Laboratory Safety Standards Quiz

Study Notes

Safety is the top priority when working in any laboratory.
Republic Act 11058 in the Philippines strengthens compliance with occupational safety and health standards related to chemical safety.

Exposure to chemicals can cause serious health effects, both immediate and long-term.
Inhalation is the most common form of chemical exposure in the workplace, including gases, vapors, mists, dusts, fumes, and smoke.
Eating and drinking are strictly prohibited in the laboratory to prevent chemical contamination.

Chemicals can cause irritation, burns, or vision loss through skin and eye contact.
Direct entry of chemicals into the body through punctures or wounds poses a serious health risk.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provide essential information on chemical properties, hazards, safe handling, storage, and emergency measures.
Standardized pictograms on labels are used to caution users of chemical hazards.

The NFPA hazard diamond is a color-coded system that rates a chemical's health, flammability, and reactivity hazards.
Proper labeling is necessary when disposing of chemicals, which can be obtained from the PCS laboratory.

DENR Administrative Order No. 2013-22 classifies hazardous waste produced in laboratories and provides corresponding waste numbers.
This classification supports the faster identification and proper segregation of waste products for disposal.

Essential PPE includes:
- Body protection: Lab coats and potentially chemical-resistant sleeves or aprons.
- Eye and face protection: Safety glasses with side shields, goggles for splashes, and face shields.
- Hand protection: Disposable nitrile gloves for incidental exposure and heavy-duty gloves for increased protection.
- Respiratory protection: Used when engineering controls like fume hoods are insufficient.

Label containers with the date they were first opened, especially for materials prone to form organic peroxides.
Specific storage guidelines must be considered based on chemical hazards:
- Acids and bases should be stored separately, away from incompatible materials.
- Flammables need to be stored in a flammable-safe refrigerator or cabinet, away from ignition sources.
- Oxidizers require storage in a cool, dry place separate from flammable materials.
- Peroxide-forming chemicals should be stored in airtight, dark, and cool conditions.
- Compressed gases need to be stored securely, upright, with labels indicating their status, and valve caps replaced when not in use.

Immediate rinsing with water is advised for skin or eye contact.
Seek medical attention if necessary and continue rinsing during transport.
Small chemical spills can be cleaned up with absorbent material and neutralized if necessary for acid or base spills.
For large spills, evacuate the area, close doors and windows, activate fire alarms, call 911, and report the incident to the supervisor.

Fire extinguishers are important for putting out fires.
Fume hoods are used to capture and remove hazardous airborne contaminants.
Safety showers and eyewashes serve as devices that wash chemicals off of people in emergency situations.