How important is lab safety, anyway? And, how do chemical manufacturers create safe lab environments? Chemistry scholars learn the importance of minimizing risks where the stakes are often highest—the chemical industry—in the fifth installment in a series of 12. Topics include the use of safer starting materials and the minimization of heat and pressure used in reaction vessels.

Concepts

heat, pressure, toxic chemicals, workplace safety, lab safety

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use this video to get students thinking about lab safety on a larger scale
• Have paired learners create lists of chemicals they know are toxic, explosive, and corrosive prior to viewing

Classroom Considerations

• Take a moment to review how temperature and pressure can affect chemical reactions to make sure the class understands the importance of reaction conditions

Pros

• The narrator encourages the class to apply what they already know about lab safety to a much larger industrial setting
• The content reinforces lab safety vocabulary by illustrating several of the basic classes of chemicals found in most labs

Cons

• None