Important Safety Notice

Resources on the AACT website are intended for use by students in the classroom laboratory under the direct supervision of a qualified chemistry teacher. The experiments described in various activities involve substances that may be harmful if they are misused or if the procedures described are not followed. Read cautions carefully and follow all directions. Do not use or combine any substances or materials not specifically called for in carrying out investigations. Other substances are mentioned for educational purposes only and should not be used by students unless the instructions specifically so indicate.

The materials, safety information, and procedures contained in resources on this website are believed to be reliable. The information and these procedures should serve only as a starting point for good laboratory practices, and they do not purport to specify minimal legal standards or to represent the policy of the American Association of Chemistry Teachers, or American Chemical Society. No warranty, guarantee, or representation is made by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers or the American Chemical Society as to the accuracy or specificity of the information contained herein, and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers and the American Chemical Society assume no responsibility in connection herewith.

The added safety information is intended to provide basic guidelines for safe practices. It cannot be assumed that all necessary warnings and precautionary measures are contained in the resources or that other additional information and measures may not be required.

While no human activity is completely risk-free, if you use common sense, as well as chemical sense, and follow the rules of laboratory safety, you should encounter no problems. Chemical sense is just an extension of common sense. Sensible laboratory conduct won’t happen by memorizing a list of rules, any more than a perfect score on a written driver’s test ensures an excellent driving record. The true “driver’s test” of chemical sense is your actual conduct in the laboratory.

In resources requiring safety goggles, students should continue to wear goggles as they work through an investigation and until they are completely finished in the laboratory. The term “safety goggles” used in the safety section of each lesson refers to chemical splash goggles. It is especially important for the instructor to supervise the usage of materials or execution of procedures requiring these precautions.