Lab Safety Symbols

Lab Safety Symbols
Symbols for lab safety are standard figures posted in the laboratory to prevent any kind of accidents. Educating students about lab safety symbols and their meanings is a practical step to encourage personal safety measures while working in a science laboratory.
A laboratory is meant for conducting scientific studies and research projects. Based on the level of study and the particular scientific field, it may be loaded with hazardous chemicals, radioactive substances, specimens, sharp instrument, fragile glassware and flammable objects. Hence, working in a lab is not free from dangers. In order to maintain a safe workplace, lab safety symbols are posted in each and every laboratory.

Lab Safety Symbols and their Meanings

Every student working in the lab are expected to follow school safety measures, laid down by the concerned teacher. Science students may be already aware about the school lab safety symbols. The signs and figures represent certain meanings, according to which everyone working in the laboratory should take care. Basically, they are warning signs to avoid accidents. Following are some standard lab safety signs and symbols along with their meanings.

Danger Symbol: The skull and crossbone sign is known to all of us. This is a universal symbol to indicate danger and follow safety tips. The poison symbol is same as the danger sign, which is used for labeling a poisonous substance in a bottle, test tube or package.

Radioactive Symbol: Radioactive and radiation symbols are nearly similar to each other. These symbols appear as if some rays are radiated from the center to the peripheral parts. Often, they are put with bright colors, so that people can see from a distance.

Eye Safety Symbol: The eye safety symbol is very easy to identify. If you notice a goggle sign outside a lab, it indicates the necessity to wear safety glasses before entering the lab. Putting safety goggles is part of chemistry lab safety rules.

Thermal Safety Symbol: Heating and boiling are common steps for science practical. The thermal safety symbol is very simple and resembles a hand glove. It is used to remind students to take precaution, while handing a hot object.

Fire Safety Symbol: As the name suggests, fire safety symbol is put in the lab, so that students take care of themselves when they are around flames. This personal safety symbol is a flame, without any signs attached to it.

Open Flame Alert: Students using open flame should take precaution while conducting flame involved experiments. The symbol is a flame with a diagonal line over it. The objective is to avoid explosion and fire, which may be caused due to negligence in handling open flames.

Sharp Object Symbol: Using needles, scalpels or other sharp instruments is quite common in biology experiments. The sharp object safety symbol is a hand with a cut in the forefinger. This is to alert the students while using sharp objects.

Chemical Safety Symbol: You will find this in the list of chemistry and biology lab safety symbols. The symbol is a bottle with something pouring from it. Chemical safety sign is put up, if the chemicals used in experiments are detrimental to the skin.

Biohazard Symbol: Biological hazard refers to dangers from living organisms. Appeared in biology and microbiology labs, the biological hazard symbol is to make people aware about the harmful effects of bacteria and alike pathogens used in practical.

First Aid Symbol: The first aid symbol attached in laboratories can be as simple as a white colored plus sign in a green background, a first aid box, a heart sign with a defibrillator or other complex figures, which are specific to a particular theme.

The above listed symbols are put up in various sections of the department, as an approach to follow lab safety rules strictly. Be it a middle school science lab or an advanced genetic research laboratory, the lab safety symbols are mandatory. And as you see, all the symbols are self-explanatory. At the first glance to the signs, students should understand them and do the needful, so as to maintain a safe place.