OSU’s General Chemistry Laboratory Safety Regulations

GENERAL PROTECTION

1. Eye protection in the form of splash-proof goggles is to be worn at all times in the laboratory from the moment an experiment begins. Contact lenses are permitted but the same eye protection requirement is to be implemented.
2. Clothing is to be worn that covers the arms, legs, torso and feet. Shorts, Capri pants cutoffs, tank-tops, miniskirts, open-toed or heeled shoes and sandals are not permitted.
3. Long hair is to be tied back and loose clothing confined when working near Bunsen burner flames.
4. Eating, drinking, smoking, and applying cosmetics are prohibited in the laboratory at all times.
5. Treat all chemicals with respect. Before using any chemical, carefully read the attached label and hazard warnings. Avoid sniffing or inhaling chemicals and never touch or taste any chemical in the laboratory.
   
6. Keep chemicals as uncontaminated as possible.
   
7. Never return unused reagents to stock bottles. To minimize waste, do not take more of a chemical than necessary. Never use an open flame in the vicinity of a flammable substance.
8. Always add boiling beads before heating the liquid.
9. Never point a vessel toward your face or another person.
10. Evaporate solvents and dispense noxious chemicals in the fume hood.
11. When pipetting, always use a bulb to draw the liquid up and down. Never use your mouth!
12. Firmly clamp all apparatus when heating, cooling, or performing vacuum filtration.
13. When diluting acids, always add acids to water and not the other way around.
14. HOT glassware looks exactly the same as cool glassware. Be careful what you touch!

LABORATORY CONDUCT

1. Immature behavior is not tolerated and is strictly prohibited.
2. Aisles are to be kept free of obstructions and keep your work area free of clutter.
3. Follow directions carefully. Never deviate from the written procedures in your lab manual, unless directed to do so. If you are unsure about what to do, ask the Instructor.
4. Wash your hands frequently when working with chemicals and prior to leaving the laboratory.
5. Never pour chemicals down the sink unless your instructor or the lab manual directs you to do so. Always follow all instructions for the proper disposal of chemical waste.
6. Before leaving the lab, make sure that your bench top is clean and dry, that all gas outlets and water faucets are turned off, and that your locker is secured.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

1. Know the location of all safety devices in your lab. Know the quickest evacuation route from your lab in case of an emergency.
2. Always report accidents and injuries (cuts, burns, spills, allergic reactions etc.) to the Instructor, no matter how minor.
3. Immediately wash off all chemicals spilled onto the skin for 15 minutes with cold water. Notify the Instructor.
4. If chemicals splash into someone’s eyes, get them to the eyewash fountain quickly. Their eyes should be flushed with water for at least 15 minutes. Notify the Instructor.
5. In case of a serious cut, stop blood flow using direct pressure with a clean paper towel. Notify the Instructor.
6. In case of a chemical spill, immediately notify the Instructor.
7. In case of a broken glassware or thermometers, immediately notify the Instructor.
8. Extinguish small fires in containers by covering them. Let the Instructor use a fire extinguisher to put out fires. If a fire is too large to control, clear the lab as quickly as possible and pull the nearest fire alarm in the hallway.
9. If an accident occurs in which the instructor is the victim, immediately notify the Lab Coordinator (Room 243) or Storeroom Manager (Room 244). He/She will call 911.
10. If everything fails, call the relevant number among the following:
    OSU Health Center x 47665
    Stillwater Medical Center 372-1480
    FIRE : x 47241 (on campus) 372 - 0497 (off campus)
    POLICE : x 46523 (on campus) 372 - 4171 (off campus)
    AMBULANCE: 372-4171