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MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
NORTHERN CYPRUS CAMPUS
SAFETY AND CHEMISTRY LABORATORY RULES
Safety is of prime importance in chemistry laboratories. In order to minimise mishaps and accidents
in chemistry laboratories, some safety regulations have been set up. Please remember that these
are for you own and for your friends’ safety. It is, therefore, that each individual should read and
memorise them. These regulations should become the rule rather than the exception. IF YOU
VIOLATE ANY OF THESE REGULATIONS, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE LABORATORY and YOU
WILL NOT BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE THAT EXPERIMENT LATER.
Here are these rules and regulations.
1. All students must wear safety glasses at all times in the laboratory. Eye protection is extremely
important. Safety glasses must be worn at all times and there is no exception to this rule. If you fail
to comply with this rule you will be asked to leave the laboratory. Contact lenses are not a substitute
for safety glasses. Contact lenses in many ways are more dangerous than ordinary glasses because
reagents can get under a lens and cause damage to the eye before the lens can be removed. It is very
difficult to remove a contact lens from the eye after a chemical splash has occurred.
2. All students must wear laboratory overcoats while in the laboratory.
3. No one is permitted in the laboratory with bare feet, sandals or shoes (with exposed toes) which
do not provide adequate foot coverage.
4. No student is permitted in the laboratory without an instructor present.
5. Long hair should be tied back. Avoid loose-fitting sleeves and clothing that leaves parts of skin
unprotected.
6. No unauthorised experiments are to be performed in the laboratory.
7. No smoking, eating or drinking is permitted in the laboratory.
8. Get to know the location of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, eye washer, shower and first aid kits.
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9. Get to know the emergency evacuation route.
10. Report all injuries (cuts, bruises, burns) to the lab instructor.
11. Leave all glassware clean and dry at the end of the lab session. Wash and wipe the desktop
with paper towel. Make sure that water and gas have been shut down.
12. Read the label twice before taking anything from a container.
13. Do not remove reagent bottles away from their locations. Carry liquids and solids to your
bench via the shortest route.
14. Use the indicated amount of a reagent. More material is not more effective.
15. Do not place bottle stoppers on any surface. Use the technique described by your instructor.
16. Never return unused reagents back to their stock bottles. Dispose of them properly.
17. Do not insert your pipette or dropper into reagent bottles. Use a portion from the bottle by
transferring an appropriate amount to a beaker first.
18. Put all water-insoluble solids and organic chemicals in the allocated container.
19. Put any broken glass in the allocated container.
20. Never throw matches, litmus paper or any solids into the sink.
21. Never use flammable liquids near a naked flame.
22. When heating a test tube, never point the tube towards you or anyone else. Some chemicals
eject violently when they start to boil.
23. Never pick up hot objects with your hands. After heating glassware or crucibles place the item
on wire gauze to cool.
24. To insert glass tubing through a rubber stopper, lubricate the tube and stopper with water or
paraffin wax. Use a cloth or paper towel to protect your hands and hold the tubing near the end to
be inserted.
25. If an acid is to be diluted, pour the acid slowly into the water with constant stirring. NEVER
ADD WATER TO ACID.
26. Any chemicals spilled on the skin should be washed off immediately by flooding with water for
several minutes. Notify the instructor immediately.
27. Never taste any chemicals.
28. Never inhale gaseous fumes. If you are to determine the odour of a gas, fan gently a small
amount of the vapour toward your nose with your hand.
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29. If any chemical gets into your eyes, flush with water for at least 15 minutes. Notify the
instructor immediately.
30. If a fire starts, notify the instructor immediately. Turn off the heat source and use a fire
extinguisher. If the fire is uncontrollable, start the fire alarm.
31. If clothing catches fire, use a fire blanket or a safety shower.
32. Mercury vapour is invisible and toxic. A broken thermometer that spills mercury over the
bench or floor should be reported immediately to the instructor.
33. In the case of a skin burn, notify the instructor. Minor burns should immediately be treated by
running cold tap water over the burn for at least 10 minutes.
34. Never heat a flask or any apparatus that is sealed or stoppered.
35. When you feel any difficulty in setting up the apparatus do not use excessive pressure. Instead
call your instructor for help.
36. Be familiar with the following terms.
Flammable
They burn.
Irritant
They irritate the eyes, lungs and the skin
Toxic
They are poisonous, at least in the long term
Carcinogenic
They cause cancer
Teratogenic
They cause defects in the unborn
Mutagenic
They cause genetic mutations, i.e. modify the genes
Explosive
They explode, usually when mixed with air
Corrosive
They burn the eyes, lungs and the skin
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