P.O. Box 219, Batavia, IL 60510

1-800-452-1261 � Fax: (866) 452-1436

flinn@flinnsci.com � www .flinnsci.com

�Y our Safer Source

for Science Supplies�

PURPOSE

Science is a hands-on laboratory class. You

will be doing many laboratory activities

which require the use of hazardous

chemicals. Safety in the science classroom is

the #1 priority for students, teachers, and

parents. To ensure a safe science classroom,

a list of rules has been deve loped and pro-

vided to you in this student safety contract.

These rules must be follo wed at all times.

Tw o copies of the contract are provided. One

cop y must be signed by both you and a par-

ent or guardian before you can participate in

the laboratory. The second cop y is to be kept

in your science notebook as a constant

reminder of the safety rules.

GENERAL RULES

1. Conduct yourself in a responsible man-

ner at all times in the laboratory.

2. Follow all written and v erbal instruc-

tions carefully. If you do not understand

a direction or part of a procedure, ask the

instructor before proceeding.

3. Never work alone. No student may work

in the laboratory without an instructor

present.

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. Do not eat food, drink beve rages, or

che w gum in the laboratory. Do not use

laboratory glassware as containers for

food or beverages.

6. Perform only those experiments autho-

rized by the instructor. Nev er do any-

thing in the laboratory that is not called

for in the laboratory procedures or by

your instructor . Carefully follow all

instructions, both written and oral.

Unauthorized experiments are prohib-

ited.

7. Be prepared for your wo rk in the labora-

tory. Read all procedures thoroughly

before entering the laboratory.

8. Nev er fool around in the laboratory.

Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks

are dangerous and prohibited.

9. Observe good housek eeping practices.Work areas should be kept clean and tidy

at all times. Bring only your laboratory

instructions, worksheets, and/or reports

to the wo rk area. Other materials (books,

purses, backpacks, etc.) should be stored

in the classroom area.10. Keep aisles clear. Push your chair under the desk when not in use.

11. Know the locations and operating proce-

dures of all safety equipment including

the first aid kit, eyew ash station, safety

shower, fi re extinguisher, and fire blan-

ket. Know where the fire alarm and the

exits are located.

12. Always work in a well-v entilated area.

Use the fume hood when working with

volatile substances or poisonous vapors.

Nev er place your head into the fume hood.

13. Be alert and proceed with caution at all

times in the laboratory. Notify the

instructor immediately of an y unsafe

conditions you observe .

14. Dispose of all chemical w aste properly.

Nev er mix chemicals in sink drains.

Sinks are to be used only for water and

those solutions designated by the

instructor. Solid chemicals, metals,

matches, filter paper, and all other insol-

uble materials are to be disposed of in

the proper waste containers, not in the

sink. Check the label of all w aste con-

tainers twice before adding your chemi-tainers twice before adding your chemi- cal waste to the container.

15. Labels and equipment instructions must be read carefully before use. Set up and

use the prescribed apparatus as directed

in the laboratory instructions or by your

instructor.16. Keep hands away from f ace, eyes,mouth and body while using chemicals

or preserved specimens. Wash your

hands with soap and water after per-

forming all e xperiments. Clean all work

surf aces and apparatus at the end of the

experiment. Return all equipment clean

and in wo rking order to the proper stor-

age area.17. Experiments must be personally moni-tored at all times. You will be assigned a

laboratory station at which to work. Do

not wander around the room, distract

other students, or interfere with the labo-

ratory experiments of others.18. Students are never permitted in the science storage rooms or preparation

areas unless given specific permission

by their instructor.19. Kno w what to do if there is a fire drillduring a laboratory period; containers

must be closed, gas valv es turned off,

fume hoods turned off, and any electri-

cal equipment turned off.20. Handle all living organisms used in alaboratory activity in a humane manner.

Preserv ed biological materials are to be

treated with respect and disposed of

properly.

21. When using knives and other sharp

instruments, alw ays carry with tips and

points pointing down and away. Always

cut away from your body. Never try to

catch f alling sharp instruments. Grasp

sharp instruments only by the handles.

22. If you have a medical condition (e.g.,allergies, pregnancy, etc.), check with

your physician prior to working in lab.

CLOTHING

23. Any time chemicals, heat, or glasswa re

are used, students will wear laboratory

goggles. There will be no exceptions to

this rule!

24. Contact lenses should not be wo rn in the

laboratory unless you have permission

from your instructor.

25. Dress properly during a laboratory activ-

ity. Long hair, dangling jewelry, and

loose or baggy clothing are a hazard in

the laboratory. Long hair must be tied

back and dangling je welry and loose or

baggy clothing must be secured. Shoes

must completely cover the foot. No san-

dals allowed.

26. Lab aprons have been pro vided for your

use and should be worn during labora-

tory activities.

ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES

27. Report any accident (spill, breakage,

etc.) or injury (cut, burn, etc.) to the

instructor immediately, no matter how

trivial it may appear.

28. If you or your lab partner are hurt,

immediately yell out �Code one, Code

one� to get the instructor�s attention. 29. If a chemical splashes in your eye(s) oron your skin, immediately flush with

running water from the eyewash station

or safety sho wer for at least 20 minutes.

Notify the instructor immediately.30. When mercury thermometers are bro-ken, mercury must not be touched.

Notify the instructor immediately.

HANDLING CHEMICALS

31. All chemicals in the laboratory are to be

considered dangerous. Do not touch,

taste, or smell an y chemicals unless

specif ically instructed to do so. The

proper technique for smelling chemical

fumes will be demonstrated to you.

32. Check the label on chemical bottles

twice before removing an y of the con-

tents. Take only as much chemical as

you need.

