GAZİANTEP ÜNİVERSİTESİ

 

STUDENT LABORATORY SAFETY

All students must read and understand the information in this document with regard to laboratory safety and emergency procedures prior to the first laboratory session. Your personal laboratory safety depends mostly on YOU. Effort has been made to address situations that may pose a hazard in the lab but the information and instructions provided cannot be considered all-inclusive.

With good judgment, the chance of an accident is very small. Nevertheless, research and teaching workplaces (labs, shops, etc.) are full of potential hazards that can cause serious injury and or damage to the equipment. Working alone and unsupervised in laboratories is forbidden if you are working with hazardous substances or equipment. With prior approval, at least two people should be present so that one can shut down equipment and call for help in the event of an emergency.

Safety training and/or information should be provided by a teaching assistant, technician, or staff member at the beginning of a new assignment or when a new hazard is introduced into the workplace.

Emergency Response

1. It is your responsibility to read safety and fire alarm posters and follow the instructions during an emergency
2. Know the location of the fire extinguisher, eye wash, and safety shower in your lab and know how to use them.
3. Notify your instructor immediately after any injury, fire or explosion, or spill.
4. Know the building evacuation procedures.

Common Sense

Good common sense is needed for safety in a laboratory. It is expected that each student will work in a responsible manner and exercise good judgement and common sense. If at any time you are not sure how to handle a particular situation, ask your instructor for advice.

DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING WHICH YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY FAMILIAR!

It is always better to ask questions than to risk harm to yourself or damage to the equipment.

Personal and General laboratory safety

1. Never eat or drink while working in the laboratory.
2. Read labels carefully.
3. Do not use any equipment unless you are trained and approved as a user.
4. Wear safety glasses or face shields when working with hazardous materials and/or equipment.
5. Wear gloves when using any hazardous or toxic agent.
6. Clothing: When handling dangerous substances, wear gloves, laboratory coats, and safety shield or glasses. Shorts and sandals should not be worn in the lab at any time. Shoes are required when working in the machine shops.
7. If you have long hair or loose clothes, make sure it is tied back or confined.
8. Keep the work area clear of all materials except those needed for your work. Coats should be hung in your room or placed in a locker. Extra books, purses, etc. should be kept away from equipment that requires air flow or ventilation to prevent overheating.
9. Disposal - Students are responsible for the proper disposal of used material if any in appropriate containers.
10. Equipment Failure - If a piece of equipment fails while being used, report it immediately a technician. Never try to fix the problem yourself because you could harm yourself and others.
11. If leaving a lab unattended, turn off all ignition sources and lock the doors.
12. Clean up your work area before leaving.
13. Wash hands before leaving the lab and before eating.

Electrical safety

1. Obtain permission by the safety coordinator before operating any high voltage equipment (extra precautions should be considered as voltage levels are increased)
2. Maintain an unobstructed access to all electrical panels.
3. Avoid using extension cords whenever possible. Extension cords should not go under doors, across aisles, be hung from the ceiling, or plugged into other extension cords.
4. Never, ever modify or otherwise change any high voltage equipment.
5. When attaching a high voltage power supply ALWAYS switch off the supply
6. When you are adjusting any high voltage equipment or a laser which is powered with a high voltage supply, USE ONLY ONE HAND. Your other hand is best placed in a pocket or behind your back. This procedure eliminates the possibility of an accident where high voltage current flows up one arm, through your chest, and down the other arm.

Chemical safety

1. Treat every chemical as if it were hazardous.
2. Make sure all chemicals are clearly and currently labeled with the substance name, concentration, date, and name of the individual responsible.
3. Never return chemicals to reagent bottles. (Try for the correct amount and share any excess.)
4. Use volatile and flammable compounds in a fume hood. Procedures that produce aerosols should be performed in a hood to prevent inhalation of hazardous material.
5. Never allow a solvent to come in contact with your skin. Always use gloves.
6. Never "smell" a solvent!! Read the label on the solvent bottle to identify its contents.
7. Dispose of waste and broken glassware in proper containers and report it to a lab technician.
8. Clean up spills immediately.

 

Additional Safety Guidelines

1. Never do unauthorized experiments.
2. Never work alone in laboratory.
3. Keep your lab space clean and organized.
4. Do not leave an on-going experiment unattended.
5. Never taste anything. Never pipette by mouth; use a bulb.
6. Never use open flames in laboratory unless instructed.
7. Check your glassware for cracks and chips each time you use it. Cracks could cause the glassware to fail during use and cause serious injury to you or lab mates.
8. Maintain unobstructed access to all exits, fire extinguishers, electrical panels, emergency showers, and eye washes.
9. Do not use corridors for storage or work areas.
10. Do not store heavy items above table height. Any overhead storage of supplies on top of cabinets should be limited to lightweight items only.
11. Areas containing lasers, biohazards, radioisotopes, and carcinogens should be posted accordingly. However, do not post areas unnecessarily and be sure that the labels are removed when the hazards are no longer present.
12. Be careful when lifting heavy objects.
13. Clean your lab bench and equipment, and lock the door before you leave the laboratory.
14. Always talk to the course coordinators in case of any problem.

 

In addition, all students must read and fully understand the “I. Laboratory Safety” chapter, which is the first section of the MET208 Materials Laboratory Manual.