Hang this poster at the front of the laboratory, so the four steps are in front of every class before the first bottle is opened.
What is on the poster
Four steps, every time
- Recognize the hazards. Read the label: the signal word and the pictograms. Read the procedure for physical hazards: burners, hot plates, glassware, electrical equipment. Ask for the safety data sheet, section 2 first.
- Assess the risks. A hazard is what can hurt you; risk is how likely it is. How much, how concentrated, how hot, how long, how close?
- Minimize the risks. The smallest amount. The safer substitute. The fume hood. Goggles, gloves and apron on. Hair back, bench clear.
- Prepare for emergencies. Know where the eyewash, shower, extinguisher, spill kit and exits are before you start. Know who to call and what to do first.
No certified eye protection, no safety data sheet, no plan for what goes wrong: the lab does not start.
Built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard
This poster carries the SSTS mark. Like every Science Safety course, it is built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard (SSTS): every rule on it is taken from the body that governs it, at its current edition, and the source is printed on the poster, so you can check it yourself.
Stay current
When you get this poster, it is saved to your Science Safety account. If we revise the poster, or the Student Safety in the Science Lab module it comes from changes, we will email you, and the latest version will be waiting under Downloads in your account. Every revision carries its revision number and date at the bottom of the poster, so you can tell at a glance whether the copy on your wall is current.
Printing and hanging
- One-page PDF, US letter (8.5 by 11 inches).
- White background, so it prints clearly on any office or classroom printer without using much ink.
- Hang it at the front of the laboratory, at eye level.
- The QR code in the blue title band opens this page, so anyone can get their own copy.
- The QR code at the bottom opens the Student Safety in the Science Lab module.
Learn more
The Student Safety in the Science Lab module teaches the full topic this poster comes from.
Sources:
- Chemical Laboratory Safety Series for high school: RAMP – American Chemical Society (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (reviewed September 30, 2026)
Poster SSP-0031, Rev. 1, September 2026.
