This should be from YOUR point of view since it's basically what you understand from consequences of not being safe.
ANSWER: It is important to keep the work area clean while completing a lab because it would not be safe for the ingredients within the experiment to mix with different components that do not belong in a lab. This could damage the area around you if you are not careful. The other reason why is because you do not want a different outcome from the experiment expected if it is combined with any other ingredient.
