🥽 Safety Basics
These must be worn when instructed during labs, even if you already wear prescription glasses.
What are safety goggles?
You notice a small crack in a beaker your group is about to use. It isn't leaking. Your partner says it's probably fine. What should you do?
Stop using the beaker and notify the teacher so it can be replaced.
A chemical splashes into a student's eyes. Which piece of emergency equipment should be used?
Eyewash station
Olivia notices a spill and immediately warns her group not to touch it while she gets the teacher.
SAFE — she prevents others from contacting the substance and reports the spill instead of attempting to clean it herself.
Two groups use the same substance. One group follows the procedure exactly; the other changes how the substance is used. Why might the risks be different even though the substance is the same?
The conditions and method of use can change the hazards.
If you don't understand part of a lab procedure, this should be your next action.
What is stop and ask the teacher?
During a lab, a few drops of an unknown liquid spill onto your table. Your partner immediately grabs a paper towel. What should you tell them?
Don't touch or clean an unknown spill yourself. Notify the teacher and follow the appropriate cleanup instructions.
A substance spills onto a student's clothing and needs to be flushed away quickly. Which piece of emergency equipment would most likely be needed?
Safety shower
Mateo finishes his assigned procedure early. He notices another group struggling and walks over to help them perform their experiment.
SKETCHY — you should remain at their assigned lab area and follow the teacher's directions rather than interfering with another group's experiment.
A student says, “It's only a tiny amount, so I don't need to report the spill.” Identify the problem with this reasoning.
All spills should be reported; students shouldn't decide that an unknown or laboratory substance is safe based on the amount.
True or False: A chemical spill only needs to be reported if it is large or dangerous.
What is FALSE?
Your experiment is supposed to produce bubbles, but your group's container suddenly begins bubbling MUCH more rapidly than the others. Nobody is injured. What should you do?
Stop working and notify the teacher because the reaction is behaving unexpectedly.
Your group discovers that a test tube has shattered. Why shouldn't the pieces simply be placed in the classroom trash can?
Broken glass can injure someone handling the trash and belongs in the designated broken-glass container.
During a lab, Ethan accidentally knocks a chemical bottle over. Nothing spills because the cap is on tightly, so he puts it upright and doesn't tell the teacher.
SKETCHY — even though nothing spilled, the container could have been damaged or the cap loosened. The teacher should be told so it can be checked before anyone continues using it.
Which statement demonstrates BETTER scientific thinking?
A: “I've used this substance before, so I know what it will do.”
B: “I've used this substance before, but I should still follow today's procedure.”
B — previous experience doesn't guarantee that the substance will behave the same way under different conditions.
Give the safety rule being broken: A group finishes its experiment early and decides to see what happens when they combine their leftover materials.
What is only use materials as instructed / never mix substances without permission?
Your group realizes you accidentally skipped Step 4 of the procedure, but everything appears normal. One student wants to continue because you're almost finished. What is the safest response?
Stop and tell the teacher rather than continuing or trying to go back and fix the mistake yourself.
One piece of equipment FLUSHES hazardous material away from the body, while another SMOTHERS a fire. Name both.
Safety shower and fire blanket
During a lab, Layla notices that her group's results look very different from everyone else's. She records the results exactly as they happened instead of changing them to match the other groups.
SAFE — scientists should record what they actually observe, even when the results are unexpected. Different results do not automatically mean something unsafe happened or that the data should be changed.
A student follows every step correctly, but something unexpected still happens. Does that automatically mean the student broke a safety rule? Explain.
No. Unexpected things can happen even when procedures are followed correctly. The important safety response is to stop, notify the teacher, and wait for instructions.
Explain why recognizing a substance does NOT automatically mean you know it is safe.
What is a substance can present different hazards under different conditions?
During an experiment, your partner says, “Something isn't right.” You don't see a spill, injury, or obvious emergency, but your results look completely different from what the directions describe. What should you do AND why?
Stop and ask the teacher before continuing. Unexpected results could indicate an error or an unexpected reaction, and students should not try to diagnose or correct the situation themselves.
Match ALL THREE emergencies with the most appropriate safety equipment:
Your teacher says a certain substance is safe to handle during today's procedure. A student concludes that this means the substance would also be safe to heat, mix with other materials, or use in another experiment.
SKETCHY — a material being safe under one set of conditions does not mean it is safe under different conditions.
Your teacher gives you a familiar household substance during a lab. Rank these pieces of information from MOST important to LEAST important when deciding how you should handle it:
C, B, A (Teacher's safety instructions, laboratory procedure, what you've seen someone do with it at home)