Safety in the laboratory

Laboratories can be dangerous places. Accidents can arise from carelessness or poor working practices in hazardous situations. It is the responsibility of students and staff to be aware of these situations so that a safe workplace is available at all times.

Main hazards in a laboratory

1. Breakage of glassware 2. Burns and scalds 3. Corrosive chemicals-acids and alkalis 4. Biological materials 5. Poisonous chemicals 6. Flammable and explosive chemicals 7. Fire 8. Electrical equipment 9. Radioactive materials 10. Compressed gases 11. Strobe lighting 12. Heavy equipment 13. Lasers1 14. Scalpels and sharp objects

Laboratory Rules
1. Students must obey all safety instructions given to them. 2. Smoking, eating and drinking are forbidden in the laboratory. 3. Unauthorised experiments and behaviour are forbidden. Any action commonly accepted as horseplay, fooling around, and/or of a personally harassing, disruptive, or aggressive or uncontrolled nature is SPECIFICALLY FORBIDDEN in the laboratory.

4. All accidents, breakage, chemical spills and faulty equipment, no matter how trivial, must be reported as soon as possible to the person in charge of the laboratory. 5. During any practical sessions in the laboratory, the following must be worn: Protective clothing e.g. laboratory coat or apron; Protective footwear (thongs and open-toed sandals are banned); Protective spectacles (safety glasses) must be worn at all the times. Suitable fastening for long hair 6. Clothing with loose portions should be tied back when working in the laboratory 7. Contact lenses are very dangerous in a laboratory. They should not be worn in a practical session in the laboratory. 8. All operations involving the release of chemical fumes must be carried out in fume hood. 9. Waste must be segregated and disposed of correctly in their respective containers, viz: Halogenated waste Non-halogenated waste Heavy metals residue Broken glass (glassware bin) Paper in the litter bin. Diluted aqueous solutions flushed down the sink 10. Label all containers (bottles, beakers, jars, flasks and so forth) with a readable and complete description of their contents. 11. Every student must know where to find the fire extinguishers, shower, fire blanket and first aid kit. 12. Bench reagent bottles must be kept free of contamination. Solutions removed from a reagent bottle should not be returned; stoppers from reagent bottles should not be interchanged; instruments such as pipettes or droppers should not be inserted into reagent bottles. 13. Equipment used during an experiment should be thoroughly cleaned and returned to the appropriate place.

14. The bench and sink area should be cleaned at the end of the laboratory session. 15. For good hygiene, hands should be thoroughly washed after laboratory session. 16. Laboratory work outside class hours must be approved beforehand by the Chemistry Lecturer 17. The Golden Rules: If in doubt- ASK! If you see something unsafe FIX IT or REPORT IT!

Prevention of laboratory accidents.

Most accidents in the chemistry laboratory can be avoided by following normal laboratory practices and being aware of potential hazards, such as those below.

Acids and Alkalis

If spilt on the skin should be thoroughly washed off under running water. To dilute acids always add the acid to the water. Never add water to acids.

Burns Take care not to handle hot glassware. When using a Bunsen burner place it on a protective mat. Extinguish Bunsen burners not in use. If the Bunsen burner is to be left on
for a short time, adjust the flame to an easily visible yellow colour.

Chemical spills
Do not carry bottles by the neck. Use a clean spatula to take solid chemicals from their bottle. When using mercury place all equipment in a plastic or other non-metal tray.

Cuts Take care when setting up glassware to avoid putting the glass under stress. Never force glass tubing through a cork or rubber stopper. Lubricate the tubing with water or inert grease and gently work the tubing
into the stopper.

Hold the tubing with a thick cloth. When boring a cork or stopper lubricate the borer with 1:1 ethanol/glycerol
and place the stopper on a piece of wood, not on your hand.

Eye Injuries Safety glasses must be worn. Note the location of the laboratory eyewash. Fire Note the position of the fire extinguisher and fire blanket. Do not use a naked flame in the presence of flammable organic solvents. If a fire gets out of control, evacuate, shut the doors of the laboratory, and raise the alarm. Heating Test Tubes This can be dangerous if the top of the test tube is pointed towards others and if the test tube is heated too rapidly. Point the top of the test tube away from others and heat gently by holding the test tube above the flame. Ingestion Never taste chemicals.

