Lab Safety and Symbols

Hazard symbols in the laboratory

Poll

How cofident you feel about safety symbols in the lab?

• Very confident and ready to move on.

• More or less confident and can move on.

• Not quite confident, I need to study more.

• I need to understand this topic.

​Lab safety symbols are important for keeping people safe in the lab and protecting lab equipment and instruments.

​Lab safety symbols, like warning signs, are used to alert people to these hazards.

What are the lab safety symbols?

Hazard symbols are the lab safety symbols that show the presence of a material or equipment that is harmful. The most frequently used symbols are;:

​What are the hazard symbols?

Indicates potential risks and reminds the person to use other safety precautions.

​​General Warning:

​Shows that this particular place deals with biological substances—for example, body secretions, bacteria, and samples.

​​Biohazard:

Indicates that materials that can explode are present here. These materials include aerosols and compressed gases

​​Explosive Hazard:

Substances that can irritate the skin, eye or respiratory tract irritant, or narcotics.

​​Harmful Irritant:

Examples of poison or toxic materials include ammonia, bleach, and battery acid.

​​Poison/Toxic Material:

Inhaling these gases is a health hazard.

Toxic Gas:

It is a sign for quiet areas where noise must be controlled.

​​Noise Sign:

Mentions the presence of materials that can destroy exposed body tissues, including skin, eyes, respiratory tract, and digestive tract. It can also destroy metals.

Corrosive Material Hazard:

It is a sign for high voltage current where caution must be taken.

High Voltage:

These signs indicate electrical hazards like concealed high voltage wires and equipment or buried cables etc.

​​Electrical Hazard:

High-intensity focused laser beams can be dangerous for human eyes and skin.

Laser Beam Hazard:

Are for low temperature and cryogenic hazards. These substances are below freezing point and stored with chemicals like liquid nitrogen.

Low-Temperature Warning Symbol:

These signs indicate electrical hazards like concealed high voltage wires and equipment or buried cables etc.

​​Electrical Hazard:

High-intensity focused laser beams can be dangerous for human eyes and skin.

Laser Beam Hazard:

Are for low temperature and cryogenic hazards. These substances are below freezing point and stored with chemicals like liquid nitrogen.

Low-Temperature Warning Symbol:

Multiple Choice

The safety symbol that indicates that a substance can be irritating to the skin, eye, or respiratory tract irritant is:

Fill in the Blank

Complete: The _ symbol shows that this particular place deals with biological substances like microorganisms or body fluids.

Match

Match the following:

• Toxic Gas

• High Voltage

• Low-Temperature Warning Symbol:

• Poison/Toxic Material

• Explosive Hazard

Inhaling these gases is a health hazard.

Current where caution must be taken.

Substances are below freezing point.

Their presence can be dangerous

Materials that can explode are present.

• Inhaling these gases is a health hazard.

• Current where caution must be taken.

• Substances are below freezing point.

• Their presence can be dangerous

• Materials that can explode are present.

Draw

Draw the symbol for General Warning.

Hint: It includes a triangle and a

exclamation point.

Fill in the Blank

This symbol represents: