Safety in the Chemistry Laborat

Safety in the Chemistry
Laboratory
In the laboratory, you will be working with equipment and materials
that can cause injury if they are not handled properly. Accidents happen
because of carelessness, haste, and disregard of safety rules and practices.
The laboratory can be a safe place to work, however, and accidents
can be avoided if you know what risks are present and take steps to
reduce them. Safety rules, for the laboratory are listed below. Before beginning
any lab work, read these rules and learn them. When working in the lab,
follow them carefully, if you have any questions about these rules, ask
your teacher before starting lab work.

General Precautions
1.Horseplay will not be tolerated. If this occurs,
those involved will be disqualified from the lab
and given a zero. Parents will be notified about unacceptable behavior.
2. Be prepared to work when you arrive at the laboratory. Familiarize
yourself with the lab procedures before beginning the lab.
3. Carefully follow all written and oral instructions. Perform only
those activities assigned by your teacher. Never do anything in
the laboratory that is not called for in the lab procedure or by
your teacher.
4. Notify your teacher if you have any medical problems that
might he affected by lab work, such as allergies or asthma.
5. Never work in the laboratory without supervision.
6. Never eat or drink in the laboratory.
7. Keep work areas clean and tidy at all times. Only notebooks
and lab manuals or written lab procedures should he brought
to the work area. All other items, such as books, purses, and
backpacks, should be left at your desk or in a designated storage area.
8. Wear appropriate clothing for working in the laboratory. Remove
jackets, ties, and other loose garments. Roll up or secure
long sleeves. Remove jewelry, such as dangling necklaces,
chains, and bracelets, that might present a hazard in the lab.
9. Tie back or cover long hair, especially in the vicinity of an
open flame.
10. Never wear open shoes or sandals in the laboratory.
11. Wear goggles and a lab coat or apron at all times during an
investigation.
12. Set up apparatus as described in the written laboratory procedures
or by your teacher. Never use makeshift arrangements.
13. Always use the prescribed instrument, such as tongs, test-tube
holder, or forceps, for handling apparatus.
14. Keep all combustible materials away from open flames.
15. Never put your face near the mouth of a container that holds
chemicals. Never smell any chemical directly. When testing for
odors, use a wafting motion to direct the odors to your nose.
16. Conduct any experiment involving poisonous vapors in a fume hood.
17. Dispose of waste materials as instructed by your teacher.
18. Know the location of emergency equipment, such as the first- aid kit,
eye-wash station, fire extinguisher, fire shower, and fire
blanket, and how to use them.
19. In case of chemical spills, notify your teacher immediately.
20. Report all injuries to your teacher immediately.

Handling Chemicals
21. Read and double-check labels on chemical bottle before removing any chemical from a container.
22. To avoid contamination, do not return unused chemicals to stock bottles.
23. When transferring chemicals from one container to another, hold the containers away from your body
24. Avoid touching chemicals with your hands. If chemicals do come in contact with your hands, wash them immediately.
25. Wear latex gloves when handling concentrated acids and bases.
26. When mixing an acid and water, add the acid to the water.

Handling Glassware
27. Carry glass tubing, especially long pieces vertical position
to minimize the likelihood of breakage and avoid stabbing
anyone.
28. Always wear heavy gloves when inserting of glassware,
such as tubing or a thermometer, into a stopper. Before inserting
glassware into a stopper, lubricate the glassware with water or
glycerin.
29. Do not place hot glassware directly on a table. Always use some
type of insulating pad.
30. Allow plenty of time for hot glass to cool before touching it.
Remember: Hot glass looks cool but can cause painful burns.
31. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Use a brush
and dustpan to clean up. Dispose of the glass as directed by
your teacher.

Heating Substances
32. Use extreme caution with gas burners. Keep your head and clothing away from the tame
33. Always turn off burners and hot plates when not in use.
34. Do not bring any substance into contact with a flame unless instructed to do so.
35. Never heat anything unless instructed to do so. Never leave anything unattended that is being heated or is visibly reacting.
36. When heating a substance in a test tube, make sure that the mouth of the
tube is not pointed at you or anyone else. Never look into a container that is being heated.
37. Know how to summon assistance.

In Case of Injury

If an injury should occur, it is important to remain clam. DO NOT PANIC! Notify your instructor immediately.
Be aware of the location of the first-aid kit and emergency equipment

First Aid
Accidents do not often happen in well-equipped chemistry laboratories
if students understand safe laboratory procedures and are careful to
follow them. When an occasional accident does occur, it is likely to be
a minor one. In many schools, the nurse is responsible for treating injuries. For
some types of injuries, though, you must take action immediately, before
the nurse takes over. Always notify your teacher if there is an injury in the classroom, no matter how minor it may seem.

Bleeding from a Cut
Most cuts that occur in the chemistry laboratory are minor. For minor
cuts, apply pressure to the wound with a clean, absorbent cloth. If blood
begins to soak through, add more layers of cloth. If possible, keep a
sheet of plastic over the topmost layer or wear latex or plastic gloves.
Take the victim to the nurse.
If the victim is bleeding badly, raise the bleeding part, if possible,
and apply pressure to the wound with a clean, absorbent cloth. While
first aid is being given, send someone to notify the school nurse.

Acid or Base Spilled on the Skin
Remove all clothing that has the chemical on it and flush the skin with
water for at least 15 minutes. Take the victim to the school nurse.

Chemicals in the Eyes
Getting any kind of chemical in the eyes is undesirable, but certain
chemicals are especially harmful. They can destroy eyesight in a matter
of seconds. Because you will be wearing safety goggles at all times during
investigations, the likelihood of this kind of accident is remote. However,
if it does happen, go to the nearest eyewash station and begin flushing the eyes with water immediately.

Chemicals in the Mouth

Many chemicals are poisonous to varying degrees. Any chemical taken into the mouth should
be spat out and the mouth rinsed thoroughly with water. DO NOT SWALLOW the water.

Fire

Turn off all gas outlets. Unplug all appliances. If your clothing catches fire, drop to the floor and
roll around to extinguish the flames. If you are helping another person whose
clothing is on fire, smother the flames by rolling the person on the floor, in a fire blanket, or in a heavy coat.

Fainting

Provide fresh air (for instance open the window). Move the person so that the head is lower than the rest of the body.

Clean-up

Dispose of chemicals as directed by your teacher. Return chemical containers to the
location you found them- most often lab supplies will be at your station.
All glassware from your drawer must be returned clean and dry.
Specialty glassware should be clean and dry atop your station.
Metal hardware should be dried to prevent rusting. Clean
and dry your lab table. Wash you hands with soap and water at the end of each laboratory exercise