Safety First! Creating, exploring, inventing, investigating these activities are essential to the study of science, and they are why working in a creative laboratory environment is so important. To make sure that your laboratory experiences are both exciting and productive, some safety guidelines should be established. It s important to put Safety First! So what do you need to know about safety? The following pages offer important guidelines for staying safe in the science classroom. Your teacher will also have safety guidelines and tips that are specific to your classroom and laboratory. After you ve carefully read the guidelines below, take The Safety Challenge! On page 6 to see if you re ready to enter the world of scientific investigation! Good luck! Start Out Right! Clutter chaos! Extra books, jackets and materials will only get in the way of experiments and create clutter that could interfere with your tasks. On lab days, don t bring anything to the room except the books and materials you will need to complete the day s experiments. Caught in a bind? Loose clothing, jewelry, and long hair can get in the way of your scientific investigations, so secure loose clothing, remove dangling jewelry and tie back long hair. Toe trouble! Avoid wearing sandals or open-toed shoes in the laboratory environment, as they will not protect your feet should any chemical, glassware or other object be dropped on them. Flaming beauty? Certain hair products (like aerosol hair spray) are flammable and should not be worn while working near an open flame; avoid wearing hair spray or hair gel on lab days. Safety First! 1
Check it out! Who ya gonna call? Where is the nearest telephone? Are the phone number posted for the fire and police departments, as well as for the ambulance and poison control center? Safety patrol. Where is the safety equipment for the laboratory? Know the location of all safety and emergency equipment (such as fire extinguishers), and know how to operate this equipment. Remember PASS technique: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. Quick exit! Know the fire-evacuation routes established by your school. What s up? Before you begin an experiment, review the supplies you will be using and any safety issues you should be concerned about. Safety in numbers. Never work alone in the laboratory. Better safe than sorry. Use lab equipment only in the manner that your teacher has demonstrated. If you have a great idea for a new experiment, first share the idea with your teacher perhaps the whole class will benefit! Food for thought. The laboratory environment is not one for food, drinks or cosmetics. Never eat, drink or apply cosmetics while in this environment. Stylin for safety! Find out what safety equipment you should be wearing for the lab. Be sure to wear safety goggles, apron, gloves, or lab coat if called for in the experiment or if your teacher instructs you to do so. The eyes have it! Wear safety goggles when you are using heat sources or using chemicals or handling objects that may break, expand, or endanger your eyes in some way. Safety First! 2
Gain no stain! Certain chemicals can stain your clothing. Wear an apron or laboratory coat to protect your clothing while working with chemicals. Solar power! Never look directly at the sun through any optical device or use direct sunlight to illuminate a microscope; doing so could seriously damage your eyes. Some sharp thinking! Sometimes sharp objects such as scissors, scalpels, razor blades, knives and probes are needed in the laboratory. Always exercise extreme caution when using a sharp object in the lab. Never cut an object while holding it in your hand always use an appropriate work surface. Never use a double-edged razor in the lab. Don t crack up! Never use glassware that is chipped, scratched or cracked. Chips, scratches and cracks cause stress points where the glass can break. Hot news! Whenever possible, use an electric hot plate instead of an open flame unless the experiment specifically calls for an open flame. Electrifying idea! Use caution with electrical equipment. Never use equipment with frayed cords, and make sure that equipment cords are not located where someone could trip over them. Never use an electrical appliance if you have wet hands or clothing. Never use an electrical appliance around water. Keep your cool! Before working with a flammable liquid or gas, check for the presence of any source of flames, sparks or heat. Chem care. Always use caution when working with a chemical or a chemical solution. Some chemicals are corrosive, some are poisonous, some are flammable, and others that seem harmless could become hazardous when combined with another chemical. Safety First! 3
In poor taste. Never touch, taste or smell a chemical unless your teacher specifically instructs you to do so. The properties of that chemical may cause a reaction when inhaled, when in contact with your skin, or when ingested. Don t mix for kicks! Never mix any chemical unless your teacher specifically instructs you to do so. Do as you oughta, add acid (or base) to water! Never do the opposite! Pouring water into a strong acid or base could produce heat and cause some dangerous spattering. Aim for the stars. When heating a chemical in a test tube, never point the test tube at yourself or anyone else. Animal rights and wrongs. You may occasionally work with living animals in the laboratory. Always show respect for the lives of any animal you may work with. Always obtain your teacher s permission before bringing an animal to the classroom. Never abuse an animal in any way. Handle with care! Living plants should also be handled carefully in the laboratory. Never ingest any plant or plant part unless your teacher specifically directs you to do so. When outdoors, do not pick any wild plants unless your teacher instructs you to do so. Accidents happen. In the event of an accident, notify your teacher no matter how minor the accident seems, and follow his or her directions immediately. Safety First! 4
