Do Wear Eye Protection
Science labs contain glassware, caustic chemicals, vapors, open flames and other substances that may harm your eyes. Goggles or safety glasses help protect your eyes in case of accidents or spills.
Do Practice Fire Safety
Open flames from Bunsen burners or alcohol lamps are necessary for experiments that involve heating, boiling and burning chemicals or other specimens. Keep your hands and arms away from the open flames, wear safety glasses, tuck in loose clothing, and keep long hair tied back.
Do Handle Glassware Safely
Eliminate potentially dangerous chemical reactions by thoroughly washing beakers, test tubes, flasks and other glassware before and after use. This also helps ensure that results are not tainted by chemical residue from previous experiments. Glassware can break, leaving behind potentially harmful shards. Report any broken glass immediately and dispose of it properly.
Do Keep Notes
Write proper laboratory procedures, observations and instructions in a laboratory notebook, with permanent binding and large pages. Lab notebooks help keep track of data, maintain records of experiments and facilitate thinking.
Do Wear Gloves
Protect your hands with the proper gloves for each job. Handle hot and cold items with insulated gloves, wear latex gloves during dissections, and use chemical-resistant gloves when working with caustic chemicals.
Do Wear Closed-Toed Shoes
Protect your feet from spills, hot items and heavy objects by wearing shoes with closed toes. Sandals and other open-toed footwear leave your feet vulnerable to burns and broken bones.
Do Practice Electrical Safety
Some experiments require electrical equipment. Before plugging in anything, make sure the plug includes a ground prong. Whenever plugging or unplugging equipment, hold the plug by its insulating cover. Never unplug anything by pulling or tugging the cord. Reduce the risk of shock or shorts by keeping electrical equipment away from water and other liquids.
