Precautions when doing a lab

Long hair chin-length or longer must be tied back to avoid catching fire. Wear sensible clothing including footwear. Loose clothing should be secured so they do not get caught in a flame or chemicals.

Work quietly — know what you are doing by reading the assigned experiment before you start to work. Pay close attention to any cautions described in the laboratory exercises Do not taste or smell chemicals.

Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes when heating substances, dissecting, etc. Food and drinks are strictly prohibited in the lab, and with good reason — imagine if someone accidentally grabbed a bottle of chemicals instead of their soda and took a sip! Clean up broken glass. Did you know that broken glass is the most common cause of injury in labs? There are designated containers in the lab where you can throw it away safely, so be sure to use them.

Remember to put labels on your work. On samples, make sure to write what it contains as well as your initials so everyone sharing the lab knows they belong to you. Know your lab safety symbols In the lab, there are two commonly used types of hazard symbols: The GHS hazard symbols and the Fire Diamond. The GHS hazard symbols and their meanings are listed in the figure on the labpad below. Do you know the GHS hazard symbols? The Fire Diamond shows the dangers associated with hazardous chemicals.

There are 4 squares in different colors, and in each square except the white one , there is a number ranging from , where 4 is the most hazardous. Red indicates flammability, blue indicates health and yellow indicates reactivity.

The white square indicates a special hazard. Can you read this Fire Diamond? Handle chemical spills properly If you accidentally spill a chemical, try to remain calm and figure out what it is. You should immediately warn everyone that something has been spilled. Never touch, smell or in any other way interact with the chemical before you know what you are dealing with. If you spill a large amount, make sure you evacuate the lab, and call the emergency personnel.

If you spill a small amount, and you know what has been spilled, you can go ahead and clean it up. In the case of acids or bases, the spill needs to be neutralized. Do not use water to clean these up. To neutralize an acid spill, use baking soda a weak base and to neutralize a base spill, use acetic acid a weak acid.

Pour these on the chemical before you discard the spill in the correct waste container. If you spill on your clothes, take off that piece of clothing and rinse your skin with water. If you spill chemicals on yourself or someone else, make sure to get them to the safety station as fast as possible, and flush the affected area thoroughly.

In case you forget your goggles and get chemicals in your eyes, hurry to the safety shower and rinse your open eyes for at least 20 minutes. Then, immediately consult a doctor. Know your safety equipment Fire blanket: This is made of non-flammable fibers.

Use it for small fires, or for covering yourself in case you are fighting a larger fire. Instead they should roll on the floor to try to put out the fire, or step under a safety shower, if there is one in close proximity.

First aid kit: This contains disinfectants, bandages and other things that can be used to treat minor injuries, such as cuts. Fire extinguisher: There are different types of fire extinguishers: CO2 and foam. The foam extinguisher, also called an ABC extinguisher, can be used for most fires. No practical jokes. Dress for work in the laboratory.

Wear clothing and shoes that cover exposed skin and protect you from potential splashes. Tie back long hair, jewelry, or anything that may catch in equipment. Never eat food, drink beverages, chew gum, apply cosmetics including lip balm , or handle contact lenses in the laboratory. Use a chemical fume hood or biosafety cabinet, as directed by your supervisor.

Observe good housekeeping - keep aisles clear. Report damaged electrical equipment to the supervisor. Do not use damaged electrical equipment. Do not leave active experiments unattended. Use equipment only for its designated purpose. Combine reagents in their appropriate order, such as adding acid to water.

Avoid adding solids to hot liquids. All laboratory personnel should place emphasis on safety and chemical hygiene at all times. Never leave containersof chemicals open. All containersmust have appropriate labels. Unlabeled chemicals should never be used. Do not taste or intentionally sniff chemicals.

Do not use mouth suction for pipetting or starting a siphon. Wash exposed areas of the skin prior to leaving the laboratory. Long hair and loose clothing must be pulled back and secured from entanglement or potential capture.

No contact lenses should be worn around hazardous chemicals — even when wearing safety glasses. Laboratory safety glasses or goggles should be worn in any area where chemicals are used or stored.