HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR SCIENCE STUDENTS

While working in the science laboratory, you will have certain important responsibilities that do not apply to other classrooms. You will be
working with materials and apparatus, which if handled carelessly or improperly, have the potential to cause discomfort, injury or even
death for you and/or fellow students.
A science laboratory can be a safe place to work if you, the student, are foresighted, alert and cautious. The following practices will be
followed:

GENERAL SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. The laboratory is for serious work only. Absolutely no off-task behavior will be tolerated.
2. Report any accident or injury to the teacher immediately, no matter how minor.
3. Spilled materials (liquids or solids) must be reported to the teacher and cleaned up immediately. Laboratory cleanliness is the
responsibility of every student.
4. Perform only those laboratory activities and use only the laboratory equipment where instructions and permission have been given by
the teacher. Follow written and verbal instructions carefully. If any instructions are unclear, ask the teacher. Give the laboratory procedure
all of your attention, and never work alone.
5. If a laboratory activity is not completed during the allotted time, discuss with the teacher how to properly store the materials necessary to
complete the task later, and arrange for a time to do so.
6. Safety goggles must be worn over the eyes during experiments involving caustic or corrosive chemicals, hot liquids, moving equipment
or according to teacher instruction. Goggles should be adjusted so they are tight enough to not come loose with vigorous head movement.
Eyeglasses are never adequate, and contact lenses should be removed prior to activities involving chemicals.
7. Prepare for each laboratory activity by reading all instructions before coming to class. Follow carefully any change in procedure given by
the instructor.
8. Walk safely and slowly in the laboratory, and never carry hot equipment or dangerous chemicals through a group of students.
9. Never purposefully make skin contact with any chemical in the laboratory unless specifically instructed to do so.
10. Eating or drinking in the laboratory is not permitted under any circumstances. Nothing should be put into the mouth in the Science
Laboratory.
11. Keep hands away from eyes, nose, mouth, face and body while using solutions, equipment or materials in the laboratory.

12. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water at the end of the lab period.
13. Know the location of the emergency shower, eye and face wash, fire blanket, fire extinguisher, alarm, telephone, first aid kit,
emergency gas and electricity shutoffs, waste disposal containers and exits.
14. Know how to properly use the fire blanket to put out a fire on a person’s clothing. This will be demonstrated by the teacher, as well as
the "stop-drop-roll" procedure.
15. Roll long sleeves up above the wrist, and tie long hair back, out of the way.
16. Feet should be protected from falling objects or chemicals by wearing closed shoes.
17. Keep work areas clean and aisles cleared. Drawers and cabinet doors should be kept closed.
18. Long hanging necklaces, bulky jewelry or clothing should not be worn in lab.
19. Students are not permitted in laboratory storage rooms or teacher workrooms without teacher approval.
20. Throw all solid waste in specifically designated wastebaskets, jars, or other receptacles. Cloth or paper towels containing flammable
liquids must be disposed of in a metal or crockery container with a lid. If in doubt about where to dispose of any material, ask the teacher.
21. Do not discard any solids in the laboratory sinks, especially glass items such as tubing or cover glasses. Liquid wastes are only
discarded in the sink with specific teacher direction.
22. If there is an evacuation drill or emergency during a lab activity, turn off electricity, water and gas sources and close containers for
specimens, chemicals and other laboratory materials prior to leaving the laboratory.

CHEMICAL SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. Always test for odor of chemicals by waving your hand over the container, bringing odors to your nose, and sniffing cautiously from a
distance. Never sniff directly from the opening of a container.
2. Never pour chemicals back into source bottles, exchange bottle stoppers or lay stoppers on the table.
3. When diluting acids, always pour acids into water, never the reverse. Combine the liquids slowly while stirring the mixture. For sulfuric
acid mixing, place the large container in an ice bath.
4. Stirring should be done, with a glass stirring rod, never with a thermometer or your fingers.
5. Check that chemicals are in clearly labeled containers, and double check the labels to be certain of their contents.
6 Never use mouth suction in filling pipettes with chemicals - use a suction bulb or pipette filler.
7. Small quantities of spilled acids can be neutralized and made safe with a Sodium Bicarbonate solution.
8. Small quantities of spilled bases can be neutralized with a dilute Acetic Acid (vinegar) solution.
9. In case of skin or clothing exposure to an acid or base, wash the affected area immediately with plenty of running water. If the eye is
involved, wash it without interruption for at least 15 minutes in the emergency eye wash station. Report the incident to your instructor
immediately.
10. If a large amount of acid or base is spilled on a large area of skin or clothing, you should immediately use the emergency safety shower
and inform the teacher.
11 Students are never allowed in the chemical storage area.

