LAB SAFETYHonors Chemistry

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Introduction • Safety in the laboratory should be first and

foremost • Accidents in a chemical laboratory may have the

potential of resulting in serious consequences. • Common laboratory accidents include cuts,

burns, contact with corrosive or toxic chemicals, and the inhalation of volatile fumes.

• The occurrence of each of these accidents, and others, can be minimized if simple safety precautions are followed.

Proper Attire • Clothing that covers your body and fits comfortably should be

worn. Clothing that is loose can be a hazard and knock over glassware or

catch fire in a flame. Clothing that is tight will hold chemicals close against your skin.

• Shoes should protect your feet and not be made of cloth (chemicals can leak through) or open-toed.

• Jewelry should be removed; watches and rings can hold chemicals against the skin.

• Hair should be pulled back• Rinsed you hands in the sink immediately if you touch

corrosive chemicals and notify your instructor.

What should I wear in the lab…

• if I am going to work with chemicals and flames?

• Goggles, apron, and closed-toe shoes

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Closed Toed Shoes• The Safety Code of most schools will

not approve of open foot ware; so avoid sandals or flip-flops

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Eye Protection • Eye protection must always be worn while in a chemistry

laboratory. • This is not simply due to common sense, but also

government regulations. Safety goggles or glasses with side shields are needed.

• If a chemical gets into your eyes, you must quickly get to the eyewash and flush your eyes with water, while rolling them back and forth, for no less than 20 minutes.

• Ideally, eye contacts should not be worn in the laboratory; however, if an accident occurs and you have eye contacts in, you must try to remove them immediately.

Personal Safety: Goggles

• NO!!!!!!!

• YES!!!!!!!!!

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EYE WASH

• If you get something from the lab in your in your eye—

• GET IT OUT IMMEDIATELY! • Run some water through the eyewash

fountain before you use it. • Retract your eyelid (hold it open); • Don’t squint—this restricts water access. • Run fresh water over your eye for several

minutes. • Go to the school nurse immediately

afterward.

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THINK!

• Accidents in the lab can be prevented!

• You are the most likely cause of an accident!

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Read the Lab First

• Read the lab procedure prior to starting the lab.

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No Horseplay

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Disposing of Matches

• To prevent a possible fire, matches should be quenched with water, NOT thrown into the waste can directly.

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Where’s the Safety Equipment?

–Fire Extinguishers –Fire Blanket –Eye-wash Fountain –First-Aid Kit

 

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Fire Safety Small fires can be extinguished by covering them with a

container, such as a beaker, to eliminate oxygen. Moderately sized fires require the use of a fire extinguisher. Large fires require the evacuation of the building and notifying

the fire department. If your clothing catches fire, the best extinguisher is water

from the safety shower. If a safety shower is not available, you can fall to the floor and

cover yourself with a fire blanket. Make sure you are aware of the location of the safety shower

and fire blanket prior to performing any experiments. Synthetic clothing fibers melt during combustion and produce

hot liquids that stick to the skin. It is best to wear natural fibers, such as cotton, for fire safety when working in the laboratory.

Fire Extinguishers

• the carbon dioxide extinguisher is red

• To use – PASS

• (press, aim, squeeze, spray)

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Safety Shower• Shower should be used for

dire EMERGENCY only! • Use if your clothing is on

fire or if you spilled a massive amount of a dangerous chemical on yourself and need to get it off rapidly.

• Position yourself (or your lab partner) under the safety shower and pull ring

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Fire Blanket

• Wrap it around the victim to smother the fire.

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Fire Extinguisher

• Pull Pin • Aim

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Fire Extinguisher

• Squeeze the handle to begin operation.

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First Aid Kit  

• These items may be used temporarily for small injuries (say, a cut finger) Go to the school nurse immediately afterward.

• Do not wait until the end of the day.

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First Aid Kit

• STAY AWAY from BLOOD! Let the victim apply his/her own bandage.

• If blood is on the floor or lab table, let trained personnel do the clean-up.

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Volatile and Toxic Chemicals • Many volatile and toxic chemicals must be used in a fume hood.• Many toxic fumes have a pungent smell that can be overpowering

(e.g., ammonia). • Other toxic fumes may not be as noxious, but may cause respiratory

or other health damage. • It is important not to breathe either of these fumes. Fume hoods

are enclosed workspaces that draw these fumes away from the user and out of the building. Most fume hoods have a safety-glass window that can be used to shield the user from violent or vigorous reactions. Fume hoods can also be used to remove flammable fumes that may pose a fire hazard.

• Because potentially hazardous chemicals are found in the laboratory, it is important not to eat in the laboratory to reduce the possibility of ingestion of a hazardous chemical.

FUME HOOD

• Use the HOOD for reactions that give off vapors, especially smelly vapors.

• The draft of the HOOD will sweep away vapors so that the lab itself maintains reasonable air quality

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Broken Glass

• Sweep it up right away

• Don’t track in it all period.

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Broken Glass

• Place the broken glass in the designated box.

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Handling of Acids or Bases

• "Vinyl" gloves or "nitrile" gloves (often green or blue in color) are preferred.

  • You probably will

not use extremely dangerous materials in high school.

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If the fire alarm rang, be sure to …

• Turn off Bunsen burner

• Turn off Electrical equipment

• Shut off Gas valves

• Close chemical containers

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If you need to leave the lab table to go to the bathroom,

• Be sure someone is watching your lab station

• Shut off the gas valve and electrical equipment

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What should you bring back with you to the lab?

• A. Book Bag

• B. Something to write with

• C. Lab sheet

• D. Textbook

• E. Lunch

• ANSWER: B and C

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NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• No UNAUTHORIZED experiments!

• These are terrible dangers in unskilled hands.

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NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No EATING or DRINKING in the LAB.

A good practice is to assume everything in the lab is toxic.

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No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• DO NOT drink from lab equipment.

• NOT EVEN distilled water.

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Pipets• When using

pipets, DO NOT suck the liquid into the pipet directly by mouth.

• DO use a rubber bulb to create a vacuum.

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NO

YES

use the beaker tongs to pick up hot beakers

• Remember hot and cold glassware looks alike

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Never use glassware that is…

• Chipped

• Dirty

• Cracked

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Testing of Odors

–Do NOT smell the flask directly.

•  

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NO

Wafting YES

If you absolutely must test the odor, carefully waft the vapor from the flask toward your nose with your hand.

Keep the flask quite distant from your face.

 

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Heating Test Tubes

Make sure that reaction tubes, e.g. test tubes, are not directed toward yourself or other persons.

The chemicals may splatter out the tube.

 

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NO

Heating Test Tubes

• Aim away from you and all people!

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DO NOT add WATER to ACIDS

• DO NOT add WATER to CONCENTRATED ACID.

• The heat generated may cause splattering.

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Do add Acids to Water

• DO add ACID to WATER instead of the reverse order of addition.

• The heat generated will be less, but splattering still may occur.

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