Why is the use of cellphones prohibited in the laboratory?

Answer 1

There can be a variety of reasons to prohibit cellphones in laboratories. They include the following:

1. Laboratory work requires your full attention. If you don't have your cell phone at hand, you are not likely to be distracted by it.
2. Working in a laboratory often involves the use of hazardous chemicals, from which you are usually protected by the use of gloves or by other procedures. However, if you use your cell phone in the lab, you are likely to do so without removing your gloves and may then contaminate your cell phone.
3. Some lab activities involve a potential for creation of a flammable atmosphere. Depending on the nature of the flammable materials present in vapor form, a cell phone signal may have enough energy to ignite the vapor.