Recognize the Hazards

The first principle of laboratory safety is to recognize the hazards of chemicals, equipment, and procedures.

Tips

• Use Safety Data  Sheets (SDSs) to identify Globally Harmonized System (GHS) hazards of the chemicals you will be using. These  include physical, health, and environmental hazards. The main hazard categories are flammables, explosives, corrosives, oxidizers, irritants, and toxicants.
• Understand the nature of the hazard (its chemistry and/or toxicological/biological effects).
• Identify the most important physical hazards from equipment, conditions, and procedures. These include electrical and mechanical hazards and high or low temperature or pressure.

Establishing a Safety Culture in a School Setting

The first step toward recognizing hazards is awareness of safety to begin with.

It's the teacher's responsibility to instill a general understanding of safety in the laboratory. We recommend adopting an appropriate set of safety rules and guidelines for students that is manageable and specific for a particular class and setting.

In addition to providing students with a set of guidelines, it's also important to have them (and their parents or guardians) sign a safety contract.

• Sample Safety Guidelines
• Sample Safety Contract
  

Useful Resources

The links in this section provide foundational information on how to identify hazards. If you're comfortable with the concepts and information presented in this section, check out Recognize the Hazards (Advanced).

Basic Terminology and Concepts

• Hazard versus Risk
• Safety Terms for Science Teachers

Basic Laboratory Safety

• General Safety Rules
• Common Laboratory Hazards
• Basic Glassware and Equipment
• Flammable Materials
• Safety Data Sheets
• Incompatible Chemicals
• Waste Disposal Considerations
  
• Chemical Hygiene Plan

Labels, SDS, and PPE

• Globally Harmonized System for Classifying Hazardous Chemicals
• National Fire Protection Association Hazard Identification System
• Laboratory-specific Signage for Flammables
• Chemical Product Labels
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Regulatory Agencies

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  Protects public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  Environmental, safety, and health hazards
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
  Reduces the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards
• National Fire Protection Association (NIOSH)
  Conducts research and recommends ways to prevent injury and illness
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  Safety and health hazards in the workplace