Lab Safety Rules

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GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. Conduct yourself in a responsible
manner at all times in the laboratory.

2. Follow all written and verbal instructions

carefully.  If you do not understand a
direction or part of a procedure, ASK
YOUR TEACHER BEFORE
PROCEEDING WITH THE ACTIVITY.

3. Never work alone in the laboratory.  No

student may work in the science classroom
without the presence of the teacher.

4. When first entering a science room, do

not touch any equipment, chemicals, or
other materials in the laboratory area until
you are instructed to do so.

5. Perform only those experiments

authorized by your teacher.  Carefully
follow all instructions, both written and
oral.  Unauthorized experiments are not
allowed. 

6. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or

chew gum in the laboratory.  Do not use
laboratory glassware as containers for food
or beverages.

7. Be prepared for your work in the

laboratory.  Read all procedures
thoroughly before entering the laboratory. 
Never fool around in the
laboratory.  Horseplay, practical jokes, and
pranks are dangerous and prohibited. 

8. Always work in a well-ventilated area.  

9. Observe good housekeeping

practices.  Work areas should be kept
clean and tidy at all times. 
 10. Be alert and proceed with caution at all
times in the laboratory.  Notify the teacher
immediately of any unsafe conditions you
observe.

11. Dispose of all chemical waste

properly.  Never mix chemicals in sink
drains.  Sinks are to be used only for
water. Check with your teacher for disposal
of chemicals and solutions. 

12. Labels and equipment instructions

must be read carefully before use.  Set up
and use the equipment as directed by your
teacher.

13. Keep hands away from face, eyes,

mouth, and body while using chemicals or
lab equipment.  Wash your hands with
soap and water after performing all
experiments. 

14. Experiments must be personally

monitored at all times.  Do not wander
around the room, distract other students,
startle other students or interfere with the
Top laboratory experiments of others.

15. Know the locations and operating

procedures of all safety equipment
including: first aid kit(s), and fire
extinguisher.  Know where the fire alarm
and the exits are located.

16. Know what to do if there is a fire drill

during a laboratory period; containers must
be closed, and any electrical equipment
turned off.
CLOTHING
17. Any time chemicals, heat, or glassware
are used, students will wear safety
goggles. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS
RULE!

18. Contact lenses may be not be worn in

the laboratory.

19. Dress properly during a laboratory

activity.  Long hair, dangling jewelry, and
loose or baggy clothing are a hazard in the
laboratory.  Long hair must be tied back,
and dangling jewelry and baggy clothing
must be secured.  Shoes must completely
 cover the foot.  No sandals allowed on lab
days.

20. A lab coat or smock should be worn

during laboratory experiments.

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ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES

21.   Report any accident (spill, breakage,
etc.) or injury (cut, burn, etc.) to the
teacher immediately, no matter how trivial
it seems.  Do not panic. 

22. If you or your lab partner is hurt,

immediately (and loudly) yell out the
teacher's name to get the teacher's
attention.  Do not panic. 
 
23. If a chemical should splash in your
eye(s) or on your skin, immediately flush
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with running water for at least 20
minutes. Immediately (and loudly) yell out
the teacher's name to get the teacher's
attention. 

 
HANDLING CHEMICALS 
24. All chemicals in the laboratory are to
be considered dangerous. Avoid handling
chemicals with fingers. Always use a
tweezer. When making an observation,
keep at least 1 foot away from the
specimen. Do not taste, or smell any
chemicals. 
 25. Check the label on all chemical bottles
twice before removing any of the contents. 
Take only as much chemical as you need.

26. Never return unused chemicals to their

original container.

27. Never remove chemicals or other

materials from the laboratory area.

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HANDLING GLASSWARE AND

EQUIPMENT 28. Never handle broken glass with your
bare hands.  Use a brush and dustpan to
clean up broken glass.  Place broken glass
in the designated glass disposal container.

29. Examine glassware before each use. 

Never use chipped, cracked, or dirty
glassware.

30. If you do not understand how to use a

piece of equipment,ASK THE TEACHER
FOR HELP!

31. Do not immerse hot glassware in cold

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water.  The glassware may shatter.

HEATING SUBSTANCES
32. Do not operate a hot plate by yourself. 
Take care that hair, clothing, and hands
are a safe distance from the hot plate at all
times.  Use of hot plate is only allowed in
the presence of the teacher.

33. Heated glassware remain very hot for a

long time.  They should be set aside in a
designated place to cool, and picked up
with caution.  Use tongs or heat protective
gloves if necessary.
 34. Never look into a container that is
being heated.

35. Do not place hot apparatus directly on

the laboratory desk.  Always use an
insulated pad.  Allow plenty of time for hot
apparatus to cool before touching it.

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The 10 Most Important Lab Safety Rules

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byAnne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 
Updated May 29, 2019
The science lab is an inherently dangerous place, with fire hazards, dangerous
chemicals, and risky procedures. No one wants to have an accident in the lab, so
it's imperative to follow lab safety rules. 