FIRE AND FLAME SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. Light gas burners as instructed. A match or lighter is ignited before turning on the gas to the burner.
2. Do not throw used matches into wastepaper baskets. A metal container is provided for their disposal.
3. Use a burner with extreme caution. Turn off when not in use. Never leave a lit burner unattended. Keep your head and clothing away
from the flame.
4. Do not bring any substance into contact with a flame unless specifically instructed to do so.
S. When heating test tubes, DO NOT look down into the tube while heating it, or point it in the direction of any student. The test tube
opening should point away from people or flammable materials.
6. Alcohol, acetone, or any other volatile material that can easily burst into flame must NOT be used in the area of an open flame. Notify
the teacher of any spills immediately.
7. Know how to properly use the ABC fire extinguisher to put out burning solid materials and volatile liquids as well as the proper fire drill
procedure. If a small tire occurs, notify the teacher at once and prepare to evacuate the building. The only time a student should use an
extinguisher is if the teacher is incapacitated.

DISSECTING SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. Use dissecting instruments only for the purpose intended.
2. Use extreme care with sharp dissecting instruments such as scalpels, probes and scissors.
3. If a specimen moves when cutting, stabilize the specimen with forceps rather than your fingers.
4. When not actively using scalpels, place them in their equipment tray or other safe place away from the table edge and other students.
5. Sharp objects such as scalpels or other dissecting tools that are to be disposed of should be placed in a specifically designated sharps
disposal container.

GLASS SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. To cut small-diameter glass tubing, use a file or tubing cutter to make a deep scratch. Wrap the tubing in a paper towel before bending
the glass away from you with your thumbs. Fire polish all ends.
2. When bending glass, allow time for the glass to cool before further handling. Never handle heated glass until you are certain it is cool.
Hot and cold glass have the same visual appearance. Determine if an object is hot by bringing the back of your hand up close, but not
touching. Cloth or paper towels should never be used to handle hot glass. Hot glass can ignite paper or cloth towels. Use metal tongs.
3. Carefully twist (never push) glass tubing into stopper holes. Lubricate the stopper hole and glass tubing with water or glycerin to ease
insertion, using a towel for hand protection. Always fire polish ends of glass tubing and rods before using.
4. Remove all broken glass from the work area or floor as soon as possible, asking for the teacher's help. Never handle broken glass with
bare hands; use a counter brush and dustpan.
5. Glassware should be inspected for cleanliness and cracks or chips. Cracks or chips can weaken the glass and cause it to break during
use or heating. Tell the teacher about chipped or cracked glassware.

EQUIPMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. A microscope is a fragile, precision instrument, and care should be taken when handling them.
2. Carry a microscope with two hands: one under the base, with the other firmly grasping the arm.
3. Place the microscope in a stable position, flat on the lab bench or table, away from the edge.
4. When using the highest magnification on a microscope, only use the coarse adjustment knob while looking at the slide from the side, not
through the eyepiece. Adjust using the coarse adjustment knob until the objective lens is near the slide. DO NOT ADJUST USING THE
COARSE ADJUSTMENT KNOB WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THE EYEPIECE. Then, while looking through the eyepiece, adjust for
focus using the fine adjustment knob ONLY.
5. If a microscope slide appears cracked or broken, inform the teacher immediately.
6. A pan balance is a fragile, precision instrument, and care should be taken when handling them.
7. Carry a pan balance with two hands: one under the base, with the other firmly grasping the vertical support column.
8. When finding the mass of solid or granular objects using a balance, always use weighing paper or a tray, then subtract the mass of the
paper or tray after weighing.
9. When using electrical equipment, make certain hands are completely dry. Electrical cords should be routed away from water sources
and to avoid trip hazards on aisles and walkways. When removing an electrical plug from its socket, pull the plug, not the electrical cord.
10. Any damaged or improperly working equipment or potentially dangerous situation must be reported to the instructor immediately. Turn
off and unplug damaged electrical equipment.
11. Check equipment instructions carefully. Be sure all items are being used in the proper manner.

ALWAYS REMEMBER:
1. Experiments should never be assumed to be free from hazards.
2. Be alert and use extreme caution in all activities in the laboratory.
3. Inform your teacher if anything goes wrong.