The document provides guidance on laboratory safety. It emphasizes the importance of following safety precautions to avoid accidents from hazards in the laboratory. Some key safety rules include wearing protective equipment like goggles and aprons, tying back long hair, avoiding loose clothing, not eating or drinking in the lab, washing hands after handling chemicals, asking the teacher if unsure of anything, and notifying the teacher immediately if any accidents occur.

1. LABORATORY SAFETY
Dr. Ashok Kumar Jeppu
Biochemistry Unit
International Medical School
Management and Science University
Malaysia

3. In order to have fun
doing science
experiments, you need
to be aware of the
dangers and hazards in
the laboratory.
Important to
respect the
safety of
yourself and
others in the
lab
To do this,
follow the
safety
precautions
THINK SMART. BE SAFE.

4. Safety First

5. Lab Safety
What do you think is the most
dangerous thing in any
laboratory?
The most dangerous thing in any
laboratory is someone who
doesn’t know what they are doing
If you don’t know how to use it or
don’t know what it is for
• Pencil
• Coin
• You name it…

6. Accident often result from

7. GENERAL
SAFETY RULES

8. NO HORSING AROUND!

9. Secure loose sleeves or other loose articles
of clothing, such as ties and bows.

10. TIE BACK LONG HAIR
Tie back long hair and loose clothing when working
near an open flame : Roll up long sleeves

11. During lab work, keep your hands away from
your face
Don’t wear open-toed shoes or sandals in
laboratory situations

12. Never put anything into your mouth during
a lab experiment
Never eat, drink, or apply cosmetics in a
laboratory setting; food, drink, and cosmetics
can easily become contaminated with
dangerous chemicals

13. Follow the safety instructions carefully
• Become thoroughly acquainted with the location and use of
safety equipment and facilities such as
• Exits
• Safety shower
• Eyewash fountains
• first aid kit.

14. Notify your teacher if any accidents
occur

15. Keep your work area uncluttered
Take to the lab station only what is
necessary
Clean up your lab area after you are finished

16. Chemical Safety

17. Chemical Safety
• Wear SAFETY APRON
•Wear protective goggles whenever heating
or pouring hazardous chemicals
• Make sure an emergency eyewash station is
available in the laboratory

18. Chemical Safety
After handling chemicals, always wash your
hands with soap and water.

19. Chemical Safety
Never mix chemicals together unless
you are told to do so

20. Chemical Safety
Follow the instructions of your teacher when disposing
chemicals
Never mix chemicals for the “fun of it.” See unauthorized
experiments
Use only the chemicals need for an investigation. Keep all lids
closed when a chemical is not in use. Notify teacher if spills occur.

21. Chemical Safety
• Dispose of all chemicals as instructed by teacher. To avoid
contamination do not return chemicals to their original containers
• Be careful when working with chemicals such as acids or bases.
Always pour them over the sink rather than over your work area
• When diluting an acid always add small amounts of Acid to Water.
A to W. Awww. W to A. WAAAAA!
• Rinse acids or bases off of skin immediately. Notify teacher
immediately of spills.

22. Chemical Safety
• Do not inhale fumes directly.
• When instructed to smell a substance, wave or
waft fumes toward your nose and inhale gently.

23. Chemical Safety
Never taste any chemicals
Before undertaking any work become familiar with
the hazards of the chemicals involved

24. Glassware Safety

25. Glassware Safety
• Become familiar with the hazards of the apparatus
and the operations involved
• Check the condition of glassware before and after
using it.
• Inform your teacher about any broken, chipped, or
cracked glassware; it should not be used.
• Do not pick up broken glass with your bare hands.

26. Glassware Safety
• Never force glass tubing into rubber stoppers
• Never place glassware near edges of your work surface.
• Never eat or drink out of lab glassware
• Hot glass does not look hot. Don’t pick up any glassware that
may have been heated without checking to see if it is hot first

27. Using Sharp Instruments
• Handle scalpels and razor blades with extreme care.
• Never cut material toward yourself or others. Cut away from
you and others.
• Notify your teacher if you cut yourself.

