General chemistry laboratory manual (chem.

1012)
Experiment 1: Introduction to Laboratory Safety Rules

General Objective: To become acquainted with the safety rules for working with chemicals and
participating in a safe manner when carrying out laboratory procedures

Theory
The chemistry laboratory may be considered as a place of discovery and learning. However, by
very nature of laboratory work, it can be a place of danger if precautions are not taken. Therefore
it is necessary to take care of your own health and safety and that of others working in the
laboratory. The responsibility for laboratory safety rules with each and every student in the
laboratory. You must use common sense and work carefully to avoid chemical spills, broken
glassware, and fires. This ensures not only your own safety, but that of your laboratory mates.
Knowing the level of hazards of each chemical you are using, make you ready the care you can
do during laboratory session. Doing that, you will not expose to any harmful chemicals during
your laboratory work.

The compounds you are doing with may have hazardous properties associated with them. So it is
important to follow the safety rules outlined in the manual such as: safety goggles for eye
protection are recommended and laboratory coats are to be worn by the students always when
they are working in the chemistry laboratory. Always don’t forget to wash your hands
thoroughly when you are leaving the laboratory.

The location and use of the safety equipment in laboratory will be reminded by your instructor
the first day of your laboratory class and you should become familiar with the proper use of the
safety equipment location and their use. Examples shower, eye-wash fountain, fire blanket and
fire extinguisher.

 Report any accidents which occur immediately to the laboratory supervisor.

Safety rules

The laboratory can be but is not necessarily a dangerous place. When intelligent precautions and
a proper understanding of techniques are employed, the laboratory is no more dangerous than

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any other classroom. Most of the precautions are just common-sense practices. These include the
following:

1. Know what you have to do before entering the laboratory. Read the experiment carefully
before starting the laboratory works.
2. Do not engage in games in the laboratory. Failure to follow this rule will result in
immediate dismissal from the laboratory and subsequent conduct action.
3. Eating, drinking, and smoking are strictly prohibited in the laboratory at all times
4. Know where to find and how to use safety and first-aid equipment.
5. Wear approved eye protection when required while in the laboratory. Your safety eye
protection may be slightly different from that shown, but it must include shatter proof
lenses and side shields to provide protection from splashes.
6. Consider all chemicals to be hazardous unless you are instructed otherwise .Dispose of
chemicals as instructed by your instructor. Follow the explicit instructions given in the
experiments.
7. Do not pipet solutions by mouth. Rubber pipet bulbs are provided at each laboratory
station.
8. If chemicals come into contact with your skin or eyes, wash immediately with copious
amounts of water and then consult your laboratory instructor.
9. Never taste anything. Never directly smell the source of any vapor or gas; instead by
means of your cupped hand, bring a small sample to your nose (see figure below).
Chemicals are not to be used to obtain a "high" or clear your sinuses.

Figure 1.1: Wafting vapors towards one’s nose

10. Perform in the hood any reactions involving skin-irritating or dangerous chemicals and/or
ill-smelling chemicals. A typical fume exhaust hood is shown below.

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 Figure 1.2: Fume hood found in the laboratory

Exhaust hoods have fans to exhaust fumes out of the hood and away from the user. The hood
should be used when noxious, hazardous, and flammable materials are being studied. It also has
a shatterproof glass window, which may be used as a shield to protect you from minor
explosions. Reagents that evolve toxic fumes are stored in the hood. Return these reagents to the
hood after their use.
11. Do not perform any unauthorized experiments.
12. Clean up all broken glassware immediately.
13. Always pour acids into water, not water into acid, because the heat of solution will cause
the water to boil and the acid to spatter.
14. Never point a test tube that you are heating at yourself or your neighbor . It may erupt
like a geyser.

Figure 1.3: Beware of spattering

15. Avoid rubbing your eyes unless you know that your hands are clean.
16. Notify the instructor immediately in case of an accident.
17. Many common reagents, for example, alcohols, acetone, and especially ether, are highly
flammable. Do not use them anywhere near open flames.
18. Observe all special precautions mentioned in experiments.

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 19. When finished with your Bunsen burner for a given portion of an experiment, turn it off.
20. Exercise good housekeeping practices in the laboratory. Be sure that the laboratory
benches remain free of disorder during the experiment. In the event of a spill, clean the
area immediately and be sure to use a wet sponge to wipe off the work station at the end
of the laboratory session.
21. Learn the location of fire protection devices .In the unlikely event that a large chemical
fire occurs, a powder extinguisher and a CO2extinguisher are available in the laboratory.

Figure 1.4: Powder and CO2extinguisher

In order to activate the extinguisher, you must pull the metal safety ring from the
handle and then depress the handle. Direct the output of the extinguisher at the base of
the flames. The carbon dioxide smothers the flames and cools the flammable material
quickly. If you use the fire extinguisher, be sure to return the extinguisher in at the stockroom so
that it can be refilled immediately. If the carbon dioxide extinguisher does not extinguish the fire,
evacuate the laboratory immediately and call the security. One of the most frightening and
potentially most serious accidents is the ignition of one’s clothing.

Therefore, certain types of clothing are hazardous in the laboratory and must not be worn. Since
sleeves are most likely to come closest to flames, any clothing that has bulky or loose sleeves
should not worn in the laboratory. Ideally, students should wear laboratory coats with tightly
fitting sleeves. Long hair also presents a hazard and must be tied back. If a student's clothing or
hair catches fire his or her neighbors should take prompt action to prevent severe burns. Most
laboratories have a water shower for such emergencies. A typical laboratory emergency water
shower has the following appearance.

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 Figure 1.5:A safety shower

In case someone's clothing or hair is on fire, immediately lead the person to the shower and pull
the metal ring. Safety showers generally dump 151 to 190 liters of water, which should
extinguish the flames. These showers cannot be shut off once the metal ring has been pulled.
Therefore, the shower cannot be demonstrated.

Table 1:1the following cases must be notified firstly to the laboratory instructor.
Burn: expose the burned area to
the tap water (5-10 min.), apply Cut / Injury: Wash with water and apply first aid.
first aid.
Fainting: Provide fresh air. Lay Fire: (Notify the assistant immediately) Put the Bunsen
down and put the head lower than burner off. Use shower in case of hair and clothes caches
the body. fire. Use the fire extinguisher when necessary.
Bleeding: compress on the wound, Chemical Spill: clean in manner appropriate to the
keep the wound above the heart chemical. Aqueous solutions can be removed with water.
level and get medical help. Information your assistant.
Acid Burns: Use NaHCO3 Chemicals Spilled in The eye: The Eye is washed
solution immediately with plenty of water for at least 15
Base Burns: Use Boric acid or minutes (use the eye-wash shower rooms) Get medical
Acetic acid solution help.

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Common Laboratory Equipment

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