General Safety Rules and Equipment
- Familiarize yourself with location of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, eye wash, and safety shower.
- Learn location of emergency exits and procedure to follow when alarm sounds.
- Shoes must be worn at all times in the laboratories.
- Eating, drinking, and smoking are prohibited in laboratories.
- Goggles or safety glasses must be worn in all "wet" labs and in other areas at the direction of the lab instructor.
- Contact lenses are not recommended.
- Do not work in a laboratory wearing loose hair, loose clothing or dangling jewelry.
- Leave coats, books, etc. in lockers provided outside of laboratories.
- Do not run electrical cords or tubing across the floor.
- Do not work alone in the laboratory after normal hours.
- When in doubt, ask to find out; don’t guess.
Glassware:
- Use only pyrex or shatterproof glassware.
- Keep glassware away from edges of lab bench.
- Do not place "rollable" glassware on its side.
- Insert tubing properly into stoppers (i.e. use lubricants, hand protection).
Equipment:
Gas Cylinders and Vacuum Systems:
- Before using an instrument or machine, be sure to know how to turn it off in case of emergency.
- Mount equipment securely and properly.
- Check all electrical connections and mounting bolts before each use.
- Check that all rotating parts are free to turn, and that there is no mechanical obstruction before starting.
- Attach an "emergency shutdown card" (available from the Science Center Office) to any piece of equipment left operating
- unattended outside normal working hours.
- Secure gas cylinders with a strap or chain, whether or not they are in use.
- Transport gas cylinders, with cap on, on a proper cart.
- Do not use grease on gauges or connections.
- Use the proper regulator for the gas being used.
- Before using gas in an experiment, be sure there are no leaks in the system. Toxic gases must be vented to the hood.
- Be certain that your vacuum system has a trap.
- Use only containers which can withstand evacuation.
- When possible wrap with tape the containers to be evacuated.
- Whenever possible, vacuum pumps should be vented to the hood.
- Used vacuum pump oil is a hazardous waste and should be brought to the stockroom for disposal.