Have you ever watched a forensic show on television? One where there is some sort of crime and they spend the rest of the show trying to figure out what happened or who the perpetrator was. Often, crime scene investigators collect evidence and "send it off to the lab" and moments later have the results. Those scenes are only partially accurate because most of the time real specimens take quite some time to analyze.

While you will not be solving a crime or figuring out what happened at a crime scene, you will be performing laboratories in your science courses. Before you begin, it is essential that you realize there are important rules and chemical handling protocols to follow to stay safe in the laboratory.

As you proceed to the lab, virtually or otherwise, it is important to be able to recognize the general safety equipment that can be found in most laboratories. Click on each image below to find out more.