Laboratory
Safety and Etiquette
Cabrillo College
Department of Biology
1 of 10
Laboratory Rules
No eating or drinking in labs
Do not enter stockroom or back halls
Clean up after yourself
2 of 10
Laboratory Etiquette
Clean your personal workspace after use
• Wipe down benches with disinfectant before and after
use.
Ensure that no trash is left behind
No trash in the sinks
Push in chairs
Place lab items back on carts and trays
3 of 10
Learning Center & Open Labs
The LC and open labs are a bonus, not a
right, your flexibility is appreciated
Hours are posted on LC and lab doors
Hours are subject to change without notice
Some study items may not be available a
day or two before an exam
Don’t wait until the last day to study
4 of 10
Laboratory Safety
1. Laboratory Hygiene
2. Sharps Safety
3. Safety Equipment
4. Fire Safety
5. Chemical Safety
5 of 10
1. Laboratory Hygiene
Scrub hands thoroughly when finished
Avoid cross contamination
• Do not touch self, faucets, doorknobs, notebooks, pens
etc. with gloves on.
• Keep a pen or two in your drawer for lab use only
Clean and disinfect your workspace
6 of 10
2. Sharps Safety
Sharps include
• Razor and scalpel blades
• Needles and pins
• Microscope cover slips
• Broken glass
Place sharps in sharps boxes
Broken Glass into glass box (ask for help)
NO SHARPS OR GLASS IN THE TRASH
7 of 10
3. Safety Equipment
Do not hesitate to use safety equipment. It
is for student use as well as instructor use.
Shower and eyewash (15 min. soak)
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher, Fire blanket, Alarm pulls
8 of 10
4. Fire Safety
Never leave flames unattended
Do not use flammables near ignition
sources
Fire Extinguishers
• Pull ring, aim at fire’s base, squeeze handle, sweep
back and forth (evacuate if >1m3)
Fire Blanket
Fire alarm pulls
9 of 10
5. Chemical Safety
Wear gloves and glasses where appropriate
Follow instructor’s directions
Dispose of waste properly-Do Not pour
down the drain
10 of 10
