1. Proper care of equipment and working areas is the first step in safety. A neat and orderly working area promotes safety.
2. Always use common sense in the lab. If you are unsure of yourself or your equipment or if you do not understand something, do not proceed with your experiment. Consult with the instructor.
3. Eye Protection shall be worn by all employees, students & visitors when deemed appropriate in laboratories and stockrooms where hazardous chemicals are in use.
4. No eating, drinking or smoking is permitted in the laboratory areas. No foodstuffs or beverages will be stored in the laboratory area or the laboratory refrigerators or freezers.
5. Lab coats/aprons will be worn when deemed appropriate by supervisors. Laboratory coats should be cleaned immediately upon significant contamination.
6. Appropriate gloves will be available at all times.
7. Long hair must be kept tightly in place. Hair and loose clothing catch fire very easily.
8. If the chemicals are capable of significant skin damage, (or have LD5-(dermal) of less than 50 mg/Kg), or are readily absorbed through the skin, gloves must be worn when working with the chemical.
9. Only those biological materials or chemicals for which the ventilation system is adequate shall be used in a laboratory.
10. The use of excess chemicals will be avoided whenever possible.
11. No chemical is to be tasted or inhaled deeply. Any apparatus that may discharge toxic chemicals must be vented into a hood.
12. Laboratory personnel before use in an experiment will inspect equipment for cracks, frayed cords, etc.
13. Equipment will only be used for designed purpose. If an apparatus should fail, a large warning sign will be placed on the equipment and a repair order submitted.
14. All glassware will be inspected before use. No damaged glassware (internal cracks, stars, blisters) will be used. All chipped and cracked are to be fire-polished before use.
15. Proper safety techniques will be followed for insertion of glass tubing or thermometers through stoppers and corks.
16. Ventilation hoods will be checked at the beginning of each day when the laboratories are in use. All hoods will be checked annually by EH&S. Laboratory hoods will remain on whenever chemicals with toxic vapors are present in the hood. Hood doors should be lowered when not being actively used. Do not block vents or airflow with stored material.
17. When exiting laboratory, all areas of exposed skin should be washed, especially the hands and forearms if they were unprotected.
18. No horseplay of any type is allowed in the laboratory.
19. No mouth pipetting is permitted in the laboratory.
20. Gases and vapors presenting fire or health hazards must be vented into a hood. You will be told when the hoods should be used.
21 .Always add acid to water and not vice versa. When a drop of water is put into some concentrated acids, the heat evolved is sufficient to change the water into steam and spattering occurs. Therefore, never pour water into acids.
22. If an employee becomes pregnant, the department should be notified immediately. A review of the chemicals the fetus might be exposed to should be completed by the attending physician as soon as possible, and alternative arrangements made if these chemicals are deemed teterogenic.
23. Before Embryotoxins (examples: organomercurials, lead compounds, formamide), Moderate Chronic or High Acute Toxicity (examples: diisopropylflurophosphate, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide) or High Chronic Toxicity (examples: dimethylmercury, nickel carbonyl, benzo-a-pyrene, n-nitrosodiethylamine) chemicals are used specific personnel protective equipment and handling rules will be written and implemented.
If chemical is splashed into the eyes, flush with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and transport to the nearest emergency room.
Refer to specific MSDS for appropriate action.
Flush affected area with water for 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing. If symptoms persist after flushing, seek medical attention. If spilled chemical was hydrofluoric acid or another fluoride compound, prompt medical attention is required.
See specific spill procedures.
Incident/Spill Report must be completed.
