Laboratory safety Your science laboratory must be a safe place to work and learn in. In doing any science activities, you must take responsibility for your own safety and the safety of others. The following guidelines will help you carry out science activities safely. Personal Safety 1. Always obtain your teacher’s permission before performing any activity. 2. Always read and understand an activity thoroughly before doing it. 3. Always wear goggles when you see a corrosive symbol at the beginning of the activity. 4. Never run or play in the laboratory room. 5. If you have long hair, always tie it back before performing an experiment. 6. Always know where the following are kept: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, eyewash bath, and shower area. Know where the fire alarm and the nearest telephone are. Learn how to use them. Safety in Handling Plants 1. Use caution when collecting or handling plants. 2. Do not eat or taste any unfamiliar plants or plant parts. 3. If you are allergic to pollen, do not work with plants or plant parts. Safety in Handling Animals 1. Handle animals with care. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, inform your teacher. 2. Do not bring wild animals in the classroom. 3. Do not cause pain, discomfort, or injury to an animal. Be sure that animals kept for observation are given the proper food, water, and living space. 4. Wear gloves when handling live animals. Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling them. Eye Safety 1. Wear your laboratory safety goggles when you are working with chemicals, open flame, or any substances that may be harmful to your eyes. 2. If chemicals get into your eyes, flush them out with plenty of running water. Inform your teacher immediately. Safety in Using Flammable and Hot Objects 1. Turn off heat sources when they are not in use. 2. Point test tubes away from yourself and others when heating substances in them 3. Use the proper procedure when lighting an alcohol lamp or Bunsen burner. 4. To avoid burns, do not handle heated glassware or materials directly. Use tongs, test tube holders, or heat-resistant gloves. Glassware Safety 1. Check glasswares for chips or cracks. Broken, cracked, or chipped glassware should not be used. It should be given to the teacher for proper disposal. 2. Do not force the stopper into a glass tubing. Follow your teacher’s instructions. 3. Clean glasswares and dry them. Safety in Handling Chemicals 1. Never dispose any solid or liquid chemicals and materials in the sink. 2. Use the proper container or utensils for chemicals. Never handle chemicals with your bare hands. 3. Keep your hands away from your face when working with chemicals. Never taste or put chemicals into your mouth. 4. Always clean up spills immediately. Acid spills may be treated with baking soda. Base spills may be treated with boric acid. Reference: Evelyn Castante-Padpad (2015). The New Science Links 6. REX Bookstore, Inc. (RBSI).

2. Your science laboratory must be a safe place
to work and learn in. In doing any science
activities, you must take responsibility for your
own safety and the safety of others. The
following guidelines will help you carry out
science activities safely.

3. Personal Safety

4. 1) Always obtain your
teacher’s permission
before performing any
activity.

5. 2) Always read and
understand an activity
thoroughly before
doing it.

6. 3) Always wear goggles when
you see a corrosive symbol at
the beginning of the activity.

7. 4) Never run or play in
the laboratory room.

8. 5) If you have long hair,
always tie it back
before performing an
experiment.

9. 6) Always know where the
following are kept: fire
extinguisher, first aid kit,
eyewash bath, and
shower area. Know
where the fire alarm and
the nearest telephone
are. Learn how to use
them.

10. Safety in Handling Plants

11. 1) Use caution when
collecting or
handling plants.

12. 2) Do not eat or taste any unfamiliar plants or
plant parts.

13. 3) If you are allergic to
pollen, do not work with
plants or plant parts.

14. Safety in Handling Animals

15. 1) Handle animals with
care. If you are bitten
or scratched by an
animal, inform your
teacher.

16. 2) Do not bring wild animals in the classroom.

17. 3) Do not cause pain, discomfort, or injury to an
animal. Be sure that animals kept for
observation are given the proper food, water,
and living space.

18. 4) Wear gloves when
handling live animals.
Always wash your
hands with soap and
water after handling
them.

19. Eye Safety

20. 1) Wear your laboratory
safety goggles when
you are working with
chemicals, open flame,
or any substances that
may be harmful to your
eyes.

21. 2) If chemicals get into your eyes, flush them
out with plenty of running water. Inform your
teacher immediately.

22. Safety in Using Flammable
and Hot Objects

23. 1) Turn off heat sources when they are not in
use.

24. 2) Point test tubes away from yourself and
others when heating substances in them

25. 3) Use the proper procedure when lighting an
alcohol lamp or Bunsen burner.

26. 4) To avoid burns, do not
handle heated
glassware or materials
directly. Use tongs, test
tube holders, or heat-
resistant gloves.

27. Glassware Safety

28. 1) Check glasswares for
chips or cracks.
Broken, cracked, or
chipped glassware
should not be used. It
should be given to the
teacher for proper
disposal.

29. 2) Do not force the stopper into a glass tubing.
Follow your teacher’s instructions.

30. 3) Clean glasswares and dry them.

31. Safety in Handling
Chemicals

32. 1) Never dispose any solid or liquid chemicals
and materials in the sink.

33. 2) Use the proper
container or utensils
for chemicals. Never
handle chemicals with
your bare hands.

34. 3) Keep your hands away from your face when
working with chemicals. Never taste or put
chemicals into your mouth.

35. 2) Always clean up spills immediately. Acid
spills may be treated with baking soda. Base
spills may be treated with boric acid.

36. REFERENCE:
• EVELYN CASTANTE-PADPAD (2015). THE NEW SCIENCE LINKS 6.
REX BOOKSTORE, INC. (RBSI).