A Neat Way to End It! Clean scene! When you have completed an experiment, clean up your area and return all equipment to its proper place. Sudsational! Wash your hands with soap after completing an experiment. Don t be a fool, leave it at school! Never take anything from the laboratory without permission from your teacher. Repeat, never take anything w/o permission. That would be stealing. Panic Busters What do I do when a fire occurs? In the event of a fire, alert the teacher and leave the laboratory immediately. my clothes are on fire? Stop-Drop-Roll! Stop immediately, drop to the floor and roll. This is the quickest way to smother a fire. Have your partner inform your teacher. my lab partner s clothes or hair are on fire? Grab the nearest fire blanket and use it to extinguish the flames; inform your teacher. a chemical comes into contact with my eyes? Wash your eyes with water for at least 15 minutes. Inform your teacher. I spill a chemical on my body? Rinse the affected area for at least 15 minutes. Inform your teacher. I spill a chemical on the floor? Keep your classmate away from the area, and alert your teacher immediately. Safety First! 5
The Safety Challenge! Take The Safety Challenge! by answering the following questions. Your safety is worth a perfect score don t accept less than 100 percent! (The answers are provided on page 12, but don t look at them until you re finished!) OK With You? 1. In the following paragraph, underline six examples that show why Nita and Nate are not ready for lab. What have they done wrong? Right before class Nita touched up her hair with an extra application of hair spray. Then she rushed to class without stopping to drop off her extra supplies at her locker she didn t want to be late for today s exciting lab. Nita showed her friends her new long earrings and sandals. Then she noticed Nate s new slicked-down hairstyle and commented on how much she liked it. Nate thanked her as he munched on an apple. 2. Is the following sentence correct? If not, correct it. If my clothes catch on fire, I should run for the nearest fire extinguisher to put out the flames. What Do You Do? 3. Which of the following is NOT something you would want to do after completing an experiment? (Circle the one you should do before lab!) a. Clean up the lab area and return all equipment to its proper place. b. Make sure all water faucets and appliances are turned off. c. Dispose of trash, chemicals, and broken glassware in the appropriate containers. d. Wash your hands with soap. e. Review the experiment to find safety concerns you should know about. Safety First! 6
4. If you have the option of working with an open flame or a hot plate, which should you choose? Why? 5. When do you need to wear safety goggles? (Circle all that apply.) a. When the teacher instructs me to do so b. Every class period c. When heat or chemicals are used d. When handling objects that may break, expand, or endanger my eyes in some way 6. You have accidentally broken a test tube and spilled a chemical on the table. Which of the following best explains what you should do? (Circle one.) a. Use water and paper towels to clean up the spill: place the broken test tube in the disposal container specified for sharp objects. b. Throw the glass into the nearest trash bin and let the spill air-dry. c. Quickly dispose of the glass, wipe up the spill with the nearest cloth, and hope nobody notices. d. Caution your lab partners to avoid the area while you inform the teacher of the small accident. 7. You accidentally get a corrosive chemical in your eyes. What should you do? Safety First! 7
Is It True? Answer true or false to each statement. If the answer is false, correct the statement. 8. Living plants and animals in the wild and in the laboratory should always be treated with respect. True / False 9. The best was to cut a soft object is to hold it in the palm of your hand and then carefully cut it. True / False 10. If your lab partner s hair caught on fire, you should quickly throw water on the burning hair. True / False 11. You should pour an acid or base into water to keep the acid from producing heat and splattering. True / False 12. It is important to taste a chemical to find out exactly what you are working with. True / False 13. It s OK to take something from the lab as long as you return it. True / False 14. It is OK to illuminate a microscope with direct sunlight. True / False Safety First! 8
Where Is It? 15. Where are the lab s fire extinguishers? Describe how to operate them. (PASS) 16. If a fire suddenly starts in the laboratory, you should inform the teacher and leave the room immediately. Draw a diagram of the fire-evacuation route you would then follow. 17. Who should dispose of broken glassware in your laboratory? Where? 18. Where is the nearest telephone? Are the phone numbers posted for the fire and police departments, as well as for the ambulance and poison control center? 19. Where is the first-aid kit? 20. List the location(s) of the laboratory fire blanket(s). Safety First! 9
Clues Down The Safety Connection Use the clues below to complete the crossword puzzle on the next page. 1. Know the location of this important piece of equipment. 3. the day s experiment before you begin, paying particular attention to safety issues. 6. Secure loose before beginning a lab. 7. Wearing this will protect your clothes. 8. What you should do in the event of a fire in the lab. 9. What you need before you can bring an animal to the lab or classroom. 11. one chemical with another could be dangerous. Never do so unless the textbook or your teacher has specifically asked you to do so. 13. Never work in the laboratory. 16. Never pour water into this; instead, slowly pour this into water. Across 1. If a chemical comes into contact with your eyes, wash them with water for at least minutes. 2. Handle scissors, scalpels, knives and other objects with extreme caution. 4. When heating something in this, never point it at yourself or anyone else. 5. Never any liquid while in the lab, unless specifically instructed to do so by your teacher. 10. Know where this is before you begin any lab; you may need to find it in case of emergency. 11. Report accidents to your teacher, no matter how they may seem. 12. Some of these are corrosive. 14. lab equipment only as your teacher instructs. 15. Don t wear in the lab. 17. This kind of glassware is dangerous to use because it has stress points where the glass may break. 18. Never place this where someone may trip over it. Safety First! 10
The Safety Connection Use the clues on the previous page to complete the crossword puzzle below. Safety First! 11