SCIENCE SAFETY ASSIGNMENTS-ALL GRADES
INTRODUCTION:
It cannot be emphasized enough: Safety should be the number one consideration in a Science lab. Always. This assignment will help students learn to behave properly in the Science lab. In addition, students who work carefully will be well-prepared to carry out lab activities and, perhaps more importantly so some, write and pass the safety test. Recall that students must write the safety test until they achieve 80% before being allowed to do labs. Students who behave inappropriately during labs will be given a warning, then referred to their counselor and principal/vice-principal.
THE ASSIGNMENTS:
- THE SAFETY RULES
INSTRUCTIONS: Read the safety rules in the Safety Booklet given to you by the teacher. Also read the safety rules in your textbook. Learn any symbols that are given in your textbook. Answer the questions on pages 2 to 5.
- WHMIS and Consumer Hazard Symbols
INSTRUCTIONS: Read pages 4 to 8 of the Safety Booklet given to you by the teacher. Answer the questions on pages 6 and 7.
- SUPERLAB ORGANIZATION
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the map on page 8 of this booklet and fill in the locations of all safety
equipment. You will need to fill in:
- The locations of fire alarms, fire blankets and fire extinguishers
- The locations of goggles, safety showers and eyewash stations
- The locations of spill control kits and first aid kits
- The location of brooms and dustpans and broken glass disposal
- The locations of the biology, physics and chemistry areas
- The contents of the different cabinets
- The evacuation route from A215
- The location of the Science Prep room
- SAFETY REVIEW
- Do “Laboratory Dos and Don’ts” on page 9.
- Do the Safety Poster assignment on page 10. Note that older students must have more broken rules in their posters.
GRADE 8/9: 10 broken rules
GRADE 10: 15 broken rules
GRADE 11/12: 20 broken rules
ASSIGNMENT 1: THE SAFETY RULES
PART A: TRUE OR FALSE. IF THE STATEMENT IS FALSE, CORRECT IT. DO NOT SIMPLY ADD OR
REMOVE THE WORD ” NOT”. YOU MAY WRITE DIRECTLY ON THIS PAPER.
- Never rush around the lab.
- Start the experiment first, then read the procedure.
- Take care of minor injuries yourself or with the assistance of your lab partner(s).
- Don’t worry about drops of liquid on the lab bench; they are probably just water.
- Always turn off the Bunsen burner when you are not using it.
- Rinse eyes for at least 5 minutes using the sinks in the lab.
- Return all unused materials to their original containers.
- Wash your hands before beginning any lab work.
- Hot objects will look hot and even smoke.
- Always dress so that you look your best on lab days.
- Fire evacuation is the same as earthquake evacuation.
- When working with a microscope or any other electrical device, students only need to worry about
positioning it so that it is comfortable to use.
- It is all right to use chipped glassware as long as you are very careful.
- Broken glassware and equipment should be put into the garbage can.
- If students need equipment or materials, they should always take the initiative and get it for
themselves.
- Shoes must be worn in the lab.
- Only major problems need to be reported to the teacher.
- Eating and drinking are not allowed because the food/drink might contaminate the experiment.
- It is not important to read the lab procedure before starting; the teacher will explain everything.
- Safety is the most important part of any lab procedure.
PART B: SHORT ANSWERS. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE COMPLETE SENTENCES.
- Describe the procedure used to smell chemicals in the laboratory. ______
______
- What should you do if you suffer a burn from handling a hot object? ______
______
- What should you do if your eyes come in contact with any chemicals? ______
______
- What should you do if your hand comes in contact with a small amount of chemical? ______
______
- What should you do if your body comes in contact with a large amount of chemical? ______
______
- What should you do before using glassware? What should you do if you find a problem with the
glassware? ______
______
______
- What should you do with chemicals, biological specimens or micro-organisms after you have finished
using them in the lab? ______
______
- What are the 2 brands of glassware that can be heated? ______
- What are the reasons for only using the 2 types of glassware named in question 6? ______
______
- Where are all of the fire extinguishers located in the Science wing? ______
______
- What is the fire evacuation route? ______
______
- Where does your class gather after a fire? earthquake? ______
______
- What should the classroom, the superlab, your desk and your lab bench look like at the end of the class?
______
- What safety precautions must be taken when heating materials in a test tube? Give the reason for each
of the precautions you listed. ______
______
______
______
- Describe how to unplug an electric cord. ______
- Describe how to light a Bunsen burner. ______
______
______
______
- Describe the steps you should take if a small fire breaks out in the lab. ______
______
- Describe the steps you should take if there is an earthquake during a test. ______
______
______
______
______
- How would your answer to question 38 be different if the earthquake happened during a lab? ______
______
- Explain the reason for using a stirring rod when pouring liquids. ______
______
- What is dangerous about heating materials in a closed container? ______
______
- What is dangerous about allowing a container to boil dry? ______
______
PART C: FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES, GIVE AT LEAST ONE GOOD REASON FOR
THAT RULE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE COMPLETE SENTENCES.
- Never begin an experiment or lab without the teacher’s permission. ______
______
- Always keep safety goggles on during labs, even if you are finished. ______
______
- Always put test tubes into racks before pouring liquids into them. ______
- Make sure that your hands are dry before using electrical devices. ______
- Report all injuries to the teacher. ______
- Always cut away from yourself and others when using a scalpel. ______
- Always add small amounts of acid to large amounts of water. ______
______
- If your clothes catch on fire, don’t run. ______
- When holding a bottle from which you are going to pour a chemical, keep the label against the palm of
your hand. ______
- Wash your hands before doing experiments. ______
- Always handle animals the way the teacher instructs you to. ______
- Some materials can’t go down the sink. ______
______
- Never use chemicals that don’t have labels. ______
- Never return chemicals to their original containers. ______
______
ASSIGNMENT 2: WHMIS AND INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER HAZARD SYMBOLS
- What does WHMIS stand for? ______
- What is the purpose of WHMIS? ______
- What information would you find on a WHMIS label? ______
______
- What does MSDS stand for? ______
- What kind of information would be found on an MSDS? ______
______
______
______
- For each of the symbols (labeled A to H), identify it, describe one danger associated with it and one precaution that should be taken with that material.
A
BC
D
E
F
G
H
- WHMIS labels are not found on all products and chemicals. Explain the reasons. ______
______
- For each of the symbols (labeled A to L), identify it, describe one danger associated with it, and one precaution that should be taken with that material.
A
BC
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
ASSIGNMENT 4: LABORATORY DOS AND DON’TS
Identify what is wrong in each picture of the laboratory activities below. There may be more than one thing wrong in each picture. Find as many unsafe activities as possible.
assignment 5: SAFETY POSTER ASSIGNMENT
- To create a science safety poster in which you show at least10 safety rules being broken in a Science Laboratory. See the example below. The poster is to be done on one side of one piece of paper. The size of the paper is flexible. Generally, the larger the piece of paper, the neater your work can be.
- On a separate sheet of paper, the rules that have been broken are to be stated, and what the correct procedure should have been will be clearly written. For example:
“In the lower right hand corner, a student is pouring water into a large container of acid. The proper procedure is for small amounts of acid to be poured into large amounts of water.”
- Hint: Do not make all of the rules being broken too obvious. You will be competing with each other later by exchanging your posters and seeing if you can find all of the broken rules in your peers’ posters. If you can find more of the broken rules in their poster than they can in yours, you win, and are eligible for extra credit! You should include on your poster numerous examples in which no rules are broken to “mislead” your opponents.