 Do not pipette by mouth. Always use manual pipette pumps. Poisonous gases or vapours Generally avoid inhaling any gases or vapours if testing the odour of gases gently waft the gas towards your nose and cautiously sniff. Use the fume cupboard to general use poisonous gases. Handling Chemicals Wear gloves and suitable eye protection when you are dealing with hazardous chemical. Chemicals labels must always be read before opening the container. Consider any hazards including violent reaction between chemicals. Always open bottles with care and replace lid immediately after use. Large reagent bottles should be transported in a special career. They should never be lifted by the neck. After using chemicals always wash hands and any exposed areas. What to do in the case of an accident Acid and Alkalis Flush off any acid or alkalis, which contact the skin with plenty of water. Do not attempt to neutralize with alkali or acid.

Burns For major burns hold the effected part under running water. Do not apply oils. For major burns immediately seek for medical attention. Chemical Spills If chemicals are spilled on the skin wash the affected are thoroughly with running water. Reagents insoluble in water will be removed by washing contaminated area with soap. Cuts Flush the wound with running water. Dry with clean cloth and bandage. For major cuts seek medical attention. Eye Injuries Acids and alkalis are particularly dangerous. If any material gets into the eye it should be immediately and very thoroughly washed with running water for 10 to 15 minutes (Do not use a powerful jet of water) Do not add other solutions to the eye (except specially prepared eyewashes). SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE IMMIDIATELY. Fire If a persons clothing catches fire put the victim on the floor and extinguishes the fire with a laboratory coat or fire blanket. If a fire gets out of control turn off gas and electrical appliances if possible evacuate.

Ingestion If chemicals has not been swallowed give large quantities of water as a mouthwash. DO NOT SWALLOW THIS. If swallowed dilute by drinking 250ml water. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Take casualty to hospital giving information of chemical/s swallowed and first aid treatment given. Inhalation Remove the casualty into fresh air ensuring your own safety. Loosen clothing. If conscious maintain careful observation and seek medical advice. If unconscious place in a face down position and ensure a clear. Poisonous gases or vapours Report mercury spills immediately to the person in charge of the laboratory. Remove the victim from the laboratory and into the open air as quick as possible. Seek medical attention immediately.

CHE101 Guidelines for Laboratory Notebooks Good record keeping is central to good analytical science. Your laboratory notebook should be an accurate log of relevant research, data and experimental procedures used to obtain a result for given sample. It forms an essential part of communicating these results to others, locating errors in measurements, and is a legal records of what was done when. Accurate records make replication of results easier.

Most laboratories have strict guidelines with respect to laboratory notebooks, and we will be no different. Our guidelines are as follows: 1. The notebook must be firmly bound, with every page numbered. No page should be removed from a notebook. Do not skip pages when making notebook entries. 2. All notebooks will begin with a table of contents, which is updated as each experiment is completed. 3. All notebook entries must be hand written in ink, and should be legible. The use of pencil and other erasable material is not permitted. 4. Entries should be made in chronological order on consecutive pages. The use of loose pieces of paper is prohibited. 5. A new experiment may begin on the front side of a new page. Draw a single diagonal line through white spaces that consist of more than four lines. 6. No entries will be erased or made illegible Draw a single line through a mistake. Initial and date any corrections. Do not use correction fluid. 7. Details of each experiment should be entered using the following headings: Title the project title Date of the work Objective o A brief statement regarding the purpose of the work, along with any referenced documents.

 Data Entries Data should be entered into a notebook as the work is performed o Include numerical data and observations o Use data tables, diagrams and graphs where possible Describe the o Sample in details (including sample identification codes) o Process under study and the chemistry involved o Procedures followed, and any deviations from referenced written procedures o Relevant equations and formulae o Calculations used Limit attachments (printouts etc) to one per page o Use clear tape or glue o No staples o Do not cover any notebook entries Results o Record the final result (i.e. the analyte concentrations) in tabular form where possible, or in a statement that reflects the experiments objectives Conclusion o A brief concluding statement, where lists any assumptions made in obtaining results I have read the laboratory safety notes and agree to follow all lab regulations and instructions given by the lab staff. I will arrive at each lab having read through the experiment and completed the pre-lab work.

I have asked for, and received, clarification of those points I did not understand. Name: Student ID: Signature: Date: