Laboratory Rules and Safety

INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD / SLOVAKIA & CZECH REPUBLIC, 2018

Chemistry laboratories contain certain inherent dangers and hazards. As a chemistry student working in a laboratory, you must learn how to work safely with these hazards in order to prevent injury to yourself and others around you. The following guidelines are here to help you.

Dress code You must wear a lab coat and keep it buttoned up. Footwear must completely cover the foot and heel (no sandals, flip-flops, mules, etc.). High heels are prohibited in the lab. Always wear safety glasses or prescription glasses when working in the lab. Do not wear contact lenses. Loose hair must be tied back. Do not wear any dangling jewellery.

Health and hygiene Do not eat or drink in the lab. Chewing gums are not allowed. Work only in the designed area. Keep your work area and the common work areas tidy. Wash your hands with soap before you leave the lab.

Work safety Read carefully through the procedure before you start working. No unauthorized experiments are allowed. No modification of the experiments is allowed. Do not taste chemicals. If it is necessary to smell a chemical, do so by fanning the vapours towards your nose. Never inhale directly. Use protective gloves when necessary. Do not pipet with your mouth. Always use a bulb pipette filler. Do not heat, measure or mix any chemicals in front of your face. Never heat glassware that is cracked or chipped. Glass and metal look no different when hot or cold. Be cautious! Always touch any item that has been heated very gently. When you need to lift a reaction flask after it has been heated, touch only the metal clamps.

INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD / SLOVAKIA & CZECH REPUBLIC, 2018

When performing extraction, make sure the separatory funnel stem is pointed away from people. Always hold the funnel around the stopcock. Always attach a clamp holder to a laboratory stand so that the opening for a clamp is pointing upwards - this prevents objects from falling down in case the holder become loose during use. Clean up spills and broken glassware immediately from both the bench and the floor. Except for emergency cases, running in a laboratory is prohibited.

Waste disposal All waste must be properly discarded to prevent contamination or injury. Non-hazardous water soluble/miscible lab waste is eligible for sink disposal. Other lab waste must be disposed of in a marked capped container.

First aid Any injury, however small, must receive immediate treatment. If you get any substance in your eyes, wash them immediately with cool running water. Keep washing for at least 15 minutes. Inform a lab assistant. If you burn yourself, hold the affected skin under a stream of running water for at least 10–15 min. Inform a lab assistant. If you cut yourself, inform a lab assistant and cover the wound as soon as possible with a sterile dressing.