Health and Safety is an important aspect of your practical work and should underpin your general lab practice . As a refresher of Tuesdays session we have provided a breakdown of the hazards you should have encountered during the activity (each bench had the same hazards in the same location in case you hadn’t noticed!).
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This lab coat is cluttering the bench. It could be a potential fire hazard or become contaminated with a hazardous substance.
ACTION – Please wear lab coats in the lab and keep them off the bench.
This paper is an obvious fire hazard. The Bunsen burner is unattended and without a heat mat. Always be aware of others working around you and the substances they are using. For instance, solvents and other flammable materials.
ACTION – Turn off when not in use. Use a heat mat.
Eating and drinking in the lab is never acceptable. Ingestion of hazardous substances is the risk in this instance.
ACTION – Do not bring food or drink into the labs.
Damaged electrical cord can pose a shock risk.
ACTION – Electrical equipment is always PAT tested, however its best practice to check that equipment is safe to use. Please report any faults to Technical staff.
This labelled beaker of HCl lacks information on concentration. Concentrated acids are highly corrosive and must be used in a fumehood, dilute acids are safe to use on the bench.
ACTION – In both cases gloves should be worn. Please label containers of substances with contents, concentration and initials.
This powder spill of a substance with unknown hazards could pose a range of health risks. It could also react with other reagents in use.
ACTION – Report to a technician or demonstrator. Keep balances clean.
These dirty test tubes left on the bench could pose unknown hazards.
ACTION- Ensure your glassware is rinsed and put on a wash trolley after use. Report any unattended dirty glassware to technicians.
Flammable solvents pose a fire risk, in this case this solvent is in an unsealed container.
ACTION – Always ensure bottles of solvent are stoppered after use. Where appropriate please use a fumehood.
Broken glassware can cause injury.
ACTION- Always report breakages to technicians.
This waste bottle is poorly labelled. Waste should be segregated into different streams, halogenated (green label) and non-halogenated solvents (orange label) should never be mixed. Red labels are used for aqueous solutions. Red vented caps are used to prevent build up of pressure.
ACTION – Ensure you use the correct waste bottle for your specific waste. Do not pour blindly into the bottle, always check the level.
This liquid spill of a substance with unknown hazards could pose a range of health risks. It could also react with other reagents in use.
ACTION – Report to a technician or demonstrator.
This beaker is not labelled and so any hazards are unknown.
ACTION – Always take care when using stirrer hotplates. Do not leave unattended for long periods of time. Remember to label your beakers!
