractareprovided.Onecopymustbesignedbybothyouandaparentorguardianand
submittedtoyourlabteacherbeforeyoucanparticipateinthelaboratory.Thesecondcopyistobe
keptinyoursciencenotebookasaconstantreminderofthesafetyrules.

General Guidelines
1.Conductyourselfinaresponsiblemanneratalltimesinthelaboratory.
2.Followallwrittenandverbalinstructionscarefully.Ifyoudonotunderstandadirectionorpartofa
procedure,asktheinstructorbeforeproceeding.
3.Neverworkalone.Nostudentmayworkinthelaboratorywithoutaninstructorpresent.
4.Whenfirstenteringascienceroom,donottouchanyequipment,chemicals,orothermaterialsinthe
laboratoryareauntilyouareinstructedtodoso.
5.Donoteatfood,drinkbeverages,orchewguminthelaboratory.Donotuselaboratoryglasswareas
containersforfoodorbeverages.
6.Performonlythoseexperimentsauthorizedbytheinstructor.Neverdoanythinginthelaboratory
thatisnotcalledforinthelaboratoryproceduresorbyyourinstructor.Carefullyfollowall
instructions,bothwrittenandoral.Unauthorizedexperimentsareprohibited.
7.Bepreparedforyourworkinthelaboratory.Readallproceduresthoroughlybeforeenteringthe
laboratory.Neverfoolaroundinthelaboratory.Horseplay,practicaljokes,andpranksaredangerous
andprohibited.
8.Observegoodhousekeepingpractices.Workareasshouldbekeptcleanandtidyatalltimes.Bring
onlyyourlaboratoryinstructions,worksheets,and/orreportstotheworkarea.Othermaterials(books,
purses,backpacks,etc.)shouldbestoredintheclassroomarea.
9.Keepaislesclear.Pushyourbookbagsunderyourdeskwhennotinuse.Duringlabdays,place
yourbookbaginthefrontoftheroom(oranareadesignatedbyyourinstructor),awayfromtheaisles
andlabbenches.

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10.Knowthelocationsandoperatingproceduresofallsafetyequipmentincludingthefirstaidkit,
eyewashstation,safetyshower,fireextinguisher,andfireblanket.Knowwherethefirealarmandthe
exitsarelocated.
11.Alwaysworkinawellventilatedarea.Usethefumehoodwhenworkingwithvolatilesubstances
orpoisonousvapors.Neverplaceyourheadintothefumehood.
12.Bealertandproceedwithcautionatalltimesinthelaboratory.Notifytheinstructorimmediately
ofanyunsafeconditionsyouobserve.
13.Disposeofallchemicalwasteproperly.Nevermixchemicalsinsinkdrains.Sinksaretobeused
onlyforwaterandthosesolutionsdesignatedbytheinstructor.Solidchemicals,metals,matches,filter
paper,andallotherinsolublematerialsaretobedisposedofintheproperwastecontainers,notinthe
sink.Checkthelabelofallwastecontainerstwicebeforeaddingyourchemicalwastetothecontainer.
14.Labelsandequipmentinstructionsmustbereadcarefullybeforeuse.Setupandusetheprescribed
apparatusasdirectedinthelaboratoryinstructionsorbyyourinstructor.
15.Keephandsawayfromface,eyes,mouthandbodywhileusingchemicalsorpreservedspecimens.
Washyourhandswithsoapandwaterafterperformingallexperiments.Clean(withdetergent),rinse,
andwipedryallworksurfaces(includingthesink)andapparatusattheendoftheexperiment.Return
allequipmentcleanandinworkingordertotheproperstoragearea.
16.Experimentsmustbepersonallymonitoredatalltimes.Youwillbeassignedalaboratorystationat
whichtowork.Donotwanderaroundtheroom,distractotherstudents,orinterferewiththelaboratory
experimentsofothers.
17.Studentsareneverpermittedinthesciencestorageroomsorpreparationareasunlessgivenspecific
permissionbytheirinstructor.
18.Knowwhattodoifthereisafiredrillduringalaboratoryperiod;containersmustbeclosed,gas
valvesturnedoff,fumehoodsturnedoff,andanyelectricalequipmentturnedoff.
19.Handlealllivingorganismsusedinalaboratoryactivityinahumanemanner.Preservedbiological
materialsaretobetreatedwithrespectanddisposedofproperly.
20.Whenusingknivesandothersharpinstruments,alwayscarrywithtipsandpointspointingdown
andaway.Alwayscutawayfromyourbody.Nevertrytocatchfallingsharpinstruments.Graspsharp
instrumentsonlybythehandles.

Clothing
21.Anytimechemicals,heat,orglasswareareused,studentswillwearlaboratorygoggles.Therewill
benoexceptionstothisrule!

