Laboratory Safety Protocol

Procedure

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Use of appropriate safety precautions is necessary when working with chemicals and laboratory equipment. Ask questions if you do not know where something is or how to work with specific materials or equipment in the lab.
The lab phone is located next to the north door to the lab. If you are dialing an off campus number, you need to dial a "9" first to get out of the university phone system. This also applies to 911 (Dial 9-911 to reach emergency services). The nonemergency police phone number is 333-8911. The lab phone number is 244-9365 and the address 1030 Plant Sciences Laboratory, 1201 South Dorner Drive, Urbana.
Material Safety Data Sheets are available on the shelf above the printers.
Do not place food or drinks in the large refrigerator or on laboratory counters. This protects you from any chemical residues which may be present and protects the computers from crumbs and spills.
Keep water away from electrical equipment and cords to avoid electrical shock.
A fire extinguisher is located to the left of the main sink in the lab.
A first aid kit is to the right of the main sink. Additional supplies are located in the bottom drawer underneath the laser printer.
Lab coats are on the coat hooks of the south lab door.
Disposable gloves and safety glasses and goggles are in the gloves drawer.
Dishwashing gloves and a lab coat should be worn when washing dishes. Dishwashing gloves are kept in the cabinet underneath the main sink or the cabinet immediately to the right of it.
When handling chemicals, work in the hood and wear a lab coat and disposable gloves (NOT dishwashing gloves which will be handled by someone else when you finish with them). Do not leave any unlabeled chemicals sit anywhere even for a few minutes. Use lab tape to label containers with the chamical name, concentration, and date mixed so that acid (or any other chemical) does not get mistaken for something harmless like water. Lab coats are cloth and will absorb anything spilled on them. The chemical can then get on your skin.
Store chemicals in an appropriate location. Ask Daniel if you are not sure where a chemical belongs.
Ethyl alcohol is commonly used in the lab and is very flammable. Keep it in labeled containers away from flames and sources of heat, including the high intesity discharge lamp in the hood and the lamps in the growth chambers.
Place all broken glass and used razorblades and needles in the sharps container by the south lab door. DO NOT put these items in the trash where someone could get hurt on them when emptying the trash cans. Incandescent light bulbs do not need to be placed in the sharps container. Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and must be properly recycled. See Daniel for the recycling procedure.