33. Nev er return unused chemicals to their

original containers.

Flinn Scientific� s Student Safety Contract

� 2001, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Repr oduction permission is granted to science teachers who are customers of Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this material may be reproduced or trans-

mitted in any form or by any means, electr onic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recor ding, or any inform ation storage and r etrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

P.O. Box 219, Batavia, IL 60510

1-800-452-1261 � Fax: (866) 452-1436

flinn@flinnsci.com � www .flinnsci.com

�Y our Safer Source

for Science Supplies�

34. Nev er use mouth suction to fill a pipet.

Use a rubber bulb or pipet pump.

35. When transferring reagents from one

container to another, hold the containers

aw ay from your body.

36. Acids must be handled with extreme

care. You will be shown the proper

method for diluting strong acids. Always

add acid to water, s wirl or stir the solu-

tion and be careful of the heat produced,

particularly with sulfuric acid.

37. Handle flammable hazardous liquids over

a pan to contain spills. Never dispense

flammable liquids an ywhere near an open

flame or source of heat.

38. Ne ver remove chemicals or other materi-

als from the laboratory area.

39. Take great care when transporting acids

and other chemicals from one part of the

laboratory to another . Hold them

securely and w alk carefully.

HANDLING GLASSW ARE

AND EQUIPMENT

40. Carry glass tubing, especially long

pieces, in a ve rtical position to minimize

the likelihood of breakage and injury.

41. Never handle broken glass with your

bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to

clean up broken glass. Place broken or

waste glasswa re in the designated glass

disposal container.

42. Inserting and removing glass tubing

from rubber stoppers can be dangerous.

Always lubricate glasswa re (tubing, this-

tle tubes, thermometers, etc.) before

attempting to insert it in a stopper.

Always protect your hands with towels

or cotton glov es when inserting glass

tubing into, or removing it from, a rubber

stopper. If a piece of glassware becomes

�frozen� in a stopper, tak e it to your

instructor for removal.

43. Fill wash bottles only with distilled

water and use only as intended, e.g., rins-

ing glasswa re and equipment, or adding

w ater to a container.

44. When removing an electrical plug from

its socket, grasp the plug, not the electri-

cal cord. Hands must be completely dry

before touching an electrical switch,

plug, or outlet.

45. Examine glassware before each use.

Never use chipped or crack ed glassware.

Nev er use dirty glassware.

46. Report damaged electrical equipment

immediately. Look for things such as

frayed cords, exposed wires, and loose

connections. Do not use damaged elec-

trical equipment.

47. If you do not understand ho w to use a

piece of equipment, ask the instructor for

help.

48. Do not immerse hot glasswa re in cold

w ater; it may shatter.

HEA TING SUBSTANCES

49. Exercise ex treme caution when using a

gas burner. Take care that hair, clothing

and hands are a safe distance from the

flame at all times. Do not put any sub-

stance into the flame unless specif ically

instructed to do so. Nev er reach over an

e xposed flame. Light gas (or alcohol)

bu rners only as instructed by the teacher.

50. Never leave a lit burner unattended.

Never leave an ything that is being heated

or is visibly reacting unattended. Always

turn the burner or hot plate of f when not

in use.

51. You will be instructed in the proper

method of heating and boiling liquids in

test tubes. Do not point the open end of

a test tube being heated at yourself or

anyone else.

52. Heated metals and glass remain very

hot for a long time. They should be set

aside to cool and picked up with cau-

tion. Use tongs or heat-protective

gloves if necessary.

53. Nev er look into a container that is being

heated.

54. Do not place hot apparatus directly on

the laboratory desk. Always use an insu-

lating pad. Allo w plenty of time for hot

apparatus to cool before touching it.

55. When bending glass, allo w time for the

glass to cool before further handling. Hot

and cold glass have the same visual

appearance. Determine if an object is hot

by bringing the back of your hand close

to it prior to grasping it.

QUESTIONS

56. Do you wear contact lenses?

YES

57. Are you color blind?

YES

58. Do you have allergies?

YES

If so, list specific allergies ___________

________________________________

Flinn Scientific� s Student Safety Contract

A GREEMENT

I, ___________________________ ,

(student�s name) have read and agree

to follow all of the safety rules set

forth in this contract. I realize that I

must obey these rules to insure my

own safety, and that of my fellow stu-

dents and instructors. I will cooperate

to the fullest extent with my instructor

and fellow students to maintain a safe

lab environment. I will also closely

follow the oral and written instructions

provided by the instructor . I am aware

that an y violation of this safety con-

tract that results in unsafe conduct in

the laboratory or misbeha vior on my

part, may result in being removed

from the laboratory, detention, receiv-

ing a failing grade, and/or dismissal

from the course.

Student Signature

Date

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We feel that you should be informed

regarding the school�s ef fort to create

and maintain a safe science class-

room/laboratory environment.

W ith the cooperation of the instruc-

tors, parents, and students, a safety

instruction program can eliminate,

prevent, and correct possible hazards.

You should be aw are of the safety

instructions your son/daughter will

receive before engaging in an y labora-

tory wo rk. Please read the list of safety

rules abov e. No student will be permit-

ted to perform laboratory acti vities

unless this contract is signed by both

the student and parent/guardian and is

on file with the teacher.

Y our signature on this contract indi-

cates that you have read this Student

Safety Contract, are aware of the mea-

sures tak en to insure the safety of your

son/daughter in the science labora-

tory, and will instruct your son/daugh-

ter to uphold his/her agreement to

follo w these rules and procedures in

the laboratory.

Parent/Guardian Signature

Date