Assignment 3
Chemical laboratory lab
DUE DATE: 5/4/2021
Duaa Ameen
1734307
Rahaf Alsulmai 1705969
Lujain Alsulam 1706470
Razan Swidah
1734336
Introduction
The good design of laboratories increases the efficiency of the work and thus it increases the
safety of workers in the work area. There are some hazards that students and workers in Imam
Abdulrahman bin Faisal University's laboratories are exposed to. In this report, hazards will be
mentioned in Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University's laboratories associated with
flammable and combustible materials according to information available online. The chemical
laboratory inspection checklist of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University will be done
according to pictures, information, and student surveys available online. Finally, actions that
prevent the occurrence of hazards will also be mentioned.
Inspection checklist
Table 1 shows the chemical laboratory inspection checklist of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal
University.
Table 1 Inspection checklist [1]
Building: Faculty of science
Date: 2/4/2021
Q#
Inspector: Rahaf, Razan, Lujain, and Duaa
1
Laboratory Safety Inspection
Form
General Safety
The lab is maintained secure; the door is locked when no one is in the lab.
2
Appropriate clothing (no shorts or sandals) was worn by everyone in the lab.
3
4
Personal protective equipment (PPE) (i.e. lab coats, nitrile gloves, safety glasses, etc.) is available in labs
handling chemicals, infectious materials, or any other health/physical hazard.
Work and storage areas clear of clutter; access to exit is unrestricted.
5
No food or drinks found in labs.
6
Hazard sign posted on corridor door.
7
Emergency phone numbers & plan posted next to the phone.
8
Escape emergency exits
YES
NO
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Emergency safety
9 An alarm system that can be heard, tactile, and visualized clearly.
10 Emergency signs are provided
11 Easily accessible fire extinguishers.
✓
✓
✓
✓
Chemical Safety
12 Eyewash is not blocked; can be accessed easily.
✓
✓
13 Fume hood free of clutter and stored chemicals.
14 Appropriate labels are found on all hazardous chemical containers.
✓
N/A
✓
15 Flammable liquid storage is limited to 25 gallons/room w/o flammable cabinet.
16 No flammable chemicals are stored in a regular refrigerator.
✓
✓
✓
17 All compressed gas cylinders capped when not in use.
18 Shelves and chemical containers in good condition (no leaks, rust).
19
 Chemical cabinets labeled (e.g., flammable, acid, base)
✓
20 Chemicals separated and stored by class (e.g., store acids away from bases, reducing agents away from
oxidizing agents)
21
 Flammable liquids stored in approved safety containers or solvent cabinet
✓
22
 Flammable liquids are stored away from ignition sources (burners, hotplates, electrical units, etc.).
✓
Hazardous Waste
20 Waste containers are in good condition (not leaking, rusted, bulging, or damaged).
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
21 Waste separated by class and clearly labeled (substance, amount, date added) in proper, closed containers
22 Each container is marked with the words “Hazardous Waste”.
23 Each container is marked with full chemical names identifying the contents stored inside (no abbreviations
or formulas).
24 Waste containers are kept closed unless adding waste.
25 Waste containers storing liquid hazardous waste at or near sinks and drains are stored within secondary
containment.
26 Secondary containment is in good condition (free of cracks, gaps, and impervious to leaks).
✓
✓
✓
Hazards and prevention action
After completing the inspection form for the lab, it is essential to identify the hazard and
suggest corrective actions to ensure a safe laboratory environment. Every chemical lab should
have a plan to ensure safety practices for all students and users. The plan should contain
providing good housekeeping of flammable and combustible material, keeping the lab area
clean, and performing regular maintenance. The following table shows the different types of
hazards and the proper prevention actions to be done to reduce the probability of accidents
occurring.
Table 2 Hazard types and prevention actions
Hazard
Prevention actions
Picture (if any)
Chemical hazard:
1. Proper housekeeping [2]
Flammable and chemicals can

produce vapors and fumes
during the experiment which
liquids in closed containers.

can be harmful if inhaled in
strong concentrations and it
can
settle
on
Keep the flammable and combustible
Sperate the storage of flammable and
combustible liquids and gases.

Store
the
materials
that
can
be
hands,
decomposed into toxic components from
fingernails, beards, and facial
contact with a hot, moist environment in a
hair.
cool place.
While
concentrations
Lower
can
cause

Materials with the ability to ignite easily
headaches, and nausea and in
(under normal conditions) should be kept
the Long run can lead to
in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated storage
dangerous illnesses such as
place.
cancer.

