Laboratory Safety

We want your laboratory experience to be safe and injury free. A chemistry laboratory contains hazardous materials (chemicals.). These materials must be handled safely. You will also encounter situations involving heat (burners and hot plates) and glassware ( the risk of breaking and sharp glass.) If you are aware of the risks and follow safe procedures you will be safe.

The safety issues in this lab are not unique to chemistry. You encounter higher risks in a kitchen -- sharp objects, broken glass, flames, hot skillets, spattering oil when cooking. You face daily risks like slipping on a wet floors and dropping objects when reaching into overhead storage shelves. Ordinary cleaning supplies can be hazardous chemicals (drain cleaner is often 50% NaOH and is often used without gloves or eye protection.) If you go into a garage you may find paints, paint solvents, varnishes and gasoline that are dangerous to inhale and potential fire sources. If you learn good laboratory safety rules you'll find you can apply most of them to daily life.

Laboratory Safety Rules

• Rule #1-- Protective Eyewear (Goggles) must be worn continuously in all laboratory sessions.
  • notice this says goggles. Ordinary glasses might protect your eyes from the front but goggles will protect you from the sides also. You can wear your prescription eyeglasses under the goggles.
  • notice this says wear the goggles at all times-- Once actual laboratory work begins until the last bit of glassware is put away. Since the risk comes from anyone work with chemicals you cannot take off your goggles just because you are writing or calculating. If anyone is doing lab work you must be wearing your goggles. No taking off goggles to read a thermometer. If you need to take a breather, go into the hallway before you take off your goggles.
• Rule #2 --Food and Personal items
  • No unwrapped food or open beverage containers are allowed in the lab.
  • No eating or drinking in the laboratory.
  • Don't bring food or beverages to the lab. If you carry water bottles or candy bars in a backpack that's O.K., but they must stay there. If you need a drink or a snack, go into the hallway.
• Rule #3-- Read the directions for the day's work and follow the directions.
  • Note and follow any special safety warnings or instructions. If you have questions about the procedure, ask your instructor.
  • Follow directions for the disposal of waste materials.
  • Don't perform unauthorized experiments. No games, pranks or fooling around.
• Rule #4-- Exposure or Injury
  • If you get chemicals on your skin, wash them off promptly with cold water. .
  • If you get chemicals in your eyes, notify the instructor at once and get help. You will need to wash your eyes well. Know where the eyewash fountains are located.
  • If you suffer a burn or cut, however minor, notify your lab instructor at once.
• Rule #5-- Fire
  • We will use burners with open flames. Keep flammable materials aware from the flame.
  • Extinguish all burners when anyone is using flammable liquids.
  • If a fire occurs see if it can be quickly extinguished by smothering it with a a towel. Otherwise call for help and back away. If a fire extinguisher is needed, an instructor will use it.
• Rule #6-- Heat
  • A common source of laboratory injury is contact with a hot surface. Remember that parts of the burner, ring stands, beakers, and hot plate surfaces remain dangerously hot for several minutes after the heat is removed.
  • remember that liquids can superheat and abruptly boil. This often occurs when a test tube is heated in a burner. The liquid can abruptly shoot out (cannon like) so be careful where the tube is aimed. It is better to heat the tube in a beaker of boiling water.
• Rule #7-- Clothing
  • We require shoes in the laboratory (sandals are not acceptable)
• Rule #8-- Hygiene
  • wash your hands when you leave lab.
  • wash your hands if you suspect you have made chemical contact.
  • keep your work area and the dispensing areas clean to avoid accidental chemical contact.

Some suggestions

• 1. Disposable gloves are available for the handling of chemicals.
  • use these if the directions call for gloves or if you have a history of chemical sensitivity
• 2. Breakage
  • Laboratory glassware is thin and is unlikely to survive a drop to the bench top or to the floor. Try to keep glassware away from the edge of the table where it can be accidentally bumped. Be careful with round objects like test tubes or thermometer that can roll off the desktop. Examine glassware regularly and discard any that show cracks or chips on the edges.
• 3. Clamps and Stands
  • When using a burner to heat liquid in a beaker, use a ring stand and a wire gauze. The gauze spreads the heat and supports the beaker. If possible use a second metal ring to surround the beaker to provide extra stability.
  • Pull the burner back with the hose to make adjustments; don't reach under a beaker of hot liquid.
  • 4. The use of laboratory hoods
  • When an experimental procedure is likely to produce unpleasant or dangerous gases or vapors, the work should be done in one of the laboratory hoods.
• 5. Chemicals and Dispensing Areas
  • spilled chemicals should be cleaned up promptly or brought to the immediate attention of your instructor.
  • Important: Paper towels that are used to wipe up hazardous chemicals should not be thrown into the ordinary waste baskets. Such towels pose a serious risk to the custodians. Your instructor will help you decontaminate and/or bag such materials for disposal.
• 6. Contamination
  • While not fundamentally a safety issue, it is important that you don't contaminate the chemical supplies in the lab.
  • Recap the bottle after use.

return to chem 128 home page