Cherokee County School District

Middle and High School Science Laboratory

Safety Rules & Procedures
Adapted from Flinn Scientfic

The purpose of science

laboratory
activities in the CCSD is to
provide hands-on
experiences that enhance
the science curriculum in
accordance w/ Georgia
Performance Science
Standards. Since many lab
activities involve the
handling of hazardous
chemicals, safety is the top
priority
by students at all
time
s when in lab
participating
activities. Any
violation of this agreement
resulting in unsafe conduct
will result in being removed
from the lab and receiving
disciplinary action as well as
SCIENCE LABORATORY
RULES &
PROCEDUR
1. Do not touch any lab
materials
until instructed to do so.
(Remember that all materials
are property of the CCSD and
must remain in the classroom
at all times.
2. Transport of any materials
from the lab is prohibited.)

Experiments must be
monitored at all times. Do
not wander, distract others,
3. or interfere with other lab
experiments.
Be prepared. Read all
directions and procedures
before you begin. Act
4. responsibly ~ horseplay is
dangerous and will not be
tolerated.
Follow all written and
5. verbal instructions
carefully. If you do
not understand a direction,

present. Unauthorized
experiments are prohibited.
6. Do not eat, drink, or chew
gum in the lab. Do not use
glassware as containers for
7. food or beverages. Know
the locations and operating
procedures for all safety
equipment including the
first aid kit, eyewash
station, safety
shower, fire extinguisher
and fume hood. Know
8.
where the fire alarm and
exits are located.
Use the fume hood when
working with volatile
9. substances or poisonous
vapors. Never place your
head into the fume hood.
Be alert and proceed with
caution
10. Dispose of all chemical
waste
properly. Never mix
chemicals in sink drains.
Sinks are to be used only
for water and only solutions
designated by the teacher.
Insoluble materials are to
be disposed of in the proper
waste containers, not in the
sink. Check the label of all
waste containers twice
before adding your
chemical waste. Broken
glass must be disposed
of in a separate
container marked
Broken Glassware
never in classroom waste
containers.
11. Labels and equipment
instructions must be read
carefully before use. Set up
and use the prescribed
apparatus as directed in the
laboratory instructions or
by your teacher.
12. Keep hands away from
face, eyes, mouth, and body

wipe dry all work surfaces

and
apparatus at the end of the
experiment. Return all
equipment clean and in
working order to the proper
storage area.
13. Students are never
permitted in the science
storage rooms, chemical
stockrooms, or
preparation areas.
14. Know what to do if there
is a fire drill during a
laboratory period;
containers must be
closed, gas valves turned
off, fume hoods turned off,
and any electrical
equipment turned off.
15. Handle all living organisms
used in a lab activity in a
humane manner. Preserved
biological materials are to
be treated with respect and
disposed of properly.
Specimens must remain in
the classroom at all times.
16. When using scissors,
scalpels and other sharp
instruments, always carry
with tip points pointing

17. Any time chemicals, heat,

or
glassware are used, student
will wear lab goggles.
There will be no
exceptions to this rule!
18. Contact lenses should not
be worn in the laboratory
unless you have permission
from your instructor.
19. Dress properly during a lab
activity. Long hair, dangling
jewelry, and loose or baggy
clothing are a hazard in the

baggy clothing must be

30. Handle flammable
secured.
hazardous
Shoes must completely
liquids over a pan to
cover the foot. No
contain spills. Never
sandals or flip-flops
dispense flammable liquids
allowed.
anywhere near an open
20. Lab aprons should be worn
flame or source of heat.
during chemistry lab
31. Never remove chemicals
activities and biology
or other materials from the
lab.
32. Be careful when
transferring
chemicals from one part of
21. Report any accident (spill,