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22.Contactlensesshouldnotbeworninthelaboratoryunlessyouhavepermissionfromyour
instructor.
23.Dressproperlyduringalaboratoryactivity.Longhair,danglingjewelry,andlooseorbaggy
clothingareahazardinthelaboratory.Longhairmustbetiedbackanddanglingjewelryandlooseor
baggyclothingmustbesecured.Shoesmustcompletelycoverthefoot.Nosandalsallowed.
24.Labapronshavebeenprovidedforyouruseandshouldbewornduringspecifiedlaboratory
activities.

Accidents and Injuries

25.Reportanyaccident(spill,breakage,etc.)orinjury(cut,burn,etc.)totheinstructorimmediately,
nomatterhowtrivialitmayappear.
26.Ifyouoryourlabpartnerarehurt,immediatelygettheinstructor'sattention.
27.Ifachemicalshouldsplashinyoureye(s)oronyourskin,immediatelyflushwithrunningwater
fromtheeyewashstationorsafetyshowerforatleast20minutes.Notifytheinstructorimmediately.
28.Whenmercurythermometersarebroken,mercurymustnotbetouched.Notifytheinstructor
immediately.

Handling Chemicals
29.Allchemicalsinthelaboratoryaretobeconsidereddangerous.Donottouch,taste,orsmellany
chemicalsunlessspecificallyinstructedtodoso.Thepropertechniqueforsmellingchemicalfumes
willbedemonstratedtoyou.
30.Checkthelabelonchemicalbottlestwicebeforeremovinganyofthecontents.Takeonlyasmuch
chemicalasyouneed.
31.Neverreturnunusedchemicalstotheiroriginalcontainers.
32.Neverusemouthsuctiontofillapipette.Usearubberbulborpipettepump.
33.Whentransferringreagentsfromonecontainertoanother,holdthecontainersawayfromyour
body.
34.Acidsmustbehandledwithextremecare.Youwillbeshownthepropermethodfordilutingstrong
acids.Alwaysaddacidtowater,swirlorstirthesolutionandbecarefuloftheheatproduced,
particularlywithsulfuricacid.

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35.Handleflammablehazardousliquidsoverapantocontainspills.Neverdispenseflammableliquids
anywherenearanopenflameorsourceofheat.
36.Neverremovechemicalsorothermaterialsfromthelaboratoryarea.
37.Takegreatcarewhentransferringacidsandotherchemicalsfromonepartofthelaboratoryto
another.Holdthemsecurelyandwalkcarefully.

Handling Glassware and Equipment

38.Carryglasstubing,especiallylongpieces,inaverticalpositiontominimizethelikelihoodofbreakageand
injury.
39.Neverhandlebrokenglasswithyourbarehands.Useabrushanddustpantocleanupbrokenglass.Place
brokenorwasteglasswareinthedesignatedglassdisposalcontainer.
40.Insertingandremovingglasstubingfromrubberstopperscanbedangerous.Alwayslubricateglassware
(tubing,thistletubes,thermometers,etc.)beforeattemptingtoinsertitinastopper.Alwaysprotectyourhands
withtowelsorcottongloveswheninsertingglasstubinginto,orremovingitfrom,arubberstopper.Ifapieceof
glasswarebecomes"frozen"inastopper,takeittoyourinstructorforremoval.
41.Fillwashbottlesonlywithdistilledwateranduseonlyasintended,e.g.,rinsingglasswareandequipment,or
addingwatertoacontainer.
42.Whenremovinganelectricalplugfromitssocket,grasptheplug,nottheelectricalcord.Handsmustbe
completelydrybeforetouchinganelectricalswitch,plug,oroutlet.
43.Examineglasswarebeforeeachuse.Neverusechippedorcrackedglassware.Neverusedirtyglassware.
44.Reportdamagedelectricalequipmentimmediately.Lookforthingssuchasfrayedcords,exposedwires,and
looseconnections.Donotusedamagedelectricalequipment.
45.Ifyoudonotunderstandhowtouseapieceofequipment,asktheinstructorforhelp.
46.Donotimmersehotglasswareincoldwater;itmayshatter.

Heating Substances
47.Exerciseextremecautionwhenusingagasburner.Takecarethathair,clothingandhandsareasafedistance
fromtheflameatalltimes.Donotputanysubstanceintotheflameunlessspecificallyinstructedtodoso.Never
reachoveranexposedflame.Lightgas(oralcohol)burnersonlyasinstructedbytheteacher.
48.Neverleavealitburnerunattended.Neverleaveanythingthatisbeingheatedorisvisiblyreacting
unattended.Alwaysturntheburnerorhotplateoffwhennotinuse.

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49.Youwillbeinstructedinthepropermethodofheatingandboilingliquidsintesttubes.Donotpointthe
openendofatesttubebeingheatedatyourselforanyoneelse.
50.Heatedmetalsandglassremainveryhotforalongtime.Theyshouldbesetasidetocoolandpickedupwith
caution.Usetongsorheatprotectiveglovesifnecessary.
51.Neverlookintoacontainerthatisbeingheated.
52.Donotplacehotapparatusdirectlyonthelaboratorydesk.Alwaysuseaninsulatingpad.Allowplentyof
timeforhotapparatustocoolbeforetouchingit.