Name: _____________________________________

Lab 1: The Safety Lab

You will keep this packet, as notes. You will complete and turn in the second packet as your official lab
report. This will be graded and returned to you. When you get it back, you will place it into your lab folder,
where it will stay for six months past the end of the course. This same procedure will be followed for all labs
you will get this semester.

Objective: You, the student, will be able to describe the lab policies and safety procedures to be followed while in the
chemistry laboratory.

Introduction: The chemistry laboratory is a dangerous place to be unless you are familiar with the safety rules. Even
when you are careful, accidents can still happen. Knowing how to avoid accidents and how to respond in emergency
situations will be vital to your safety in any situation. You will be given basic rules in this lab, and then additional rules
as they apply to specific labs later in the course.

RULES FOR LABORATORY

1) You must be on time to lab and hand in the lab that is due.
2) You must follow all safety procedures at all times.
3) You must be on task and carry your share of the lab work in your lab group.
4) You must wear clothing and shoes that protect your skin against chemical spills. Sandals may not be worn in lab.
Keep a pair of sneakers in your locker to change into.

A TYPICAL LAB PERIOD

1) You will enter the lab room and immediately turn in the lab that is due that day.
2) You may be given a 5-question multiple choice quiz on the material from the lab you just turned in. These will be
averaged and given the weight of one lab report towards the marking period average.
3) You will pick up the new lab paper from the front of the room.
4) You will be given the background of the next lab and the procedures and safety precautions will be demonstrated
to you. Take notes if you have to, on the lab paper.
5) You and your partner(s) will get goggles, put them on, and start gathering equipment.
6) You and your lab partner(s) will work together to complete the lab. You will record any data in the provided data
table. All data must be recorded to the correct place and have units after them.
7) You and your partner(s) will clean up the lab station thoroughly upon completion of the lab, including the sink.
Chemical wastes will be disposed of as per teacher instruction. Filter paper, acid/base test papers and other
similar wastes will be disposed of in the red can disposal. Everything else can be disposed of in the regular
garbage can. Make sure to completely clean up the benchtop and dry it off.
8) Once all groups have completed the lab activity and cleaned up, goggles may be removed. They must be placed
back in the racks of the goggle cabinet. The cabinet shall then be closed and the ultraviolet light activated to kill
any germs that might be left behind on the goggles.
9) Begin the writeup. Draw graphs, solve problems, write answers. All students are to be thusly engaged until the
dismissal bell rings.

REGENTS REQUIRMENT FOR LABS

The New York State Department of Education has set a prerequisite of 1200 minutes of hands-on laboratory activity
with PASSING lab reports to sit for the Regents exam. This roughly corresponds to the actual time you have in lab this
semester, so turn all your lab reports in on time. LATE LABS will be penalized 3.0 points. INCOMPLETE LABS will be
graded based on the questions or parts omitted. If you miss lab, make it up on your alternate day, or make an
appointment with your teacher to stay after school as soon as possible after the lab. Bring someone to help you.

© 2005, Mark Rosengarten 1

Part 1: Scavenger Hunt

Complete the chart with a partner. Search the lab room for the safety equipment noted on the sheet. When you find
the equipment, write down its purpose and directions for use. Also draw your own map (below the chart) to show +the
location of the piece of equipment.

Safety Lab Scavenger Hunt

Item # Item What it’s used for How to use

1 Fire Extinguisher

2 Fire Blanket

3 First Aid Kit

4 Safety Shower

5 Eye Wash

6 Goggle Cabinet

7 Broken Glass
Container

8 Red Disposal Can

9 Emergency Phone
Numbers

10 Spill Kit

© 2005, Mark Rosengarten 2

Part 2: Video: Accident at Jefferson High

This video, though somewhat outdated and corny, does a very good job at demonstrating the proper techniques for lab
safety. As you watch the video, list a minimum of five safety rules or procedures shown:

2) As you watch the video, also be on the lookout for people who do unsafe things. List at least four unsafe practices
that you saw.

© 2005, Mark Rosengarten 3

 BASIC LAB SAFETY RULES
(other safety precautions will be given as necessary)

1) Wear goggles at ALL TIMES while lab activity is going on. 1-point penalty if you are seen with goggles off.

2) Know the locations of and how to use all safety equipment that you identified in the Scavenger Hunt.

3) Securely tie your hair back if it reaches to your shoulders or beyond. Also watch for long bangs.

4) ABSOLUTELY no food or drink in the laboratory. If it is seen, it will be confiscated and 1 point deducted.

5) NEVER taste or smell a chemical in the lab. You may be directed to observe odors in some labs, you may smell a
substance if directed to.

6) Do only the experiments assigned and in the manner prescribed. No unauthorized “experiments” or procedures
allowed.

7) ALWAYS read the directions before beginning the lab. Make sure to check off each step in the lab as you do it.

8) Clothing should cover the body to protect skin from harmful chemicals. Sandals are prohibited, as is clothing that
does not adequately cover the body.

9) Use a wafting motion (pushing with you hand towards your nose) if directed to smell a substance.

10) NEVER fill a pipet by mouth.

11) Notify the teacher immediately of any accident, no matter how small. Burns, cuts and spills must be dealt with
right away to minimize their health effects.

12) NEVER touch anyone else’s blood.

13) ALWAYS use the red disposal can to discard matches, filter paper or used chemicals as instructed by the teacher.

14) NEVER put excess chemical back into its original stock container. This will contaminate the source. Follow
directions for disposal of excess, which may vary from lab to lab.

15) Never place a cap to a chemical container rim down on the lab counter. Contamination can occur. When pouring
liquid chemical into another container, hold the cap in the hand you are not pouring with.

16) When finished with a container of chemicals, ALWAYS put the cap back on securely right away.

17) Always check, then double-check the labels of the chemicals before you use them.

18) Hold and pour from bottles with your palm covering the label. Any drippage will go down the other side.

19) Never point the open end of a test tube towards yourself or others, especially when heating the test tube.

20) Move a test tube through the Bunsen burner flame up and down the sample of substance to evenly heat it.

21) When diluting acids with water, always add the acid to the water slowly and while stirring. “Do it like you oughta,
add the acid to the water!”

22) Dispose of chipped or broken glassware in the broken glass container, NEVER in the regular trash or red disposal
can.

© 2005, Mark Rosengarten 4

© 2005, Mark Rosengarten 5