When appropriate, require students to include safety information in laboratory written work such as a statement or paragraph indicating the safety equipment used and safety practices followed. Students' compliance with safe techniques and practices may become part of a teacher's evaluation of laboratory work. A record of this evaluation should be included in the teacher's lesson plan as legal proof of this additional safety instruction. Posters and Signs Posters highlighting your safety rules and techniques are effective reminders to students and all who enter the laboratory. Handling Reagents Teachers can reduce students' exposure to harmful chemicals by selecting those that pose a minimum risk.
Teachers are responsible for training students in the proper handling of reagent chemicals.
Training should include the importance of safe storage of chemicals and proper disposal of chemical waste. If chemicals drip down the sides, clean the bottle before picking it up. Stoppers placed near a spill or returned to the wrong bottles could have unexpected and dangerous results. Penny-head stoppers must be removed from the bottle by grasping between the index and middle fingers with the back of the hand toward the bottle. The same hand can then be used to hold the bottle and pour into the target container.