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A. General
1. First-Aid kits are available in the following locations: Main
stockroom - SA 569; Organic Stockroom - SA 566; Quant Lab - SA
369. Band-aids for minor cuts are available in the main stockroom.
2. In case of an accident of any kind, notify the instructor immediately.
If you need medical treatment, you will be promptly taken to the
Student Health Center.
3 Perform no unauthorized experiments.
4. Horseplay, pranks, and other acts of mischief are strictly
prohibited and may result in immediate dismissal from the laboratory.
5. Work with chemicals only after you have learned about their
potential hazards. Then, proceed with caution.
6. A lab apron or long lab coat provides good personal protection
against many laboratory hazards.
7. Never work in the laboratory alone.
8. Shoes must be worn in the laboratory at all times. Open
shoes or sandals provide no protection from contact hazards and
you are not permitted to wear them in the laboratory. Moreover,
it is unwise to go barefoot anywhere in the Science Complex.
9. You are allowed to work in the laboratory only during the laboratory
times for which you are enrolled, or for which you have gotten
written permission from your instructor and approval from the
instructor of the laboratory in which you wish to work.
10. Do not attempt to slow down or stop centrifuge rotors with
your hands! Always let the centrifuge come to a complete stop
before opening the lid to the rotor chamber.
11. Learn the location and use of safety equipment, including
the safety shower, eyewasher, fire extinguisher, and fire blanket.
12. Do not force glass tubing into rubber stoppers or rubber tubing.
First, make sure that the ends of the glass tubing are fire polished.
Then, lubricate both the rubber and the glass with a mixture of
water and either glycerol or aerosol OT. Hold the glass tubing
as close as possible to the rubber,
and then insert the glass with a slow, twisting motion. In addition,
protect your hands against possible injury from broken glass by
using a towel or piece of cheesecloth.
13. Wash your hands well before leaving the laboratory.
B. Eye Protection
1. You are required to wear approved eye protection (safety glasses
or goggles) in the laboratory whenever you are doing any experiment
or whenever any experiment is being done in the laboratory. Repeated
failure to wear approved eye protection will result in dismissal
from the laboratory with a
course grade of "F." (Eye protection must meet ANSI
Z87.1 impact standards and have indirect ventilation splash protection)
2. If you should get an irritating substance in your eye, move
quickly to the eye washer and wash your eyes thoroughly for at
least 15 minutes. Do not delay; a difference of a few seconds
can be crucial for the recovery of your eyes. Have someone notify
the instructor of the accident so that you can be taken to the
Student Health Center immediately.
3. Sunglasses are not approved for eye safety.
C. Fire Hazard
1. In case of fire notify the instructor as soon as possible.
2. Learn the locations of the fire extinguisher(s), the fire blanket,the
eye washer, and the safety shower, and learn how to use these
devices. Towels wet with water are very efficient at smothering
small fires.
3. Confine long hair and loose clothing in the laboratory. Hair
is surprisingly flammable.
4. Never store flammable substances in your laboratory drawer
or locker.
D. Contact Hazard
1. If you should spill a corrosive substance on your skin or clothing,
wash it off with copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes.
Do not hesitate to use the safety shower if the spill is large.
2. Notify the instructor of any such spillage as soon as possible;
he will provide any necessary secondary treatment and will arrange
for your transportation to the Student Health Center, if necessary.
E. Ingestion Hazard
1. Never eat, drink, or taste anything in the laboratory; this
includes food and water. Never drink water from a beaker; instead,
use the drinking fountain in the hall.
2. Smoking is not permitted in University buildings.
3. Do not use mouth suction when filling a pipette. Rather, use
a suction bulb or an aspirator, and follow the instructions of
your laboratory instructor.
F. Inhalation Hazard
1. Experimental operations that generate toxic or noxious fumes
should always be performed in a hood.
2. When it is necessary to note the odor of a gas, exercise great
care, and follow the procedure demonstrated by your instructor.
G. Waste and Clean-up
1. Excess chemicals must be disposed of; they generally cannot
be recycled. Therefore, do not take more of a chemical than is
needed for an experiment. You may obtain more later if you find
that you have underestimated your needs.
2. All chemicals should be disposed of in an approved manner.
Do not put any chemical down the sink unless specifically told
to do so. If you are not certain of the proper disposal technique,
check with your laboratory instructor or the stockroom/lab manager.
3. Never put solids down the drain, they will clog it. Put solids
in the appropriate trash containers.
4. In the event of a chemical spill, large or small, consult your
laboratory instructor or the stockroom/lab manager as to the appropriate
method of clean-up.
5. When metallic mercury is spilled, watch closely to see where
the droplets go. Then, avoid stepping on them, and notify the
laboratory instructor immediately so that proper decontamination
procedures can be instituted.
6. Each day, before you leave your lab bench, clean off the bench
surface. Remove matches and papers, and wipe down the surface
with water and paper towels.
7. Dispose of broken glass in the appropriate, designated, wastebasket.
Use a dustpan and broom to sweep up pieces of broken glass. Do
not pick them up with your hands.
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© R A Paselk
Last modified 16 May 2002
