Safety is of paramount importance in this (and any) laboratory. The laboratory safety rules listed at the front of the laboratory notebook should be considered as a starting point for safe laboratory practice at the Florida State University. A safety quiz consisting of writing those safety rules from memory will be required of all students prior to working in the laboratory. Additional Safety Notes are included in each of the experiments in this manual. Also, laboratory Teaching Assistants (TAs) will give specific guidelines on the safe conduct of each experiment at the beginning of the laboratory period. Non-attendance during this safety briefing can result in being barred from participation in the laboratory experiment.

The following comments on the general rules as listed may help to clarify any questions that arise. Please inquire of your TA or the stockroom personnel if there are further questions.

1.     Working without supervision is forbidden.

        A student should never stay in the laboratory alone or work without a TA present.

2.     Performing unauthorized experiments or any experiment at unauthorized times is forbidden.

        Unanticipated results to an unauthorized or altered experiment can be quite hazardous. Materials should never be taken from the laboratory. Horseplay and pranks are never acceptable in the laboratory.

3.     Approved safety eyewear must be worn at all times.

Consult your instructor about the policy for wearing contact lenses in your laboratory.

The eyeware required at FSU is a pair of indirectly vented safety goggles (no safety glasses). Students may wear contact lenses, but should inform the TA, so that should an accident occur, the TA is aware that the lenses are in your eyes. Certain solvents in use during some experiments can have adverse effects on soft contacts and students should take appropriate precautions following those labs.

4.     Loose hair and clothing must be restrained.

        Hair or clothing that can get caught or otherwise be a hazard in lab should be pulled back.

5.     Appropriate attire must be worn in lab, including shoes which cover the entire foot and clothing which covers the legs and torso.

        The department does not require the purchase and use of lab coats. However, clothing items such as halter and midriff tops, as well as shorts and skirts, are inappropriate for laboratory, as are sandals and flip-flops. Students may bring a pair of sweats to keep in a common lab locker if they wish.

6.     Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco and applying cosmetics are forbidden in the laboratory.

        These activities should take place only outside the laboratory doors.

7.     All accidents and breakage must be reported to an instructor.

        Any accident requires attention to clean up. Alert your neighbors immediately if there is a spill as to its nature and extent before you leave the area.

8.     Pipetting by mouth suction is forbidden.

        Pipet bulbs and/or dial-up pipetters will be provided when necessary.

9.     When needed, gloves must be worn.

Gloves should be of a material and thickness appropriate for the reagents being used. However, gloves provide only a temporary layer of protection against chemicals on your skin and may be permeable to some chemical reagents, without visible deterioration. If your gloves come in contact with a chemical reagent, remove them, wash your hands, and get a new pair immediately. Hands must be washed just before leaving the laboratory.

Gloves are not provided in this laboratory. Hands should always be thoroughly washed with soap and water before leaving laboratory. Soap is provided at every sink.

10.   All laboratory workers must know the location and proper use of all laboratory safety equipment, including eyewash, safety shower, fire extinguishers, and telephone.

        Eyewash and safety shower are found at the entrance to the balance room, opposite the stockroom door. Fire extinguishers are located either at the exterior door to the laboratory or adjacent to the entrance to the balance room. The emergency telephone is located in the stockroom. Campus telephones are equipped with 911 service, or, campus police can be summoned using 4-1234. Sand and sodium bicarbonate (useful for neutralizing acid or base spills) are also located at the entrance to the stockroom.

11.   All laboratory workers must know how to evacuate the laboratory via two different exits in the event of an emergency.

        The two exits to the laboratory are the exterior door and the stockroom. Emergency classroom evacuation requires that the class reassemble away from the building to call roll and check for complete evacuation. Check with your TA to confirm where the class should reassemble.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY NOTES

The following items were not covered in the general safety rules detailed above, but should be noted in connection with general chemistry laboratories at FSU.

1.     Items such as book bags, backpacks, purses and coats should be put out of way off the floor and lab bench on one of the hooks provided.

2.     Cell phones should be turned off before entering the laboratory.

3.     Read labels and dispose of any waste in an appropriate waste container. Ask questions if you are not sure what to do.

4.     All materials used in the laboratory have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on file. If you wish to see one at any time, inquire at the stockroom.

5.     Clean up in the laboratory is essential. Make sure you wash and put away all equipment before you leave the laboratory.

6.     Inform your TA at the beginning of the term if you have any special medical conditions that may need attention during the laboratory, such as known allergies, seizures, or other special needs.