Sperate acids from bases and chemicals
that could generate toxic gases.

Keep away any source of ignition, flames,
or sparks near the storage area.

Provide spill cleanup materials.

Apply continuous inspection to the
storage area.
Chemical hazard:
Chemical
molecules
flammable
vapor
can
and

be labeled properly with a full description.
be
ingested when Corrosive and
All liquids and chemical materials should

Compressed gas cylinders should be
are
stored and secure in an upright position
suspended on the water bottle
with caps securely in place whenever the
or the food which can cause
cylinder is not used.
irritant
immediate
chemicals
coughing
throat irritation.
and

Fire hazard:
Flammability
of
Always keep the chemical fume hood
clean to capture vapors when flammable
the
substances are used.
material, some of them have
the potential to explode
when ignited. in addition,
2. Chemical waste [2]
some

chemical
and
flammable material is not
stable chemically and can
be
reacted
with
flammable waste and scarp.


Fire hazard:
Compressed gas cylinders if
Label all waste containers with the right
contents.
with the water leading to fire
or burn.
Storing waste in clean drums made of
compatible material.
other
chemicals surrounding it or
Remove immediately the combustible or

Do not dispose of the liquid waste in the
sink or drains.

Empty flammable and combustible liquid
containers are not safe since they might
not capped properly it will
contain little amount of liquid that could
expose the people to various
create an explosion hazard.
hazards such as fire and
explosion, toxicity, oxygen
displacement, and also if all
the fire triangle component
3. Fire extinguishers [2]

readily and accessible place without
founded this will lead to an
explosion.
Provide firefighting equipment in a
harming the users.

Train laboratory assistants and students to
use the fire extinguisher in the right way.

Avoid using the fire extinguishers without
supervision or being well-trained.

Provide proper fire extinguishers for
different classes of combustible materials.

Check continuously the expiration date of
portable extinguishers.
4. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
[4]
Fire
and
explosion

hazard:
Eye
protection:
Safety glasses
and
Chemical goggles
When storing the containers

Lab Coats
of

Face Protection: Face shields worn
flammable
and
combustible materials in a
place that may have contact
over safety glasses.

Hand Protection: Chemically Resistant
with water will lead to the
Gloves and Gloves for Protection against
risk of corrosion that can
Heat or Cold
lead to an explosion of these

liquids [3]
Fire
and
Respiratory Protection: atmospheresupplying such as respirators airline
explosion
respirator and self-contained breathing
hazard:
apparatus, air-purifying respirators
the waste of flammable and
such
combustible
respirator and Full-face air-purifying
material
in
containers which are not
as
Half
face
air-purifying
respirator
labeled properly, or the
name of the substance is
5. Firefighting system [4]
written like a formula or

Suitable sensors
abbreviation this can lead to

An alarm system that can be heard, tactile,
flammable or combustible
and visualized clearly.
liquids getting mixed with

Electronic sprinklers for fire resistance
other substances by mistake

Provide
and this can be dangerously
volatile [3].
manual
inappropriate places.
extinguishers
6. Safety signs [4]

General Warning

Explosive Materials

Flammable Materials

Toxic Materials

Low Temperature

No food & drink sign
7. Maintain adequate ventilation
Conclusion
In conclusion, this assignment was a helpful tool to enhance our knowledge regarding how to
prepare a checklist and inspect the chemical lap, which will help to identify and analyze the
different hazards associated with the place. Since the chemical lab is one of the most places
that have many hazards, so safety action and prevention should be provided to save the worker
in this place. Finally, this assignment was a good way to learn how to suggest a prevention
action and recommendation.
References
[1] “Environmental Health and Safety,” Lab Safety Inspection Checklist. [Online]. Available:
https://ehs.stonybrook.edu/programs/laboratory-safety/general-laboratory-safety/lab-safetyinspection-checklist.php. [Accessed: 02-Apr-2021].
[2] “Vice Deanship of Quality & Strategic Planning Health ...” [Online]. Available:
https://www.iau.edu.sa/sites/default/files/resources/col_eng_safety_mgt_plan_0.pdf.
[Accessed: 02-Apr-2021].
[3] “Handling and Storing Flammables - The Hazards,” Safety Storage UK, 24-Jul-2019.
[Online].
Available:
https://safetystoragesystems.co.uk/blog/hazards-storing-flammables/.
[Accessed: 01-Apr-2021].
[4] Graphical symbols. safety colors and safety signs. (n.d.). doi:10.3403/30197378u