01
of 10

The Most Important Lab Safety Rule

Portra / Getty Images

Follow the instructions! Whether it's listening to your instructor or lab

supervisor or following a procedure in a book, it's critical to listen, pay attention,
and be familiar with all the steps, from start to finish, before you begin. If you are
unclear about any point or have questions, get them answered before starting,
even if it's a question about a step later on in the protocol. Know how to use all of
the lab equipment before you begin.

Why is this the most important rule? If you don't follow it:

 You endanger yourself and others in the lab.

 You could easily ruin your experiment.
 You put the lab at risk of an accident, which could damage equipment as
well as harm people.
 You could get suspended (if you're a student) or fired (if you're a
researcher).

02
of 10

Know the Location of Safety Equipment

alacatr / Getty Images

In the event something goes wrong, it's important to know the location of the
safety equipment and how to use it. It's a good idea to periodically check
equipment to make sure it is in working order. For example, does water actually
come out of the safety shower? Does the water in the eye wash look clean?
Not sure where safety equipment is located? Review lab safety signs and look for
them before starting an experiment.

03
of 10

Dress for the Lab

Andrew Brookes / Getty Images

Dress for the lab. This is a safety rule because your clothing is one of your best
forms of protection against an accident. For any science lab, wear covered shoes,
long pants, and keep your hair up so it can't fall into your experiment or a flame.

Make sure you wear protective gear, as needed. Basics include a lab coat and
safety goggles. You may also need gloves, hearing protection, and other items,
depending on the nature of the experiment.

04
of 10

Don't Eat or Drink in the Laboratory

Save your snacking for the office, not the lab. Don't eat or drink in the science
laboratory. Don't store your food or beverages in the same refrigerator that
contains experiments, chemicals, or cultures.

 There is too much risk of contaminating your food. You could touch it with
a hand that is coated with chemicals or pathogens or set it down on a lab
bench that has residue from past experiments.
 Having drinks in the lab risks your experiment, too. You could spill a drink
on your research or lab notebook.
 Eating and drinking in the lab is a form of distraction. If you are eating,
you aren't concentrating on your work.
 If you're used to drinking liquids in the lab, you might accidentally reach
for and drink the wrong liquid. This is especially true if you did not label
your glassware or used lab glassware as dishes.

05
of 10
Don't Taste or Sniff Chemicals

BraunS / Getty Images

Not only should you not bring in food or drinks, but you shouldn't taste or smell
chemicals or biological cultures already in the lab. Tasting or smelling some
chemicals can be dangerous or even deadly. The best way to know what's in a
container is to label it, so get in the habit of making a label for glassware before
adding the chemical.

06
of 10

Don't Play Mad Scientist in the Laboratory

leezsnow / Getty Images

Another important safety rule is to act responsibly in the lab — don't play Mad
Scientist, randomly mixing chemicals to see what happens. The result could be an
explosion, fire, or release of toxic gases.

Similarly, the laboratory is not the place for horseplay. You could break
glassware, annoy others, and potentially cause an accident.

07
of 10

Dispose Lab Waste Properly

Matthias Tunger/Getty Images

One important laboratory safely rule is to know what to do with your experiment
when it's over. Before you start an experiment, you should know what to do at the
end. Don't leave your mess for the next person to clean up.

 Are the chemicals safe to dump down the drain? If not, what do you do
with them?
  If you have biological cultures, is it safe to clean up with soap and water or
do you need an autoclave to kill dangerous organisms?
 Do you have broken glass or needles? Know the protocol for disposing of
"sharps".

08
of 10

Know What to Do With Lab Accidents

 Getty Images/Oliver Sun Kim

Accidents happen, but you can do your best to prevent them and have a plan to
follow when they occur. Most laboratories have a plan to follow in the event of an
accident.

One particularly important safety rule is to tell a supervisor if and when an

accident occurs. Don't lie about it or try to cover it up. If you get cut, exposed to a
chemical, bitten by a lab animal, or spill something there could be consequences,
and the danger isn't necessarily only to you. If you don't get care, sometimes you
could expose others to a toxin or pathogen. Also, if you don't admit to an
accident, you could get your lab in a lot of trouble.

09
of 10

Leave Experiments at the Lab

Getty Images/G Robert Bishop

It's important, for your safety and the safety of others, to leave your experiment
at the lab. Don't take it home with you. You could have a spill or lose a specimen
or have an accident. This is how science fiction movies start. In real life, you can
hurt someone, cause a fire, or lose your lab privileges.

While you should leave lab experiments at the lab, if you want to do science at
home, there are many safe science experiments you can try.
 10
of 10

Don't Experiment on Yourself

The premise of many a science fiction movie starts with a scientist conducting an
experiment on him or herself. However, you won't gain superpowers or discover
the secret to eternal youth. More than likely, whatever you accomplish will be at
great personal risk.

Science means using the scientific method. You need data on multiple subjects to
draw conclusions, but using yourself as a subject and self experimenting is
dangerous, not to mention bad science.