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Laboratory rules and necessity or importance of laboratory safety rules.

Answer Text:
Laboratory rules and Necessity of laboratory safety rules:
1. To avoid accidents and injuries during practical experiments in the laboratory.
2. To avoid damage to and breakage of apparatus and laboratory fittings.
3. To avoid wastage of laboratory chemicals.
The laboratory safety rules and regulations:
- Never run while in the laboratory;
Reason: You may injure others or yourself in the laboratory.
- Never taste or eat something in the laboratory;
Reason: to avoid poisoning.
- Always consult your teacher before trying out any experiment; so as to avoid accidents.
- Label all chemicals in use so as to avoid confusion.
- Always use a clean spatula for scooping a substance from a container to minimize contamination.
- Always hold test-tubes and boiling tubes using test tube holder when heating; to avoid being burned.
- When heating a substance never let the open end of the tube face yourself or anybody else, because the liquid may spurt out and cause injury.
- Never look directly into flasks and test tubes where reactions are taking place, because the chemicals may spurt into your eyes and cause injury.
- Never smell gases directly.Instead, waft the gaseous fumes near your nose with your hand.
- Experiments in which poisonous gases and vapours are produced must be carried out in a fume cupboard or an open space outdoors.
- Always keep flammable substances away from flames because they easily catch fire.
- Always report any accidents to the teacher or the laboratory technician immediately for necessary action.
- In case of an accident do not scramble for the same exit, because it may hinder easy escape.
- Always put off flames that are not in use in order to avoid accidents and minimize fuel wastage.
- If a chemical gets on your skin or mouth rinse it immediately with a lot of water.
- Always dispose off the chemicals already used safely to avoid explosions and contaminations.
- Always work on a clean bench. After completing your experiment, clean all the pieces of apparatus you have used and return them to their correct storage places.
- Always read the label of the reagents before using them.