Lab Safety 2_ Approaching_01

It is important to stay safe while doing Science. You have probably heard the saying, “Safety First.” This applies to the person doing the science. It also applies to the general public. It is not by chance that at the beginning of every school year, lab safety is the first topic covered.

There have been many terrible accidents while doing Science. These have occurred at every stage of scientific investigations. A scientist must learn as much as possible before doing research. Many questions need to be answered. First, what are the mistakes other scientists have made? Second, what are all the potential dangers? Finally, what can I do to reduce these risks? Learning from others’ mistakes is one way of staying safe.

The rules scientists follow were most likely put in place because someone made a mistake. Like anything else, it is good to learn from your mistakes. You will come to know many safety rules while doing Science. You should realize these rules are in place to protect you. They are also in place to protect the people around you. It is always your job to stay safe. You are the primary person in charge of your own safety.

It is far easier to blame others for your own mistakes. Sometimes machines are blamed. We know that machines can malfunction or even break. When machines break or not operate correctly, it is most often because a person was not taking care of the machine. In other words, a person is typically at fault even if the machine causes an injury.