Standard Laboratory Practices and Safety Rules
1. Working Alone: Working alone with dangerous (e.g.
flammable, toxic, or caustic) chemicals or procedures is strictly forbidden in
the laboratory.
2. Eye Protection: Depending on the nature of the
procedure, safety glasses, goggles, or face shields are required. Check with
your supervisor.
3.
Apparel:
a. Lab coats, or jackets are strongly recommended to
protect your clothing.
b. Shoes are required at all times. Sandals are
discouraged since they provide no protection from spills.
c. Gloves should be worn when working with hazardous
chemicals or glassware at extreme temperatures.
Use the appropriate gloves for the work you are doing. Check with your
supervisor.
d. Dust masks and respirators should be worn when needed.
4. Eating and Drinking: The consumption of food or drink
in the lab is forbidden.
5. Hair and
Clothing: Long hair must be tied back and clothes with baggy sleeves should not
be worn in the lab
6. Emergency Equipment:
a. Eye wash fountains or bottles are available for all
laboratories. Treat splashes promptly.
Where is the
eye wash fountain closest to you?___________________________________________
b. Safety showers are accessible to all laboratories. If
your clothing is on fire or soaked with a corrosive chemical,
get under the shower. Safety showers usually have pull chains or bars that will
release copious amounts of water.
Remove any clothing that was soaked by
a chemical immediately. A loss of skin is much more severe than a loss of
modesty.
Where is the
safety shower closest to you?________________________________________________
c. First Aid
Kits are located in the laboratories. Report ANY cut or injury to your supervisor.
Where is the First Aid Kit located?______________________________________________________
d. Fire
extinguishers are located in all laboratories.
Where is the fire extinguisher located?___________________________________________________
7. Emergency Assistance: Each laboratory has a list of
emergency numbers for the Fire Department, Police, Rescue Squad,
and other emergency personnel.
Where is
this list
located?_________________________________________________________________
8. Transporting Chemicals: Never carry more chemicals than you can safely handle. Hold bottles
securely from the top
and bottom. Avoid carrying incompatible chemicals at the same time. Chemicals transported between floors should
be carried on carts up an elevator; never by hand on the stairs.
9. Right to Know: In order to provide safety information,
the Biology department has a laboratory guide, “Laboratory Information,
Safety and Policy Manual” available on-line at http://www.jmu.edu/safetyplan/lab/index.shtml.
Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS) for all chemicals received by the Biology department are available in
Burruss 243.
I have read and understand the Standard
Laboratory Practices and Safety Rules
Student Name
_______________________ Signature: Date________
(printed)
Supervisor Name:
____________________ Signature: Date________
(printed)