As every science teacher already knows, safety is the most important thing in the laboratory. In nearly every lab we do, there exists the small but very real chance that somebody could be seriously injured. Above all else, our jobs are to keep our students healthy and happy.

Anybody who’s spent time in a high school chemistry lab is well aware that students can do a wide variety of dangerous things without thinking about it. I’ve heard about students who were blinded while looking into boiling test tubes others who set themselves on fire with a Bunsen burner. The bottom line is this:

Students are going to get into trouble in ways that are hard to predict, and it’s our job to be prepared when this happens.

Wearing safety goggles is the single most important thing we can do to ensure laboratory safety. Unfortunately, it’s also the thing that students like doing least.

No matter what the laboratory activity, students need to wear their goggles, as very small quantities of many chemicals can cause permanent eye damage. In my class, failure to wear goggles results in instant failure in a lab. I realize this is very harsh, but it’s also necessary to ensure that students take this rule as seriously as I do.

At the beginning of the school year, provide each student with a set of laboratory rules and make sure they understand them! I want to make it very clear that laboratory rules are a good start, but for some labs you may need to incorporate others. Before doing any lab, identify all safety hazards yourself. NEVER count on anybody else to do this for you (don’t rely solely on the advice given in these labs!) as different people have different thresholds for what they consider to be safe. Always use your best judgment and always be twice as restrictive as you think necessary. After all, YOU are the only person responsible for the safety of your students!