Key learning points

1. Hazard symbols provide vital safety information about chemical substances.
2. Correct identification of hazard symbols is crucial for laboratory safety.
3. Correctly choosing and using appropriate lab equipment is essential for conducting experiments safely and accurately.
4. Risk assessments identify potential hazards & outline how to minimise risk; these can be general & specific precautions.
5. Safety protocols, like wearing eye protection and ensuring good ventilation, are essential when working with hazards.

Keywords

• Apparatus - A piece of equipment that is designed for a particular use.

• Hazard - A danger associated with a substance or piece of apparatus.

• Risk assessment - The identification of both the hazards of doing a particular experiment and ways of reducing the risk of harm from those hazards.

• Risk - The chance of a hazard causing harm.

• Precaution - An action taken to prevent or reduce the risk of danger or harm.

Common misconception