A solid understanding of lab safety practices is essential for our students to carry out practical work in the laboratory. Students love completing practical work and can learn a great deal from hands on activities. It's an effective way to teach the principle of scientific inquiry, develop student skills in measurement and observation, and to motivate and engage students, but safety must always come first. A good first step is ensuring that any practical activities are properly and thoroughly risk-assessed by the educator before the activity takes place. Educators should do the experiment or demonstration first before the lesson to understand any risks.