To the student: You are required to read, understand and implement the safety precautions indicated in your laboratory manual or laboratory handouts. Some of these are summarized below. You are to sign one of these copies and return it to your laboratory instructor. Your signature indicates that you agree to abide by these precautions while you are in the laboratory. 1. Work in the laboratory only while your instructor is present. Do not perform unauthorized experiments. 2. Lab drawers are not to be removed from their assigned positions without prior instructor approval. 3. Read all instructions carefully and thoroughly plan your work. 4. For those labs with lockers, record your locker combination(s) upon check-in. There will be a 50 cent charge to obtain it from the stockroom after the first week. 5. Labs are to be vacated at the scheduled times. 6. Each student is responsible for seeing that their lab work area is clean before leaving the lab. 7. The use of radios or similar equipment in the lab is forbidden. Important safety instructions might not be audible over loud music. 8. You are expected to complete your work in the assigned period. In the rare case where it is necessary to complete the work in another period, permission from both instructors is required. 9. Students taking a lab course in chemistry are required to have a lab notebook. These notebooks are available from the stockroom. 10. All students must check out of lab during the assigned period. A $5.00 fine will be assessed for late check-out. If the student does not check out at all, an "Incomplete" grade will be given. All financial obligations must be met in order to check out of lab. 11. Students who withdraw from a lab course are to check-out at the time of withdrawal. The student must have a permission slip from this department before being allowed to withdraw from the course. All financial obligations must be met in order to check out of lab. 12. You are required to wear splash goggles which meet ANSI standard Z87.1-1989 and departmental standards while you are in the laboratory. This is required by state and federal law. Penalties for noncompliance are stated in course handouts. These goggles are available from the stockroom. 13. For your own protection - Wear appropriate clothing and shoes in the lab -- open-toed shoes, sandals,shorts,etc. are not allowed. Tie back long hair. Faculty reserve the right to exclude improperly dressed students from entering the laboratory. 14. Learn emergency procedures and know the locations of the nearest eye wash, safety shower, fire blanket, fire extinguisher and emergency exit. 15. If you are injured or if an accident or fire occurs, call an instructor immediately for assistance. Do not attempt to fight a fire by yourself. 16. Carefully read all labels on chemical bottles. They have important safety information for your benefit and right-to-know. Never return excess chemicals to the stock bottles. 17. When mixing or heating chemicals in a test tube, point the test tube away from yourself and others. 18. Do not use bunsen burners or other sources of spark or flame in the vicinity of flammable liquids. Note that many organic solvents are extremely flammable. 19. Do not force glass tubing into a rubber stopper. Lubricate the hole with glycerin and protect your hands with a towel while you slowly insert, with a twisting action, the tubing into the stopper. When cutting glass, also protect your hands with a towel. Fire-polish sharp edges of glass. HOT GLASS LOOKS JUST LIKE COOL GLASS! 20. When mixing acid and water, always add the acid to the water, not vice-versa. 21. Immediately cover all spills with appropriate cleanup material. Notify your instructor. 22. Dispose of chemicals as directed by your instructor. Do not put anything down the sink unless told to do so. 23. It is the recommendation of this department that students of reproductive age discuss the course content and reagents with their physician, especially women who have recently conceived or are anticipating conception, or if the student is concerned about reproductive toxins. In the case of certain labs, the use of mutagenic and teratogenic chemicals is required. Mutagens are substances that can cause a change or mutation in the genetic material of a living cell. Teratogens can cause injury or deformity in unborn children after absorption of the substance by the pregnant mother. Information on reproductive toxins in use in specific labs can be obtained from the teacher in charge of the lab. - I have read carefully and understand all of the safety rules contained on these sheets and in the lab manual and handouts for this course. I recognize that it is my responsibility to obey them faithfully. - I realize that all chemicals are potentially dangerous; therefore I will exercise care in handling them. If I am unsure of the potential hazards of any chemical, I will discuss this with my instructor and consult the Material Safety Data Sheet for that chemical. - If I have a medical condition which may cause sudden loss of consciousness, I certify that I am under a doctor's care and that my doctor has given me explicit permission to participate in this laboratory course. I will inform my instructor of my condition at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as I am aware of the existence of the condition. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT I AM PERMITTED TO WORK IN THE LABORATORY ONLY WHEN IT IS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A LABORATORY INSTRUCTOR. Sign both copies. Retain one copy in your lab notebook. Your lab instructor will collect the top signed copy at the beginning of the second lab period. Your instructor will also collect the personal information card at this time. The card will be kept on file in the stockroom and the signed copy of this form will be kept on file in the departmental office. Revised January 3, 2001 Signature_____________________________________Date______________________
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