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1. Know the location of exits, eyewashes, emergency showers, fire blankets, and fire extinguishers. The instructor will show you their location and demonstrate their use. Notify your instructor immediately if any emergency situation should arise. If you get a hazardous chemical on you, wash it off immediately at the sink, eyewash or shower. Ask another student to let the instructor know of your situation.
2. Report all injuries that occur to your instructor, no matter how minor. This is to be done immediately. It is the instructor's responsibility to decide on the seriousness of the injury and what course of action should be followed. Injury report forms must be completed and filed with the department.
3. Department approved safety goggles MUST be worn in the laboratory (this is for your protection and is a state law). You are encouraged to wear laboratory aprons or jackets in the laboratory. They are fire resistant and protect you and your clothing from corrosive chemicals. Loose hair, clothing, or other materials are a hazard in the laboratory, and proper precautions must be taken. You should wear long pants. Shorts, short skirts, sandals and bare feet are not appropriate for work in the laboratory. Do not place jackets, other clothing, or materials (other than your lab book) on laboratory benches.
4. Never attempt an experiment or procedure until you fully understand it. If in doubt about any part of the experiment ask your instructor for help. You are not to do unassigned experiments in the laboratory. If you want to be creative, write a poem, it is safer. On occasions you may be encouraged to develop some of your own ideas, procedures, and experimental variations. In all such occasions, you must obtain approval of your instructor before proceeding with the experiment. You are not permitted to do extra work in the laboratory without permission of your instructor. If you are to do a make up lab during a laboratory period other than your own, you must get permission from the laboratory instructor. You are never to work in the laboratory unless an instructor is present.
5. You will be shown how to handle various reagents. Proper handling of chemicals is easily learned, making their use quite safe for you and others in the laboratory. Keep the following precautions especially in mind:
a. Most common solvents, other than water, are flammable; toluene, alcohols, acetone, ethers and ethyl acetate ignite very easily. Never use an open flame near any flammable solvent.
b. The heat evolved when water is added to concentrated acids is sufficient to cause spattering. When preparing dilute acid solutions always add the acid to the water, slowly with stirring.
c. Any spill of laboratory chemicals should be reported to the laboratory instructor right away. The instructor will then provide advice and help with the clean up.
Acid spills should be neutralized with the sodium
carbonate in the laboratory for this purpose. Final clean up will depend
on the location of the spill, but dilution with lots of water should be
used. Eventually the neutralized, diluted acid is to be washed down the
drain with lots of water. Never leave an acid spill unattended.
with an abundance of water and then report to your
instructor.
If you get acid on your skin or clothes, wash it off with an abundance of water and then report it to your instructor.
d. Never taste chemicals, many of them are extremely poisonous. No food or drink is allowed in the laboratory. You should always wash your hands well before leaving the laboratory.
If you spill any chemicals on yourself, wash them off with large amounts of soap and water. Report the incident to the laboratory instructor.
e. Use extreme caution when smelling chemicals. Never hold chemicals directly under your nose. Use your hand to waft vapors toward your nose.
6. Always handle glassware with respect. Watch for any chip or crack that could cause a problem. A small crack may cause pyrex to break when heated. Exchange defective glassware for good glassware.
If you break any glassware, report it to the instructor. A broom and dustpan are available at the stock room for clean up.
When working with heated glass, remember that hot and cold glass looks alike, but feels quite differently. Be careful, think about what you are doing and prevent burns. Do not hand hot glassware or tubing to another person.
If you need to insert glass tubing or a thermometer into a stopper, cork or tubing, always lubricate both parts with water or glycerin, wrap the parts in a cloth and grasp the glass close to the stopper, cork or tubing. Insert with a slow twisting motion.
* The current preferred first aid for a burn
is to immediately hold the burned area under cold water or in contact with
ice for several minutes. Do not apply ointments or bandages. Report all
burns to your instructor.
I have read the safety rules and recommendations
and agree to abide by them and to work in the laboratory in a reasonable
and prudent manner to optimize my own and the safety of others in the laboratory.
I have read the safety rules and recommendations and agree to abide by them and to work in the laboratory in a reasonable and prudent manner to optimize my own and the safety of others in the laboratory.
Signature ______________________________
Date ________________
All contents copyrighted (c) 1998
Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D., Professor of Science, Colorado Mountain College
All Rights reserved
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