Laboratory Safety Rules
(main
source: Dr. David Summers)
Laboratory
accidents can result in loss of time, damage to clothing and other property,
and personal injury. By following
suitable precautions, you can anticipate and prevent situations that could lead
to accidents.
You must make yourself completely
familiar with the following safety rules. You will
be required to sign a Laboratory Safety Contract stating that you have read
these rules, agree to abide by them, and have watched the ACS Safety
Video. At the beginning of the second
laboratory period you may (instructor’s option) take a short multiple-choice
and/or true false quiz on the rules; if you miss more than one question, you
must pass a retest before you will be permitted in the laboratory.
In your lab notebook
copy at least 20 safety rules from the three sources and the ACS video.
Rules
- Do
not work in the lab unless the lab assistant/supervisor or instructor is
present. No unauthorized
experimentation is allowed.
- Work
carefully with full awareness of what you are doing, so as to avoid
dropping or breaking equipment or spilling chemicals. Keep reagents and equipment well back
from the edge of the lab bench.
Never run in the lab.
- You
may provide your own pair of
safety glasses/goggles and wear them in the lab at all times or
you may wear the eye protection glasses available in the cabinet in the
lab room D-204. Safety glasses MUST meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 (this should
be indicated on the packaging). A
lab apron or lab coat should also be worn at all times while working in
the lab.
- You must wear shoes without open spaces; sandals and
open-toe shoes are not acceptable.
- Confine long hair and neckties; they may catch fire, get
into chemicals, or get caught in apparatus. Loose jewelry or rings can also be a
hazard. Frilly or flared clothing,
especially synthetics, are not safe around flames unless covered with a
lab apron or coat.
- Do not bring food or drink into the lab. No eating or smoking is permitted in the
lab.
Never taste a chemical.
Smell a chemical by fanning the air over the container to waft the
vapor to your nose; never smell directly.
Do not touch chemicals with your hands unless specifically directed
to do so; if contact occurs, immediately flush the area with cool water.
- Mercury vapor is invisible but toxic over time. A broken thermometer should be reported immediately to the
instructor.
- Never look directly into an open
vessel in which a reaction is occurring that could cause spattering. When heating materials in any container,
be sure that the open end does not point in the direction of other persons
or yourself.
- If any chemical gets into your eyes,
flush with water for at least 15 minutes.
- In case of fire, turn off the burner
first. If there is a fire in a
beaker, try to smother it with a watch glass or wet paper towel placed
over the beaker. For an open flame,
use the fire extinguisher pointed at the base of the flame. If the fire is uncontrollable, close all
windows and evacuate the room and pull the fire alarm located near the
emergency exit or in the hallway.
After evacuating to a safe place, call 911, and campus security @
766-6008 if you instructor is not present..
- Skin burns should immediately be
placed under cold running tap water for 5-10 minutes in order to remove
the heat.
- If clothing catches on fire, use a
fire blanket or safety shower.
-
Do not force a glass tube or thermometer into a stopper; the glass can break and gash or stab you. Instead, lubricate the end of the glass with glycerin; hold both the glass and the stopper with a cloth towel to protect your hands; grasp the glass close to the stopper; insert with a slow twisting motion (see figure below). - Report all accidents and injuries to
the instructor as soon as emergency action has been initiated.
- Never place chemicals directly on the
balance pan. Instead, use a beaker,
flask, watch glass, or piece of weighing paper.
- Read the label on a bottle twice
before using the contents. Never
contaminate the contents of a bottle by putting reagents back into
it. Do NOT waste reagents; if you
take too much, share it with others who still
need your chemical.
- Label any sample or mixture that you
prepare.
- Never mix any reagents unless
specifically directed to do so.
- When mixing water and acid, always add
acid to water otherwise violent spattering may occur. Remember the word “acid” alphabetically
comes before “water,” so acid-into-water.
- Dispose of waste chemicals as
directed. If a waste container
becomes full, tell the instructor or lab assistant so they can get an
empty replacement. Don’t just
ignore the situation.
- Do not use cracked glassware, as it
may break when stress is put on it.
Place broken glassware in specifically designated containers in
order to prevent injury to the cleaning personnel.
- If you discover that bottles of
chemicals need to be refilled, tell the instructor or lab assistant.
- Keep the lab bench and tables clean. Wipe up all spills. Acid spills should be neutralized with
sodium bicarbonate (which can be obtained from your instructor or lab
assistant).
