Medfield High School Science

Laboratory Protocol

Student Safety Contract

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We feel that you should be informed regarding the school’s effort to create and maintain a safescience classroom/laboratory environment.

With the cooperation of the instructor, parents and students, a safety instruction program caneliminate, prevent, and correct possible hazards.

You should be aware of the safety instructions your son/daughter will receive before engaging inany laboratory work. Please read the list of safety rules above. No students will be permitted toperform laboratory activities unless this contract is signed by both the student andparent/guardian and is on file with the teacher.

Your signature on this contract indicates that you have read the Student Safety Contract, areaware of the measures taken to insure the safety of your son/daughter in the science laboratory,and will instruct your son/daughter to uphold his/her agreement to follow these rules andprocedures in the laboratory.

General GuidelinesAn important part of your chemistry work will occur in the laboratory. Safety is the #1

priority for students, teachers, and parents. To ensure a safe science room, a list of rules hasbeen developed and provided to you in this safety contract. These rules must be followed at alltimes. The last sheet must be signed by you and a parent or guardian and returned to yourteacher before you can participate in the laboratory. The remaining part of the contract must bein your notebook at all times.

1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory.2. Follow all written and oral directions carefully. If you do not understand a direction or part ofa procedure, ASK the teacher before proceeding.3. When first entering a science room, DO NOT TOUCH any equipment, chemicals, or othermaterials in the laboratory area until you are instructed to do so.4. Do not eat food or drink in the laboratory. Do not use laboratory glassware as food orbeverage containers.5. Never fool around in the laboratory. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerousand prohibited.6. Keep aisles clear.

Dress Code

7. When instructed to do so, wear safety goggles when doing laboratory work.8. Tie back long hair and loose clothing (ties and scarves) and remove jewelry when you workat the laboratory bench. Roll up loose sleeves that might fall into chemicals or become caught onequipment. The use of laboratory coats or laboratory aprons is recommended when you workwith acids or open flames.9. Do not wear open­toed shoes or sandals in the laboratory. Never go barefoot.

Preparation for Laboratory Work10. Prepare for the experiment by reading all of the directions before you begin the experiment.Ask your teacher about any directions that you do not understand. Discuss the procedure withyour laboratory partner or team. Assign specific tasks to individuals, especially if speed is afactor in the procedures.11. Before you begin to work, make sure that you know how to operate the equipment that willbe used in the experiment.

Performing an Experiment12. Perform only those experiments authorized by the instructor. Never do anything in thelaboratory that is not called for in the laboratory procedures or by your instructor. Unauthorizedexperiments are forbidden.13. Carefully FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS, both written and oral.14. Keep work areas clean and tidy at all times. Bring only your laboratory instructions,worksheets, and/or reports to the lab benches. Other materials (books, purses, backpacks, etc.)should stay at your desk.15. Do not stir solutions with a thermometer; use a glass stirring rod. If a thermometer breaks,inform your teacher at once, and follow your teacher’s directions for cleaning it up.16. Take extreme care not to spill materials in the laboratory. Report all spills immediately, andfollow your teacher’s instructions for cleaning it up.17. Keep flammable materials away from open flames. Never reach across a flame.18. Keep all laboratory equipment away from the edge of the bench.19. Use tongs or clamps to pick up hot objects. Test the temperature of equipment andcontainers that have been heated by placing the back of your hand near any object before pickingit up. If you can feel heat, it may be too hot to pick up.20. Dispose of materials only as directed. Do not pour chemicals into the sink or put specimensinto the trash. After you have completed your work, turn off all equipment and clean your workarea. Return all equipment and materials to the appropriate storage areas.21. Wash your hands before and after every experiment.

First Aid or Emergencies22. Know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipment, including the first aid

kit, eyewash station, safety shower, fire extinguisher, and fire blanket.23. Report any accident to your teacher immediately, no matter how minor the accident mayseem. Follow your teacher’s recommendations for further treatment.24. Know the shortest exit route from the laboratory, from the corridor, and from the schoolbuilding.

Handling Chemicals25. Read the labels on chemical containers and reagent bottles twice. Bottles can look verymuch alike; make sure that you are using the materials called for in the experiment. Label allcontainers into which you put materials.26. Do not touch, taste, or smell chemicals that are in the laboratory unless you are directed todo so by your teacher. Do not sniff chemicals directly from the container. Waft fumes towardyour nose by waving your hand over the mouth of the container.27. Open chemical bottles only when you are ready to use the materials within them, and closebottles quickly when you are done; moisture from the air might react with and spoil thechemicals. To avoid contamination of chemicals, do not return unused chemicals to the bottle.Dispose of chemicals only as directed by your teacher.28. Always pour an acid into water; never pout water into an acid.29. Rinse any acid off your skin immediately by flushing the area with water. Notify your teacherat once.30. Never point the open end of a heated test tube towards yourself or anyone else.

Handling Glassware31. Do not use cracked, chipped, scored, or badly scratched glassware.32. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Clean up broken glass and dispose of it asdirected by your teacher.33. Allow plenty of time for hot glass to cool before touching it. Remember that hot glass showsno visible signs of its temperature, and it can cause painful burns.

PRINT THIS PAGE AND RETURN TO SCIENCE TEACHER

Agreement

I,__________________________________________ have read and agree to follow all of thesafety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these rules to insure my ownsafety, and that all of my fellow students and instructor. I will cooperate to the fullest extent withmy instructor and fellow students to maintain lab safety. I will also closely follow the oral andwritten instructions provided by the instructor. I am aware that any violation of this safety contractthat results in unsafe conduct in the laboratory or misbehavior on my part, may result in beingremoved from the laboratory, detention, receiving a failing grade, and/or dismissal from thecourse.

Student (signature and date)

Parent/Guardian (signature and date)

HOMEWORK TASK

Task 1 ­ Look at the image below. Identify 10 inappropriate or unsafe examples of laboratoryconduct and list them on next page.

Task 2 ­ From your task 1 list write 10 Lab Safety Rules.

The first one has been done for you

Homework Answers

1. (example) Student is eating at lab bench.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Rules

1. (example) Never eat or drink at the laboratory benches

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.