This is a college level micro course, and it is possible to injure yourself or become ill. PLEASE listen carefully as I explain lab safety procedures. The two most important are fires and fainting, and as a result, I'm going to cover them in this text as well as verbally.
FIRES
If you look down and you're on fire, try to pat the fire out, and get my attention. If you haven't patted the fire out, I'll put it out for you. I also have some bandaids and ointment for any blisters or papercuts. We're going to be working with alcohol and bunsen burners, and even the most careful of microbiologists can have an accident. You can't always see the flame on a Bunsen burner, so ALWAYS assume the burners are lit. If spilled alcohol catches on fire, just move your items out of the way and wait for it to burn out, or get my attention, and I'll put it out. The room has a fire extinguisher; it's best to let the TA use this, but I'll explain how. While it can be frightening, an alcohol fire is a very minor thing to have happen. They burn out in seconds.
FAINTING
It's going to be summer, and while I'll try and keep the number of burners going as low as possible, it's going to be hot. Combine heat with standing up and slow dehydration, and then add in fumes, and people are bound to get light-headed. If you DO start to feel dizzy, break out in a sweat, shake, turn pale (or someone notices that you turn pale) SIT OR LIE DOWN AT ONCE ON THE FLOOR! Under no conditions should you try to 'tough it out.' If you DO faint, you can get a concussion, fall onto something glass and get a severe cut (with bacteria present, no less), break teeth, etc. I'd rather have you sit without reason than risk an injury. Just sit on the floor, and have someone get me after you've sat or lain down.