Following Canadian federal law, you must be provided with safety information (and training, where appropriate) before performing any potentially hazardous work.
Performing chemistry laboratory experiments – while they are designed to be as safe as possible – carry some risk, ranging from specific chemical hazards to slipping on a spill in the lab. Always make sure you are prepared and following all instructions when working.
Most courses with a laboratory component will include safety information in their lab manual – either in the Introduction or Appendices. Hazards specific to a particular experiment may also be in the experimental procedure section, alongside the step or material generating the hazard.
Before starting any lab, you should review the properties of any unfamiliar chemicals by reading the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for the material. These are easily available online – UCalgary students can access them through Chematix (also accessible on my.ucalgary.ca).
Chemistry students are also required to take an online safety training course with some general information and best practices. You can access this course through MyLearning online: log in and search for “Chemistry” – enroll in the Chemistry Safety Course. You can view some review videos archived here (note that viewing these videos is not the same as completing the course).
And of course, you can always ask your instructor or teaching assistant any time you have a concern about safety in your course or lab. They are here to help!