Working in a lab can offer a fun and exciting career, but it also comes with several risks. Be sure to minimize these dangers by following the safety guidelines above. For anyone working in a testing laboratory, it is important to follow the laboratory`s safety rules. Laboratories are inherently dangerous environments, between toxic chemicals and the risk of fires, there are many things that could go wrong. Follow these guidelines to protect yourself and your team and avoid unfortunate incidents. The importance of laboratory safety cannot be overstated. Scientific laboratories expose researchers to a potentially dangerous environment that presents many dangers: chemical, biological, physical and even radioactive. A review article published in November 2019 by Dana Ménard and John Trant in Nature paints a frightening picture of the general attitude towards laboratory safety. Here are some of the alarming results of the study: When working in the lab, don`t forget to wear your lab coat. You should also wear covered shoes, loose clothing, long pants, and if you have long hair, make sure they are tied back. If necessary, you should also wear personal protective equipment (PPE). These include glasses, gloves, ear coverings, and any other important PPE required for your experience. This will help minimize laboratory hazards.
8. Do not panic in case of an accident: Even after precautions, accidents occur. In the event of an accident, do not panic. Panic can make the situation worse. Stay calm; Do not walk as you may trip over wires or spill bottles of chemicals. It is important to know the location of safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, first aid kit, emergency phone, eyewash stations, etc. If chemicals or particles get into your eyes or skin, wash them off immediately. Take laboratory safety exercises seriously; Regular participation in these prepares you for real emergencies.
Finally, always keep your supervisor informed of your experience and follow their instructions carefully. Here are the safety rules that most often appeared in our review of guidelines from several laboratories: Another important safety rule is to act responsibly in the laboratory – do not play Mad Scientist and randomly mix chemicals to see what happens. The result could be an explosion, a fire or the release of toxic gases. Safety rules for laboratory-specific operations are provided in the appropriate laboratory SOPs. Insurance for testing laboratories is necessary to cover claims for bodily injury, property damage/property damage and bodily injury in the laboratory. Here are the basic guidelines to keep in mind: Perhaps not as common as some of the other laboratory safety rules listed here, many labs use lasers, and it`s important to follow some important rules of thumb to avoid injury. In particular, accidents caused by reflection are something that many employees may not think about. A clear set of rules for the use of lasers is essential to ensure that everyone is aware of all hazards and that proper personal protective equipment is worn at all times. The science lab is inherently a dangerous place with fire hazards, dangerous chemicals and risky processes. No one wants to have an accident in the laboratory, so it is essential to follow the safety rules of the laboratory.
1. Wear laboratory protective clothing: Be sure to use PPE in the laboratory at all times. Put on a lab coat with full sleeves, closed shoes, and glasses before entering the lab. If you have long hair, it is best to tie and remove it if you work in the laboratory. Find out if you need to wear other protective equipment or remove accessories such as metal watches, rings, etc. for the work you do. Protective clothing not only reduces the risk of damage to the skin and eyes, but also minimizes the possibility of contamination. 10 Laboratory Safety Rules Every researcher should follow 8 minutes read It is very important to keep all laboratory equipment in the right place and understand how to use it correctly. When working in the laboratory, you should also check the safety features of the laboratory before starting the experiment. According to Ménard and Trant, “risky practices and a carefree attitude toward safety in science are so standardized that low standards in this area are not troubling or even obvious to those inside.” In an effort to change this attitude, we have listed some basic rules and best practices that researchers should follow to ensure a safe work environment in the lab: dress for the lab. This is a safety rule because your clothes are one of your best forms of accident protection.
For each science lab, wear covered shoes, long pants, and hold your hair in the air so it can`t fall into your experiment or into a flame. Don`t know where the safety equipment is? Check the lab`s safety signs and look for them before starting an experiment. Below are rules that apply to almost all laboratories and should be included in most security policies. They cover what you need to know in an emergency, proper signage, safety equipment, safe use of laboratory equipment and common sense ground rules, and like almost every other workplace, laboratories also contain electronic devices. Electrical safety rules help prevent misuse of electronic instruments, electric shock and other injuries and ensure that damaged equipment, cables or plugs are reported to the competent authorities so that they can be repaired or replaced. In the event of a problem, it is important to know the location of the safety equipment and its use. It`s a good idea to check the equipment regularly to make sure it`s in order. For example, does the water actually come from the safety shower? Does the water in the washbasin look clean? Contrary to the guidelines of the Laboratory Dress Code, the personal protection rules cover what laboratory employees must wear to protect themselves from various hazards, as well as the basic hygiene rules to follow to avoid any type of contamination. 3. Safely dispose of laboratory waste: This is an area of laboratory safety that researchers often overlook.
If you get rid of chemicals, do not pour them into the sink; Instead, use designated containers or containers. Never pour unused reagents into the bottle; throw them away safely. Do not pour plant waste into the sink, as this may clog the drains. Be sure to use disposal bins to dispose of plant waste. Because chemistry labs are one of the most common types, these basic safety rules of chemistry labs are relevant to many scientists concerned about safely performing common activities and tasks in the average chemistry lab: a standard list of basic laboratory safety rules is listed below and must be followed in any lab that uses hazardous materials or processes. These basic rules provide information on behaviour, hygiene and safety to prevent accidents in the laboratory. Some processes, equipment, and materials may require laboratory-specific safety rules that must be managed by laboratory-specific SOPs. Some laboratories use lasers. If you are one, it is very important to adhere to the safety rules of the laser, so protect yourself from damage or injury. It is important to establish appropriate rules for the use of lasers so that everyone knows the dangers. A particularly important safety rule is to inform a supervisor if and when an accident occurs. Don`t lie about it or try to hide it.
If you are cut, exposed to a chemical, bitten by a laboratory animal or spill something, there can be consequences, and the danger is not necessarily just for you. If you don`t receive care, you could sometimes expose others to a toxin or pathogen. If you don`t admit to an accident, you could cause big problems for your lab. Since almost all laboratories use chemicals of one kind or another, chemical safety rules are indispensable. Following these guidelines helps employees avoid spills and other accidents, as well as environmental damage outside the laboratory. These rules also set out a clear procedure that employees must follow in the event of a spill to ensure that it is properly cleaned and that injuries are avoided. The basic safety rules for laboratory behavior should be observed when working in a laboratory. Many of the most common security rules are listed below. For your safety and that of others, it is important to leave your experience in the laboratory.
Don`t take it home with you. You could have a spill or lose a sample or have an accident. This is how sci-fi movies begin. In real life, you can hurt someone, cause a fire, or lose your lab privileges. A strict set of general laboratory safety rules is essential to avoid disasters in the laboratory. Lab Manager recently scoured the security policies of several labs to determine some of the most common lab security rules to help you develop or update a set of policies for your own lab.