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Rules, handling chemicals These rules help to prevent contamination of the chemicals, but can also be used to prevent users from having problems caused by undesirable events during use. I: BackgroundThere are a variety of hazards associated with working in a laboratory, just as there are hazards associated with cooking in a kitchen. Before you are allowed to begin any experiment involving chemicals, you must undergo training in chemical hazards, laboratory safety rules, and hazardous waste training. Then you must pass a safety quiz. You will also sign the Chemistry Lab Rules for Students and Safety Agreement. The purpose of this workshop is to make you aware of the hazards, so that you can minimize hazards to yourself and others in the laboratory. II: Safety Information for CHEM 115 StudentsMinimization of hazards requires everyone to follow safety and lab practice rules. Each CHEM 115 student will be required to pass a safety quiz with a 100% score before working with chemicals in the lab. Part A: Chemical HazardsAt the start of each exercise is a table of all of the chemicals used in the exercise and their associated hazards. (The following table is an example.) There are three types of information given in these tables—chemical classification, chemical hazard (possibility of), and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) code. The
chemical classification scheme is designed to help identify the dominant properties of a given chemical, and to help segregate incompatible chemicals. The chemical hazard defines the dominant type of hazard associated with the chemical. The NFPA code helps to identify some major hazard(s) that may be associated with the chemical. The definitions of the chemical classifications, chemical hazards, and the NFPA system are included in the introduction to the Laboratory Manual.
Chemical Classification and Potential Hazards of Chemicals Used in Experiment Poison A Flammable Gas Flammable Liquid Combustable Liquid Reacts with Water Oxidizer Organic Peroxide Poison B Corrosive Acid Corrosive Base Irritating or Harmful Misc. Hazard No Hazard Fire Sudden Release of Pressure Reactive Immediate (Acute) Health Hazard Delayed (Chronic) Health Hazard Fire Health Reactivity Special Precautions Part B: Equipment HazardsThere are hazards associated with working with equipment in labs. Although we have designed this course to minimize the hazards associated with chemicals and equipment, the chemicals and procedures described in these experiments do present hazards. You must understand what you are doing and take adequate precautions at all times. We enforce safety measures, such as the use of personal protective equipment, because we know that accidents can happen even in the best of circumstances. Caution: Part C: Laboratory SafetySpecific safety instructions for a particular experiment will be given during each pre-laboratory lecture. Caution: The most important way in which you can minimize hazards to yourself is by wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Minimization of hazards also requires that participants respect each other and keep in mind that there are multiple sections of lab using the same space each day. Keeping a neat and organized work area is one way to respect each other in the laboratory. Sharing the LaboratoryYour lab notebook, lab manual, and required apparatus are the only items allowed on the laboratory bench. Personal items, such as clothing and books, are not allowed on the laboratory bench, top shelf, or on the floor. These items must be stored in the designated storage area in the lab. We recommend that you bring only lab items to the lab. You can rent a hall locker in Science, Thornton Hall, Hensill Hall, or the gym to store other belongings. Locker equipment is shared across multiple sections of the laboratory. At the end of lab, please clean all glassware and return it to the locker. It does not have to be dry. Any community equipment used should also be cleaned and returned to its original location. Bottles of chemicals should have caps replaced on them immediately after use, and bottles should be placed where they were originally located. All workspaces should be wiped down before leaving for the day, and all trash thrown away. Personal Protective EquipmentAppropriate clothing and protective equipment can help to protect you if an accident occurs in the lab. The following are required.
Chemical splash goggles must be worn in the lab whenever anyone is doing experimental work. Do not take off your goggles until after you leave the lab. We strongly recommend chemical splash goggles with polycarbonate lenses and an anti-fog coating. The Uvex StealthTM model is an excellent choice. Many students complain of poor vision and/or headaches from wearing splash goggles. This is NOT a valid excuse to not wear goggles. Think of the poor vision you will have if you do not wear goggles and get chemicals in your eyes. Caution: Laboratory coats are required by the University in any room in which hazardous chemicals are used or stored. Students must purchase and wear lab coats. Lab coats should be transported in plastic bags, preferably sealed bags such as ZiplocTM bags. At the end of the semester, the University will launder lab coats. If you wish to have your lab coat laundered, you must turn it in for a voucher in the last week of the semester, and exchange the voucher for a clean lab coat of the same size (but not the exact same lab coat that you turned in) in the first two weeks of the following term. Instructions about this process will be provided at check-out at the end of the semester. RecommendedPowder-free latex gloves are recommended to minimize chemical exposure. If you have an allergy to latex, nitrile or vinyl gloves may be substituted. Gloves must be purchased by the student, and it is recommended that several students with the same size hands split the cost of a box of gloves for the semester. It is important to wear gloves that are the correct size—loose gloves are themselves a hazard. Gloves are available at the bookstore, as well as at CostcoTM. It is also recommended that you wash your hands after lab before eating anything. Use of Fume HoodsA typical work area for each student includes a bench-top fume hood. Any procedure that has the potential to release hazardous vapors must be performed directly in this fume hood. The apparatus must be positioned against the back wall of the fume hood. In this way, exposure to fumes is minimized for all participants in a laboratory. Part D: Safety and Chemical Handling RulesThe following table contains some of the laboratory rules that have been adopted by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to make this laboratory course as safe as possible. These rules will be strictly enforced by all staff and faculty members of the department. Continued infractions will be reported to the laboratory coordinator and could result in your removal from the class. Anyone found acting contrary to the rules will be excluded from the remainder of the lab period and assigned a zero for that day's work.
