ACA
SCIENCE
LAB
SAFETY
MANUAL
ACA Science lab. Manual
Laboratory Safety
The Science Laboratory is a place where everyone working inside the laboratory area must
show full responsibility. Responsibility inside the lab is detailed in the following points:
1.
You have to come prepared to work. It is very important that you know and
understand exactly the experiment that you will conduct, and start work only if you are
sure that you know exactly what should be done. Lab. period is not the time to ask
questions about the experiment. All your questions should be answered before
coming to the Lab. Period.
2.
You must never work inside the laboratory. The science lab. is a place of hazard It is
very dangerous to work alone, unattended by a supervisor in the lab.
3.
You must listen carefully to the instructions given by your lab. Supervisor. Do exactly
what the instructor asks you to do. Do not try to attempt experiments or tests that are
unassigned by the instructor and not supervised
4.
You must not block the corridor and the walk way outside the lab. Area. You must not
block the door of the lab with your bags or with anything that may be an obstacle in
case of an emergency or when evacuation of the lab is required. The door is only exit
available in the lab. Therefore it is very important to keep the exit door area free of
obstacles at all times.
5.
You must bring only what is necessary for working inside the lab. Extra books and
bags will not be allowed inside the lab area, they are not allowed on the working
tables or in the walkways inside the lab. The walkways inside the lab should always
be kept free of obstacles in case of an emergency.
6.
You must always wear suitable protective clothing when you come to the lap. Short
sleeves shirts, long sleeves shirts, sleeveless shirts, shorts; sandals are not allowed
to be worn inside the lap area. Arms, legs and feet skin are exposure areas of the
human body while working in the lab. , Therefore it is essential to protect those
exposure areas from any hazards when dealing with corrosive, acids, toxic chemical,
biohazard materials, and sharp edged equipment. Shirts with reasonable sleeve
length along with trousers that cover leg entirely should be worn. Foot ware should be
closed-toed shoes that are made out of material that does not absorb water or
solutions readily.
7.
Rings, watches, bracelets are dangerous in the lab. Chemicals trapped under rings or
watches might cause serious irritation or be very corrosive to the skin. Metals may
react with solutions and chemicals forming products of unknown toxicity and resulting
in their damage. Never wear rings, watches or bracelets in the lab.
8. You must wear a lab. Apron when required to protect your clothing
9. You must wear suitable protective gloves when required
10.
You must protect your eyes. Contact lenses are not permitted in the lab.
Having contact lenses on is dangerous in case of eye accidents. If a solution
splashes into the eyes, contact lenses will not allow sterile eye wash solution to rinse
the eye properly. Resulting in harmful effects to the eyes even more than if they were
not used because of trapping chemicals in the eyes. Some plastic used in contact
lenses helps to trap some vapors. If such vapors are trapped into the eyes, serious
irritation may happen eye protection also requires wearing safety goggles. Safety
goggles are stored in labeled cabinets. Safety goggle must be worn inside the lab.
Area. The lab. Is a place where thing are expected to splash, break, fly without prior
notice. Glasses with sharp ages, solutions of corrosive chemical might come into
one's eyes at any time. Therefore it’s very important to keep this in mind when you
enter the lab. Area. Always wear safety goggles.
11. You must be aware of each of the safety equipment position inside the lab. Area.
The available safety equipment is safety eye wash station, fire extinguisher, fume
hood,
safety
shower,
for
blanket
(only
in
the
chemistry
lab).
12. You must never use gas taps, water taps, or lab furniture as a means of playing.
Never open gas taps or water taps unless you are asked to do so by your supervisor.
There are electrical plugs in the lab tables. They are never to be switched on unless
you are asked to do so by then instructor.
13. When dealing with the electrical equipment you should note the right condition of
usage.
Always follow your supervisor's instructions. You should carry them (if you are asked
to), the right way. Never attempt to use them in a way that may cause damage or
breakage of that equipment. You are held fully responsible for the condition of the
equipment that you are using
14. You must deal with chemicals with extreme care. Chemicals can be corrosive,
irritant ,toxic ,harmful , explosive ,flammable , danger to the environment . Misuse in
dealing with chemicals is a major reason to serious accidents. You must be aware of
the safety majors needed when you handle any chemical. There is a material safety
data file in the chemistry lab. with the teacher on the chemicals' cabinets and with the
lab assistant.
.accidents
If accident ever happens, you are to remain calm! You will never think right or act
right if you are nervous. Remain calm and report the accident, no matter how minor
you think of it, immediately to your supervisor
2. types of common accidents in laboratories
2 a. broken glass: glassware is frequently handled in laboratories. It is likely to
break. In most cases, if glassware is broken accidentally there will be no responsibility on the
student's side; however if a student breaks glassware deliberately or if that breakage is due to
horse play in the lab, that student will have to pay for that broken glass. When glass breaks you
must stand where you are, call the supervisor
2b. The supervisor will collect the broken glass pieces,
NOT YOU. do not move
until your supervisor gives you permission to do so, this will happen when your supervisor is
definite that it is safe for you to move from your place
2c. Report any injury due to glass breakage in the lap to your supervisor, immediately.
