Safety

• Departmentally-approved safety eyewear is to be worn at all times in the laboratories.  Contact lens wearers must alert the course instructor.  These regulations apply to faculty, students, and visitors.
• No eating, drinking or smoking is allowed in the laboratories; long hair must be tied back.  No shorts, bare feet or open-toed shoes (e.g., sandals) are allowed. 
• Report any cut, burn, or inhalation of noxious or corrosive fumes to the instructor.
• Locate, and learn the use of, emergency equipment -- in particular the eyewash, the safety shower, the fire extinguishers, and the sodium bicarbonate for acid spills and burns.
• Be alert, and be safety-conscious -- if a fire starts, or noxious fumes are released, let the instructor and the class know immediately; rush a classmate to the eyewash or safety shower, if the need arises.
• Report all spills, and help in cleaning them up.  (Liquid spills on the floor present a real hazard, since these floors are very slippery when wet.)  Never try to pick up broken glass, always sweep it up (brushes and pans are available from laboratory instructor)and place in the appropriate container. 
• Don't stand on stools in order to read a buret, add a chemical through the top of a condenser, etc. 
• Be careful when handling thermometers, or removing them from protective cases.  Don't try to clean up spilled mercury -- notify the lab instructor.  Mercury is toxic if inhaled.
• All samples of chemicals no longer in their original containers must be labeled with your name, the identity and quantity of material(s) present, and the date.  Wastes must be collected in appropriate containers (see instructor) and labeled as above.
• Never put flammable material in a refrigerator or freezer that is not designated explosion proof.   
• Absolutely no pipetting by mouth is allowed.
• Unless explicitly stated otherwise by the lab instructor, no flames are allowed in the laboratory when flammable solvents are present
• Unauthorized experiments place yourselves and others in danger and will have a strong negative impact on your grade. In other words, don't do them.
• If you have any special situations that may affect your participation in the laboratory (e.g., pregnancy, disability, etc.), please inform the lab instructor.
• At the end of each work period, all chemicals must be stored appropriately in safety cabinets.
• All experiments in progress must be clearly labeled with your name, date and explanation of precautions.