Gaining Confidence In The LabUsing the MSDS

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Part 1: Naming names.

So you’ve just been reading the back of a bottle and you got a chemical that you want to know more about before you use it. What is the scientific chemical name of it? Hint: use your favourite search engine if you don’t know it from experience.

List any alternate names.

Now that you know some search terms to look up, use a search engine like DuckDuckGo to find an MSDS or SDS sheet. You should be able to find it using the scientific chemical name plus MSDS. If you have trouble finding it with that, use one of the alternate names you’ve already listed. Example: “sodium chloride MSDS” will get you to an MSDS sheet for table salt.

Download the PDF of chemicals you’d use on a regular basis for your home file. Otherwise, use the digital file to find the following information that you can use for your labs or just to learn something new.

Part 2: Getting familiar with your chemical

Familiarity breeds confidence. In this section we’re focusing on using the MSDS to prepare for using things smartly. That means using tools confidently, not foolishly.

Let’s be clear, here. Everything we do in life has a potential risk. That doesn’t mean we avoid life. We could get hit by a car when riding a bike, so we watch out for traffic. We could get burned by a spicy pepper while cutting it, so we wear gloves.

Using chemicals are the same way. Know the risks, prepare for them properly, and know what to do in case an accident happens.

Thankfully in the last 25 years I’ve been working in and around chemistry labs, I’ve only seen one accident. And that was only because someone wasn’t paying attention. Keep your head about you, and you’ll be fine.

Nali, keeping her mind on the task as she mixes a solution for buffering.

Every MSDS sheet will have a hazards section. Legally, they have to, even if it is just to list that there are no known hazards. Keep in mind, everything has some potential for being a hazard. Did you know you can explode flour? And salt can be corrosive? They can, if used in that way, yet we use them every kitchen.

Look for hazards like the ones listed below and the chemical interactions. You’ll want to know them both to make sure you don’t mix things in an unsafe manner.

These hazards are laid out as a grid with the symbol on the left and the description along with common precautions to take on the right. If you print out these sheets, you can use them as flashcards. Simply cut along the dotted lines and fold along the solid centre line.

Corrosion: Materials causing skin corrosion/burns or eye damage on contact, or that are corrosive to metals.

Precautions: Wear protective clothing, such as gloves and goggles.

Environmental Hazard: Chemicals toxic to aquatic wildlife. (Non-Mandatory)

Precautions: Neutralise before disposal.

Exclamation Mark: An immediate skin, eye or respiratory tract irritant, or narcotic.

Precautions: Use in a well ventilated area and wear protective clothing.

Exploding Bomb: Explosives, including organic peroxides and highly unstable material at risk of exploding even without exposure to air (self-reactives).

Precautions: Use in an open area (without clutter), use protective clothing, such as gloves, and read all safety materials first.

Flame: Flammable materials or substances liable to self ignite when exposed to water or air (pyrophoric), or which emit flammable gas.

Precautions: Do not use near flame or heat source. Do not use near water. DO have an appropriate fire extinguisher nearby.

Gas Cylinder: Gases stored under pressure, such as ammonia or liquid nitrogen.

Precautions: Don’t drop. Store in an area away from potential drops and hazards when not in use. Chain to wall for stability.

Health Hazard: A cancer-causing agent (carcinogen) or substance with respiratory, reproductive or organ toxicity that causes damage over time (a chronic, or long-term, health hazard).

Precautions: Use in a well ventilated area or in a hood. Use protective clothing.

Flame Over Circle: Identifies oxidizers. Oxidizers are chemicals that facilitate burning or make fires burn hotter and longer.

Precautions: Do not store near heat or flame. Do not use around open fire (unintentionally). DO have an appropriate fire extinguisher nearby.

Skull and Crossbones: Substances, such as poisons and highly concentrated acids, which have an immediate and severe toxic effect (acute toxicity).

Precautions: Use in well ventilated areas. Wear protective clothing.

In every lab we have showers and eye washes for quick washes if we were to spill anything on ourselves. When I first started my business and worked out of a tiny, one bedroom apartment kitchen, I kept a bucket of water nearby just in case. And, yes, as I study the nutrient cycles of heavy metals and toxins in the environment, I worked with highly toxic chemicals in my home.

I was nervous at first, but it turns out that the hood over your stove is actually quite perfect for removing problems from the air. I used a piece of stainless steel sheet from the family farm to make a flat work surface, turned on the hood fan, and got to work. It was safe and easy for all my higher risk chemistry needs, and remarkably easier to clean up than the Formica tables of university labs.

What potential hazard could your chemical have? Don’t forget other chemical interactions!

What precautions will you take?

What should you do in an emergency?

Part 3: Knowing How to Clean UpClean up. It’s a major part of the lab. Actually, it for every 5 minutes of fun lab time, you end up with about 20 minutes of clean up in the real world. (What did you think first year students did? Dishes! Endless dishes!)

No MSDS will have the disposal rules outline due to local regulations. However, you can often figure out what should be done with it by looking at the MSDS.

Look for a section that describes what you should do in case of “accidental release” or “spills.” Under that area it often tells you if it can be swept up, washed away, or other method.

What do you do in case of “accidental release”?

Chemistry Talk

After you’ve noted the information about cleaning up spills, look for the section that talks about environmental impacts and toxicology. If it says something to the effect of “not dangerous”, “not applicable”, or other such wording, you know it’s safe to dispose of in a trash can or flush down the drain with plenty of water.

What does it say about environmental and toxicology impacts?

Combine the two. What can you reasonably surmise about cleaning up your workspace?

It is rare that you have to neutralise a chemical before flushing it down the drain or disposing of it in a bag. In the case you do, it’s proper to contact your local waste management contacts to inquire about the best way to dispose of anything.

Furthermore, if you every have a concern, don’t hesitate to contact your local waste management folks to get advice, not just local regulations.

Also, stock up on kitty litter. It’s useful to neutralise everything in just about any spill. It was the #2 clean up tool in the lab. #1 was copious amounts of water.

Chemistry Talk

Part 4: Storing Leftover Chemicals

After that, this part is SO EASY. Just look for the part of the MSDS that discusses storage.

What guidelines do they state to follow?

With that, you’re now ready to work safely and smartly in the lab. Enjoy discovering your world with confidence!

Did you like this worksheet? Have feedback or questions? Reach out to me, Grace Conyers, the founder and CEO of Insanitek at gconyers@insanitek.net.

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