2d. Chemicals spills might be involved in glass breakage, if so, stop where you are, report the
spill to your supervisor and follow your supervisors instructions carefully and the safety
precautions that you should be aware of when dealing of any chemical in case of spills, these
precautions and safety measures are all in the Material Safety data file in the chemistry lab.
As well as on the cabinets in the storage room. You should ask your teacher before you start
handling any chemical about the hazards and safety precautions regarding that chemical. It is
very important that you refer back to the material safety data file before treating the spill.
Always treat any chemical spill as HAZADOUS
3.Fire :
Bunsen burners are used in 124 and 331 laboratories at ACA. In order to avoid fire, you must
follow the following instructions.
3a. Never open the gas taps unless you are directed to do so by your supervisor.
3b. When you open the gas tap; it must be connected to the Bunsen burner by the right burner
tubing.
3c. when you open the gas tap; you must have the lighter or the source of ignition ready on
flame BEFORE you open the gas tap. If the gas is allowed to diffuse through out of the room,
any spark lit after wards will lead to a huge fire.
3d. after you have your burner working and flame is on, watch your clothes, sleeves, your
paper sheets, and kind of material you are heating.
You must never wear long sleeves when you are dealing with open flame ;they might catch fire
at any time you must not wear bulky clothes they too are good fire catchers. Pay attention to
the kind of material you have to heat. Refer to the material SAFETY DATA file in the chemistry
lap. With your teacher to know the flammability of that substance. Flammable materials like
alcohol are NEVER to be heated with open flame. Heating flammable material on open flame
will cause fire.
3e. make sure that you never bring oxidizers and combustible materials in contact. Their
contact might cause fire. (Example: do not expose wood or paper to any oxidizers )
3f. when a fire occurs do not panic report It immediately to your supervisor. If you were
involved in that fire the best thing to do at that time is to STOP , DROP, and ROLL. It is your
supervisor's job to get the fire blanket, which is placed, close to the door. If your partner is
involved in the fire, not you, tell him to STOP, DROP, and ROLL. You or your supervisor can
get the fire blanket to help your partner, in both cases the fire extinguisher should be used to
put out the fire as quickly as possible. If the fire is in another work station, stay at your work
station unless your supervisor asks you to evacuate the lab.
Safety equipment at ACA laboratories:
Eye wash station
The eye watch station is located in both labs (124 & 331) , the eye wash stations are next to
the safety shower.
The eye wash station is to be used only if chemicals come in contact with the eyes. If this
happens, the eyelids are to be kept opened to ensure effective washing. The washing time
should be at least for fifteen minutes for the eyes and eyelids. The eyes are to be washed from
nose to ear to ensure that flushed chemicals are not washed back to the infected eye or to the
other eye. Contact lenses must never be worn in the lab. , If they are in this case they must be
removed as quickly as possible to ensure effective washing of the eyes. After you supervisor
determines that the eyes are completely washed, the eyes must be covered with clean or
sterile gauze.
Safety shower:
There is one safety shower at ACA; it is located in the chemistry lab (331). Pulling the handle of
the shower provides a continuous flow of water over the victim's body. It is very effective for
cases of large spills of chemicals over the body. Clothes, jewelry and shoes must be removed
while water is flowing to ensure effective washing of the body. The safety shower also has a
double eye wash station that provides a continuous flow of water to wash the eyes.
Fire blanket:
There is one Fire blanket in every lab. Fire blanket is best use to extinguish clothing fires, but
never to be used to extinguish any other kind of fire. Fire blanket is a good means of keeping
shock victims warm. Never wrap a person with a fire blanket, this creates a "chimney effect"
and brings fire to that persons face do not use fire extinguisher to extinguish fire of people's
clothing, the chemical coming out might surround that person cutting of oxygen supply. Only a
Hylon fire extinguisher can be used for clothing fires.
Fire extinguishers:
There are fire extinguishers at each lab. At ACA. It is the supervisor only who is allowed to use
the fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers are classified according to the type of fire it is used for.
the average fire extinguisher operates only about 10 seconds; you must get close to the fire as
close as five of six feet.
Class of fire extinguisher
Type of fire used for
. Class A
Ordinary combustibles ( paper, cloth, wood )
. Class B
. liquids , greases and gases
. Class C
. electrical equipments the
. Class D
. metals (sodium , potassium )
Think PASS to effectively operate the fire extinguisher
P: Pull the pin
A: Aim the hose at the base of the fire
S: Squeeze the handle
S: sweep the hose back and forth
Smoke detectors are found inside the labs’. area which is auto activated in case of fire.
Fume hood:
The fume hood is essential when safety ventilation is needed in the lab. This is necessary if the
chemicals used produce vapors that are irritant or toxic. Your supervisor will inform you when fume hood
is necessary to use. The fume hood located in chemistry lab. (E building)
Work station clean up :
Clean up is important for the safety of others and for the preservation of equipment.
You must clean your work station before you leave the lab. Clean up means the following :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Dispose of chemicals as directed by your supervisor.
Never return unused chemicals to the reagent bottle.
Return chemicals containers to the chemical table
Wash and dry all glassware, then store properly.
clean hardware, but do not wash if any hardware is wet, dry completely before storage, this is
to prevent rusting
Clean and dry you lab. table