Ideas for a Chemistry Safety Poster

The chemistry laboratory is a familiar destination for science students at both the high school and university levels and a place to experiment and learn. Chem labs can also be dangerous places, though, as harmful and even lethal substances are often commonplace. To prevent injury, it's necessary to practice caution, so remind people with a helpful safety poster.

Skin

• Remind others to keep their skin safe from harm when working with chemicals. An accidental spill or splash can put exposed skin into contact with harmful substances that can cause serious injuries, so use a poster to demonstrate the risks. Some lab chemicals, such as alkalis and mineral acids, can cause serious skin burns, according to Dartmouth College. Other items might seem to do no harm, but can enter the bloodstream via dermal contact and wreak havoc throughout the body.

Wafting

• Use a poster to spread a message about necessity of wafting chemical fumes and not smelling them directly. Hovering over a chemical experiment and inhaling its vapors as a means of telling how the project is progressing can seriously damage the lungs and nose, causing breathing problems or rendering people unable to smell. Illustrate a picture of a cupped hand hovering over fumes to remind people to push the resultant scent gently in their direction.

Eyes

• Tell people to protect their eyes while working in the chemistry lab, where various noxious substances pose a threat to vision. Draw or scan a picture of safety goggles for use on the poster, reminding people that they must be worn at all times when conducting an experiment or using potentially dangerous chemicals. Depending on the nature of work being done, splash-proof goggles may be preferable to glasses and often, contact lenses cannot be worn in the lab, so add these reminders to the poster.

Clothing and Hair Safety

• Warn about the dangers of not dressing appropriately when working in a chemistry laboratory. To protect the skin from corrosive and poisonous chemicals, chem students should wear full-length pants, skirts and shirts or lab coats that keep arms covered. Remind people to tuck in loose ends that could catch fire on a burner or get dipped in chemicals, and tell girls to tie back their hair. Add a note about proper footwear, banning sandals or shoes that leave feet otherwise exposed.