Conduct yourself in a safe and responsible manner at all times in the laboratory.
Students should not be in the lab room unless an instructor is present. Never work alone in the laboratory.
Do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials in the laboratory area until you are instructed to do so.
Perform only those experiments authorized by your teacher. Carefully follow all instructions, both written and oral. If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure - ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING.
NO eating in the lab.
Once laboratory work begins, no drinks are allowed in the lab. This prohibition includes water. You can exit the laboratory if you need to take a drink.
You are responsible for the cleanliness of your lab drawer, your bench space and all working areas of the lab. Experiments must be personally monitored at all times. Do not wander around the room, distract other students or interfere with the other’s laboratory experiments.
You must be prepared for each laboratory session. Read all procedures thoroughly before entering the laboratory to ensure you understand the hazards of each experiment.

Eye Safety: Safety goggles or Visor-gogs are required. You may not remove your goggles until everyone has finished and cleaned up their experimental set-up. Contact lenses can trap hazardous chemicals beneath the lenses and are not to be worn in lab.
Closed toe shoes that cover the upper part of your feet are required. Sandals, flip-flops, ballet flats and unsafe high heels are not allowed.
You must be covered from your shoulders (including all of your shoulders) to your knees. This means no short-shorts and no short skirts/dresses for men and women. Tank tops and shirts that expose the midriff are also not allowed.
Long hair should be tied back.
You will not be able to perform the lab experiment and will be asked to leave after lab lecture if you do not have appropriate shoes or clothes.

A safety shower and eyewash station are located in each of the front corners of the laboratory.
Fire extinguishers, fire blankets and first aid kits are found in the front of the lab near each door.
Fume hoods are found on each side of the lab. Be sure you know which hood is used for hazardous waste disposal/storage.
All broken glass must be swept into a dust bin and put into the broken glass box. The broken glass box is usually found near the front (instructor) lab bench. Nothing other than broken glass goes into these specially labeled boxes.
Most of the large sinks (located along the sides and back of the lab) have two taps:
- - One tap has a square faucet is labeled “industrial water”. This is used for initial cleaning of glassware and hand washing. This tap provides regular water.
  - The other curved faucet is the deionized water tap. This water is used to fill the plastic squirt bottles on the lab benches and to do final rinses of glassware.

Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Immediately notify your instructor of any unsafe conditions you observe.
Always keep your hands away from your face, eyes, mouth, and body while using chemicals or lab equipment. Wash your hands with soap and water after performing all experiments.
Fire alarms: Turn off any burners and exit the lab quickly and calmly through the nearest door. Continue outside to the courtyard.
Eye wash station: If you get anything in your eyes, go to an eye wash station, remove your goggles and push back on the paddles. Use your fingers to hold your eyes open and rinse your eyes thoroughly, for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Safety shower: If you have a large quantity of chemical spilled on you, inform your instructor as you go to the safety shower and pull the chain. If you have been working with a highly corrosive chemical, you may need to remove your clothing while in the shower.
Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass and put into the broken glass box.
Minor chemical exposures: If you are exposed to any lab chemicals, immediately wash the area with a large quantity of water and notify the instructor.
Cuts and other minor injuries: Notify your instructor.
Emergencies: Dial 911 from campus phones (no extra 9 needed); Dial 408-924-800 from cell phones.

Each laboratory experiment will have specific instructions for disposing of any waste generated. Often there may be different instructions for waste generating during different parts of the experiment. It is your responsibility to read the lab worksheets carefully and know how and where to dispose of the waste for the experiment you are conducting.
For many experiments, there will be a labeled waste container in one of the hoods for you to use. Since the labs are used by multiple courses, you must read the label on the waste container to ensure it is the proper container for your experiment.
As a rule, laboratory chemicals are not to be rinsed down the sink or poured back into their original container.

All lab chemicals should be considered hazardous. Avoid handling chemicals with bare hands.
Use caution when removing chemicals from containers. Immediately clean up any small spills – particularly around the balances.
Immediately notify instructor of any chemical spills.
Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped, cracked, or dirty glassware.
Heated glassware remains hot for a long time. They should be set aside in a designated place to cool, and picked up with caution. Use the correct tongs or heat protective gloves if necessary.
Do not place any hot glassware directly on the laboratory desk. Always use an insulated pad. Allow plenty of time for hot item to cool before touching it.

Place backpacks and personal items in the cubbies provided at the front of the lab. You should only have your lab manual/worksheet, calculator and something to write with at your lab bench.
Keep your bench area clean and wipe it with a paper towel each day before leaving. Be considerate as these labs are shared among several classes.
Keep your lab drawer orderly and neat. Return all equipment and glassware to its proper place in the lab and clean-up any waste on the floor.

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