41. 41. Do not immerse hot

glassware
in cold water; it may

Heating
Substances

42. Exercise extreme

caution when
breakage,
using a gas burner. Take
etc.) or injury (cut, burn, etc.)
care that hair, clothing and
to
the
instructor
hands are a safe distance
immediately, no matter
from the flame. Do not put
how trivial it may appear.
any substance into the
33. Carry glass tubing in a
22. If you or your lab partner
flame unless instructed to
vertical
are hurt, immediately yell
do so. Never reach over an
position to
out Code one, Code one
exposed flame.
minimize
to get the teachers
Light gas burners only as
breakage/injury.
attention.
instructed by the teacher.
34. Never handle broken
23. If a chemical should splash
43. Never leave a lit burner
glass with
in your
unattended. Never leave
your bare hands. Use a
eye(s) or on your skin,
anything that is being
brush and dustpan to clean
immediately flush with
heated or visibly reacting
up the broken glass. Place
running water from the
unattended. Always turn
broken glass only in
the burner or hot plate off
designated waste
when not in use.
containers.
44.
You will be instructed in
35. Always lubricate glassware
the
proper method of
before attempting to insert
24. All chemicals in the lab are
heating and boiling liquids
it into a stopper. Protect
to be
in test tubes. Do not point
your hands with towels or
considered dangerous.
the open end of a test
gloves when sliding the
Do not touch, taste, or
tube being heated at
tubing into, or removing it
smell any chemicals
yourself or anyone else.
from the stopper. If it
unless specifically
becomes stuck take it to
45. Heated metals and glass
your teacher for assistance.
remain very hot for a long
instructed to do so. The
proper
Never force it.
time. They should be set
technique for smelling
36. Fill wash bottles only with
aside to cool and picked up
chemical fumes will be
with caution. Use tongs or
distilled water and use only
demonstrated to you.
heat-protective gloves if
as intended.
25. Check the label on
necessary.
37. When removing an
chemical bottles twice
46.
Never look into a container
electrical plug from its
before removing any of the
that is being heated.
socket, grasp the plug, not
contents.
47. Do not place hot
the electrical cord. Hands
26. Never return unused
apparatus directly on the
must be completely dry
chemicals to their original
laboratory desk. Always
before touching.
containers.
use an insulating pad.
38. Examine glassware
27. Never use mouth suction
Allow plenty of time for hot
before each
to fill a pipet. Use a rubber
apparatus to cool before
use. Never used chipped or
bulb or pipet pump.
touching it.
cracked glassware. Never
28. When transferring reagents
48.
When bending glass,
use dirty glassware.
from
allow time
one container to another,
for the glass to cool before

Student Name:
Teacher Name:

Student Laboratory Safety

Agreement
_ Date: _

Questions: (circle answers)

Do you wear contact
lenses? Are you color
blind?
Do you have allergies?

Ye
s
Ye
s

No
No
No

If yes, please list specific

allergies
I,
(students name) have read and agree to follow all of the
safetyinrules
set
forth
this agreement.
I realize that I must obey these rules to insure my own safety,
and that of my fellow
students and instructors. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my instructor and
fellow students to maintain a safe lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and
written instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware that any violation of this
safety agreement that results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory or misbehavior ion my
part may result in being removed from the laboratory, detention, receiving a failing
Date:
Student
Signature
Dear Parent or Guardian:
We feel that you should be informed regarding the schools effort to create and
maintain a safe science classroom/laboratory environment. With the cooperation of
the teachers, parents, and students, a safety instruction program can eliminate,
prevent, and correct possible hazards.
You should be aware of the safety instructions your son/daughter will receive
before engaging in any
laboratory work. Please read the list of safety rules attached. No student will be
permitted to perform laboratory activities unless the lab safety agreement is
Your signature on this agreement indicates that you have read the Cherokee
county School District
Science Laboratory Safety Rules and Procedures, the lab safety agreement, are
aware of the measures taken to insure the safety of your son/daughter in the
science laboratory, and will instruct your son/daughter to uphold his/her
Date:

Parent/Guardian
Signature
Parent/Guardian
E-mail