(b) Label all beakers, test tubes and glassware with the name of the chemical in the container. (b) Many chemicals look identical. Identify the contents. Part E: Safety ResponseIn general, the laboratory instructor should always be informed immediately if anything unexpected happens in the lab. Below are general guidelines on action to take for various incidents. Chemical SpillAnytime a chemical is not in the beaker or container it is supposed to be in, it is considered a chemical spill. The appropriate response depends on the magnitude of the spill and the nature of the chemical spilled. According to the SFSU Hazardous Waste Guidelines, "the initial observer of the incident shall attempt to contain the release, only if this action can be taken without risk to the individual."
FireA fire of any size should be immediately reported to the lab instructor and neighbors should be warned. A fire extinguisher is located in the lab, as is a bucket of sand to extinguish fires. Do not put water on a chemical or electrical fire. Use the sand or the fire extinguisher. Paper towels that have caught on fire can be put out with water—however, make sure you are putting water and not a clear, flammable chemical on the fire! EvacuationFollow instructions from the lab instructor should an evacuation be ordered due to fire, fire drill, spill, earthquake, or other emergency. There are multiple exits from the lab, including doors to other labs and the windows. For any serious injury or sudden illness, call campus police at 911 from any campus phone. Campus police have first responder and CPR training to assess the situation and decide if an ambulance needs to be called. Injury and Chemical ExposureThe lab instructor should be notified of any injury (cut or burn) or chemical exposure (inhalation, splash on skin, clothes or eyes) immediately, and their instructions should be followed. Caution:
Students will be escourted to Student Health Services under any of these circumstances for treatment, assessment, and follow-up. If a student is too ill or injured to be moved, call 911. Broken EquipmentAny broken or unsafe equipment should be reported to the laboratory instructor. Broken GlasswareAny broken glassware should be carefully disposed of in the broken glass container (not in the regular garbage can). All fragments should be swept up with the whisk and dust pan and disposed of in the broken glass container. Full or Missing Waste BottleInform the instructor that a waste bottle is needed and follow any instructions. Keep waste in a beaker on your bench until a waste bottle is supplied. Part F: Hazardous Waste DisposalEvery student, faculty, or staff member who handles and generates hazardous wastes on campus must follow all procedures specified in the SFSU Hazardous Waste Guidelines, which are posted in every laboratory. Some aspects of these guidelines are taken care of on your behalf—your responsibilities include the following.
Part G: Proper Laboratory PracticesGuidelines for Good Laboratory PracticesThe following set of guidelines are designed to ensure that the lab runs smoothly and safely for all participants.
Guidelines for Keeping a Proper Laboratory Notebook
Where should chemicals be disposed of after the experiment is over?Option C is the correct answer.
Waste containers are collected by waste companies and the chemicals are treated and disposed of properly. Some elements are also extracted for reuse so they are not wasted.
What should be done with excess chemicals that have been removed from stock containers?d. Never return unused chemicals to their original containers. If you do so, you will be contaminating it. Dispose of the leftover in the proper “waste container”.
What should be done to the leftover bottles of chemicals?Metal containers must be triple-rinsed with water or other suitable solvent and air-dried. If the container is free of hazardous chemical residues, it may be placed in the regular laboratory trash. Otherwise, it should be disposed as medical waste.
What is the proper way to dispose of all materials used during the lab?Laboratory waste may disposed of in recycling, trash, laboratory glassware disposal boxes, sharps containers, or regulated medical waste boxes; it may need to be submitted to the Chemical Waste Program or Radioactive Waste Program pending contamination.
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