General Laboratory Safety Quiz

General Laboratory Safety

• Safe working protects lab workers (you, other lab workers, cleaners, visitors), and your work.

Protecting Yourself

• Wear complete personal protective equipment (PPE) when in the lab.
• Lab coats must be fastened.
• Maintain proper lab behavior.
• Wear closed-toe shoes.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing

Protecting Yourself - Additional Points

• Loose clothing should not be worn in a lab. Loose clothing can get caught in flames or dip into chemicals.
• Avoid sandals, open-toed shoes and skimpy clothing.
• Long hair must be tied back.
• Remove jewelry and accessories.
• Any footwear that exposes part of the foot is not permitted in the lab.

Protecting Yourself - Safety Goggles

• Appropriate eye protection is essential at all times.
• Wear safety goggles when working with chemicals, glass, or heat.

Protecting Yourself - Gloves

• Select the correct protective gloves for the task.
• Select gloves according to the substances used.
• Remove gloves before using instruments, phones, or leaving the lab.
• Available glove types include butyl rubber, neoprene, nitrile, and latex.

Laboratory Hygiene

• Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the lab.
• Avoid applying cosmetics in the lab.
• Do not touch your face, mouth, or eyes.
• Avoid sucking or chewing on pens or pencils.
• Wash hands thoroughly before leaving and especially before eating.

General Safety Rules

• No food or drink in the lab.
• Students are not permitted in the lab without an instructor present.
• Only registered science course students with lab sections are permitted in the laboratory.
• Eye protection must be worn at all times.
• Maintain proper workspace tidiness.
• Wash hands frequently, especially before leaving the lab.
• Do not wear lab coats, gloves, etc outside the lab.
• Be well prepared before entering the lab.

General Hazards in a Lab

• Fire
• Breakage of glassware
• Sharps
• Spillages
• Pressure equipment and gas cylinders
• Extremes of heat and cold
• Chemical hazards
• Biological hazards
• Radiation

Always Add Acid to Water

• Always add acid to water.
• "Do not spit into acid!" is a good phrase to remember.

Avoiding Fires

• Use minimal quantities of flammable substances.
• Store flammables in designated storage cabinets.
• Use temperature-controlled heating sources.
• For example, use a water bath instead of a hot plate or Bunsen burner.

Work with Volatile Chemicals

• Work with those chemicals under fume hoods.

Glassware

• Use appropriate glassware insertion techniques.
• Never use glassware under pressure or vacuum unless expressly designed for that purpose and suitably shielded.
• Dispose of chipped or broken glassware in designated glass bins or sharps bins.
• Avoid picking up broken glass directly, instead sweep up glass using a broom or dustpan.

Heat Test Tubes

• Hold test tubes at an angle when heating them, ensuring that the opening points away from yourself and other people in the lab.

Do not Smell Chemicals Directly

• Do not smell chemicals directly.
• Use your hand to fan the vapor toward your nose, if absolutely necessary.

Do not Pipet Solutions by Mouth

• Do not pipet solutions by mouth.
• Use a rubber suction bulb or other suitable device to fill a pipette.

Spillages

• Clear up spills promptly.
• Follow your risk assessment procedures.
• Dispose of hazardous materials as toxic waste.

Remember Lab is for Serious Work

• Careless behavior may endanger yourself and others and will not be tolerated.

Washing Your Hands

• Wash your hands with soap and water before leaving the lab. This rule applies even if you have been wearing gloves.

Electrical Equipment

• Always do a visual check of electrical equipment before use to identify any wear or defects.
• Do not use defective equipment.

General Tidiness

• Keep your workspace tidy.
• Clear up waste and properly clean up equipment used.
• Ensure everything is safe before leaving unattended.
• A tidy laboratory helps avoid accidents.

Waste Materials

• Dispose of lab waste materials safely.
• Segregate solvents and oils into correct waste categories (bottles/drums).
• Your department will guide on the proper disposal methods.
• Do not put materials into the drain or dispose of them with normal waste products unless authorized.

Laboratory Equipment

• Do not operate lab equipment without proper training and authorization.
• Improper use can lead to injury or costly damage.

First Aid Training

• All lab workers should complete basic first aid training.
• Follow protocol for chemical splashes (wash with water for 15-20 minutes.).
• Control bleeding with direct pressure (avoid foreign bodies like glass).
• Report all accidents to the instructor or laboratory assistant promptly.

Know the Safety Equipment

• Familiarize yourself with lab safety equipment (sink, eye wash fountain, safety shower, fire extinguisher, and emergency exits).
• Note: Never spray a person with a fire extinguisher.

Protecting Your Health

• If you have allergies to lab materials or other medical conditions, inform your lab instructor.

What to Do In Case of an Accident

• Report all accidents immediately to your instructor.
• Follow specific procedures for broken glass, small chemical spills, and large chemical spills.
• For chemical splashes, don't remove goggles until after rinsing.
• Follow specific procedures in case of chemical splash on clothing or body. Use the safety shower.

Small, Confined, and Large Fires

• For small, confined fires, use a lid or something similar to cover the container.
• For small, open fires, move away and shout for help. Use a fire extinguisher.
• For large fires, shout for help, evacuate the area, follow fire alarm directions, and tell everyone where the fire is.

Your Clothing is on Fire

• If your clothing catches fire, stop moving, drop to the ground, roll on the ground to extinguish the flames. Yell continuously.

Fire Alarm

• If a fire alarm sounds, evacuate the building promptly.

Evacuation Procedures

• Turn off all flames and unplug equipment.
• Follow instructor's instructions.
• Gather belongings (keys, purse, etc.).
• Walk calmly out of the lab, down the hall, and down the stairs or through designated exits.

What to Do in Case of an Injury or Illness

• For small cuts, tell your instructor and let them inspect the wound. Wash thoroughly with water.
• For large cuts, apply pressure to the wound. Seek medical attention immediately.
• For small burns, immediately apply cold running water to the area. Avoid ointments.
• For large burns or other serious injuries, inform your instructor. Tell them what happened so they can help you. Also, the campus security/EMS may be contacted.
• For other injuries, notify your instructor.

Fainting and Breathing Difficulties

• If you experience fainting, notify your instructor or lab partner.
• If you experience breathing difficulties, notify your instructor and lab partner or staff immediately.

When in Doubt—Ask!!!

• Do not carry out a new or unfamiliar procedure without proper training and understanding.
• Do not guess.

What's Wrong In This Picture? - Analysis of Lab Behavior

• This section involves critiquing unsafe laboratory behavior in images.