Laboratory Practices and Safety Equipment

General Laboratory Safety Procedures 

• Know the materials you are working with (e.g. chemical, biological, radioactive): Refer to written laboratory protocols and review the MSDS for chemicals.
• Know where the MSDS, safety shower, eye wash, fire extinguisher and other safety equipment are located before you start working in the laboratory.
• Know the emergency procedures in your area (e.g. escape routes, assembly areas etc.)
• Always wear appropriate clothing (e.g. long pants, closed toed shoes) and personal protective equipment (e.g. safety glasses, lab coats, gloves) in the laboratory. Remove personal protective equipment before leaving the laboratory.
• When working with hazardous chemicals or biologicals use an appropriate and properly operating cabinet
• No eating, drinking, preparing food, storing food, or applying cosmetics in the laboratory
• Keep work areas clean and uncluttered at all times
• Do not use personal cell phones while wearing gloves
• Establish computers in the lab as glove free or gloves required.
• Children under the age of 12 are not permitted in laboratories
• Do not operate centrifuges, autoclaves, or other equipment without permission and adequate prior training

Personal Protective Equipment

• Eye and Face Protection: Safety glasses, goggles, or face shields must be worn when working with corrosive materials or other hazardous or infectious substances that can splash into the eyes. It is the responsibility of individual students to wear adequate protective eyewear.

• Gloves: Disposable gloves must be worn when handling human blood, human blood products, or other human or animal bodily fluids or tissues. Gloves must be worn when handling or mixing any mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, toxic, or other hazardous compound. DO NOT WEAR DISPOSABLE GLOVES OUTSIDE OF LABORATORY AREAS. Remove used gloves properly and dispose in designated receptacles in the laboratory. Wash hands with soap and water immediately after removing gloves, and again prior to leaving the laboratory. For additional information on the type of glove need for a procedure visit the glove information section of the RM&S website.

• Laboratory Coats and Aprons: Laboratory coats and aprons may be required depending on the type of work that is being preformed. Coats and aprons should be removed prior to leaving the laboratory.
• Other Protective Clothing: All personnel must wear closed toe shoes (not open sandals) while in laboratories. Long pants are also required. Loose-fitting clothing is not recommended.

Laboratory Equipment 

• Emergency Showers: Showers are used in an emergency to flush chemicals that have accidentally come in contact with laboratory personnel. 

• Eye and Face Washes: For treatment of splashes of the eye and face is immediate flushing with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes. 

• Fire Extinguishers: Fire extinguishers have been strategically placed in or just outside laboratories depending on the hazards. Visit the fire extinguisher section of the RM&S website information.

• First Aid Kits: Kits should be available in each laboratory. The kit should contain disposable gloves, band-aides, gauze bandage, gauze pads, and ice packs. These kits should not have topical creams, liquids, or ointments that could be contaminated with hazardous materials.

• Laboratory Safety Information: MSDS, emergency procedures, safety manuals, chemical hygiene plan, and other references should be readily available for all laboratory personnel.

• Door Postings and Other Signs: All laboratories should have a Laboratory Safety Information sign on or by the door exterior, facing the corridor. The card is used by all emergency response personnel. The card should identify hazards within the facility and the responsible faculty member. To update or create a lab sign please visit Hazard Sign Request section of the RM&S website.

• Mechanical Pipetting Aids: Always use appropriate pipetting devices. Mouth pipetting is prohibited.

• Sharps Containers and Glass only Boxes: All needles and syringes, razor blades and other sharp items need to be disposed of in a sharps container. Glass only boxes are used for disposal of broken glass. Never place broken glass in the normal trash.