28. Electrical Safety

29. Electrical Safety
• Keep electrical cords away from areas where someone may
trip on them or where the cords can tip over laboratory
equipment.

30. Electrical Safety
•Never handle electrical equipment with wet
hands.
• Be sure your hands and your lab area are dry
before using electrical equipment

31. Electrical Safety
•Never poke anything into electrical outlets
•Unplug cords by pulling the plug and NOT
the cord
•Turn off and unplug all electrical equipment
as soon as you are finished using the
equipment.

32. Heating Safety

33. Heating Safety
1. Let hotplates cool down before touching them. Test
to see if they are cool enough by bringing the back of
your hand close to them.
2. Use tongs to handle hot objects.
3. The only type of glassware that may safely be
heated is either Kimax or Pyrex.
4. Never heat anything that you are not instructed to
heat

34. Heating Safety
•Never heat a closed container
•Point test tubes or bottles that are being heated
away from you and others. Chemicals can boil or
splash out of the tube
•Only glassware that is thoroughly dry should be
heated.
•Never leave a hotplate unattended.

35. Fire Safety

36. Fire Safety
• Make sure that fire extinguishers and fire blankets are
available in the laboratory
• Tie back long hair and confine loose clothing
• Wear safety goggles when working with flames
• Never reach across an open flame
•Make sure you know how to light a Bunsen burner. If
you do not your teacher will show you

37. • Make sure water, gas burners, and electric hot plates are
turned off. Hot plates and other electrical equipment
should also be unplugged.

45. First Aid
Injury: Burns
To do: Immediately flush with cold water
until burning sensation is lessened

46. First Aid
Injury: Cuts
To do: Do not touch an open wound
without safety gloves. Pressing
directly on minor cuts will stop
bleeding in a few minutes.

47. First Aid
Injury: Fainting
To do: Provide fresh air and have
the person recline so that their head
is lower than the rest of their body.

48. First Aid
Injury: The eyes
To do: Flush eyes immediately with plenty of
water for several minutes. If a foreign object is
lodged in the eye, do not rub the eye.

50. Symbols
Radioactive Biohazard

51. Lab Safety Rules
Dress Code
1.Wear a lab coat or apron when directed
2.Wear safety goggles when directed.
3. Tie back loose hair whenever chemicals or open flames
are being used.
4.Do not wear loose, baggy clothing or loose jewelry (ID
badge lanyards) when working with chemicals or open
flames.

52. Lab Safety Rules
General Safety
• Listen and follow directions
• No Monkey or Horseplay
• Don’t eat or drink without permission
• Keep your hands and place dry
• Touch electrical instruments with dry hand
• Be careful with hot or electrical appliances

53. •Tell your teacher if anything breaks or spills
•Clean your desk before and after experiments
•Wash your hands
•Handle animals with care and respect
•Report all accidents, no matter how minor, immediately
to the teacher.
•Know what to do in the case of specific accidents such as
acid spills, fires, or chemicals on skin or in eyes.

54. To Summarize
1. Use common sense.
2. Follow the teacher’s directions.
3. If you don’t know, ask.
4. Do the right thing.

55. Thank You
BE SMART! THINK SAFE!

56. And now for a quiz…
Choose the best answer for the following questions.
1. When in the lab, you must always wear
a) Long socks
b) Eye goggles
c) A hard hat
2. When is food and drinks allowed in the lab?
a) When you are hungry or thirsty
b) Anytime
c) Never

57. True or False?
3. _____You can keep your hair down during labs.
4. _____You should read the directions for a lab once
before beginning.
5. _____If you don’t know what you are supposed to do
in a lab, you should ask the teacher.
6. _____If a minor accident occurs, you do not have to
notify the teacher.

58. Matching: Write the letter of the missing key word
on the blank in front of the statement.
a) Equipment
b) Horseplay
c) Sleeves
d) Hands
Key Words
Statements
7. Roll up long ________.
8. Return all ________ to its proper place.
9. Wash your ______ at the end of all labs.
10. Do not engage in ________ in the lab.