General Lab Safety Rules &

Guidelines
1.

Prepare for an experiment.

Read & understand the experiment before entering the lab.
Discuss & plan the experiment with your team.

2.

Wear comfortable protective clothing.

Wear PPE.
Hair tied back.
No loose or baggy clothing.
Wear close-toed, flat-soled shoes.

3.

Be responsible in the lab.

4.

Log in and log out .

Wash hands & any lab instruments to be used before & after any lab activity.
Keep hands away from face, body, and mouth.
Dont test, touch, or smell anything unknown unless instructed to do so.
Dont leave any experiment unattended.

Ask questions.
If you dont understand directions or a procedure
If you dont know how to use equipment

5.
6.

Be smart. Follow instructions carefully.

Use chemicals, electrical equipment & glasswares properly.

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13.

Consult MSDS.
Read labels on chemical containers TWICE.
Label all containers into which you put materials.
Take only what you need. Do not return any unused chemicals to the bottle.
Dispose of chemicals only as directed by your teacher.
Dont throw them into the sink.
Dont store together incompatible chemicals.
Always pour acid into water; never pour water into acid!
Dont use your mouth to draw liquids into a pipette; use a pipette bulb.
Never point the open end of a heated test tube toward yourself or anyone else.
Waft fumes toward your nose by waving your hand over the mouth
of the container if directed to smell a chemical.
Keep flame & flammable chemicals at least 20 ft apart.
Keep electrical equipment away from water.

Never fool around in the lab.

Keep work areas clean.
No food/drinks in the lab.
Always report accidents to the teacher or lab personnel.
Never work alone.
Never perform unauthorized experiments.
Know appropriate procedures for emergencies,
including the location & operation of all emergency equipment.