Laboratory Regulations and Safety Procedures
Q: What's the difference between Chemistry and cooking?
A: In Chemistry, you should never lick the spoon.
Strict safety regulations will be enforced in the chemistry laboratory. The rules are listed below, with first-aid procedures for common lab mishaps. Everyone must complete the following on-line safety tutorial at least once while taking lab at Wellesley College: http://208.253.167.20/cgi-bin/training/chem_hygiene/chem_hygiene_pass.pl.
Eye protection
- Safety glasses must be worn at all times in the laboratory.
- Contact lenses are not recommended. However they are permitted if the student signs a consent form, included as the last page in this manual.
Personal protection
- Wear proper clothing--no shorts or sandals. You may not want to wear your nicest clothing.
- Long hair must be tied back.
- No smoking, drinking, or eating. (No water bottles of any kind are allowed in lab.)
- Never work alone.
- No horseplay or unauthorized experiments.
- Know the location and operation of all safety equipment: fire extinguishers, showers, eye washes, acid/base neutralizers.
- NEVER smell a chemical by putting your nose into a container.
Chemical waste
- Dispose of all waste materials as directed.
- Use the proper waste containers, never mix wastes.
Using heat
- Never point the open end of a test tube toward anyone.
- Check for flammables before lighting a Bunsen burner.
- Never leave a flame or heat source unattended.
- Never heat something with a lid on it. It will explode!
Handling chemicals
- Run any reactions that produce objectionable odors in the hood.
- NEVER pour water into concentrated acid. Pour the acid slowly into the water with constant stirring.
- Reagent bottles:
- Read the labels carefully.
- Do not contaminate reagent bottles.
- Transfer what you need into a beaker.
- Pour with the label facing up.
- Do not insert anything into a reagent bottle.
- Never return unused chemicals to reagent bottles.
- Do not take more reagent than is required for an experiment.
Other procedures
- Report all injuries to the Instructor immediately.
- After an experiment, turn off gas and water; clean up desk, balance area, and hood.
- Performing unauthorized experiments will result in course failure.
- Always read the safety section for each experiment.
- Students who are pregnant should have a private, confidential conference with their Instructor.
- Students with any disabilities, physical or learning, should meet with their Instructor to discuss any accommodations needed for lab.
FIRST AID
Call for help immediately if you suffer an injury or a spill!
For any spilled acids or bases, first aid should begin by washing with lots of water. ALWAYS USE WATER FIRST.
- For base burns, follow the water wash by rinsing with a 5% ammonium chloride solution, available on the shelf on the side wall of the lab. Then wash again with water.
- For acid burns, follow the water wash by rinsing with a sodium bicarbonate solution, available on the shelf on the side wall of the lab; then wash with water.
DO NOT APPLY OINTMENTS OR SALVES TO A SERIOUS BURN EXCEPT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A PHYSICIAN. Contact your Instructor for assistance.
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