1. Laboratory Safety and Etiquette
Cabrillo College Department of Biology

2. Laboratory Rules No eating or drinking in labs
Do not enter stockroom or back halls
Clean up after yourself

3. 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

4. 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

5. Laboratory Safety 1. Laboratory Hygiene 2. Sharps Safety
3. Safety Equipment
4. Fire Safety
5. Chemical Safety

6. 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

7. 2. Sharps Safety Sharps include Place sharps in sharps boxes
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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 5. Chemical Safety Wear gloves and glasses where appropriate
Follow instructor’s directions
Dispose of waste properly-Do Not pour down the drain