Green Organic Laboratory Safety Rules and Guidelines

Pre-lab Safety:

1. Safety goggles must be worn at all times. Contact lenses should not be worn in the laboratory.
1. Low-heeled shoes that cover the toe and instep must be worn at all times while in the laboratory. Clogs and sandals are not allowed.
2. It is a good idea to wear old clothes or a lab coat while doing lab work. Shorts are not allowed; pants that cover the ankles are required. Hair that is shoulder-length or longer should be put up or tied back.
3. Any student under the care of a physician for either acute or chronic medical reasons (e.g.; diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, pulmonary disease) and/or is pregnant should advise their physician that they are taking organic chemistry lab. Also, the student should advise the laboratory instructor immediately.
4. Proper planning is one of the keys to success and safety in this course. Make sure that you understand the procedures that you will use in the lab. If you don’t know how to do something, ask.
5. Do not arrive at your lab section unprepared for the day’s experiments. Ill-conceived lab work almost always leads to poor results and may be dangerous. Plan ahead!

Working with chemicals:

1. Know the hazards of all materials that you work with. When using a known compound, reagent or solvent; be familiar with its physical and toxicological properties (see your textbook or the Materials Safety Data Sheets kept in the lab for more information).
1. If you are working with an unknown compound, be cautious. Treat all unknown materials as though they are potentially harmful.
2. Avoid ingestion of and/or contact with hazardous chemicals.

• Don’t handle compounds.
• Never pipette by mouth.
• Wear appropriate gloves when working with dangerous or unknown chemicals. Do not touch your face while you are wearing gloves
• No eating (or chewing gum), drinking or smoking in the lab
• Transfer toxic or offensive liquids in a fume hood.
• Wash your hands and face thoroughly after finishing lab work for the day.

1. Do not ever mix chemicals together without knowing what you are doing. Mixing together incompatible chemicals can result in violent reactions or release of toxic fumes that can harm you or others near you. If you are in doubt about the compatibility of reagents, ask your TA.

Waste disposal/recycling:

1. Do not pour solvents, organic compounds, or strong acids/bases in the sink. Place all waste in the appropriate waste or recycling container. If you are in doubt about how to dispose of something, ask your TA.
1. Never pour any reagents back into stock bottles. You could contaminate the reagents and ruin your or other’s experiments. Take only what you need. Be sure to replace caps after you have finished removing reagents.
2. Nothing except paper should be thrown in the trashcans.

Other safety issues:

1. Be prepared to respond to an emergency. Familiar yourself with lab safety equipment: eye wash stations, fire extinguishers, fire blankets. Think about what you would do in the event of an emergency (fire, chemical spill, accident, etc.).
1. Be careful with flames: Don’t use unless necessary and check around you for flammable materials before lighting up.
2. Report all injuries, no matter how small, to your TA and the stockroom staff.

Remember: One of your TA’s primary responsibilities is your safety in the lab. Please pay attention to his/her directions. Any student whose deliberate or negligent acts endanger his/her own safety or that of others may be expelled from the laboratory.

Leading References for Chemical Safety Information

Armour, M. A. Hazardous Laboratory Chemicals: Disposal Guide; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, 1991.

Fire Protection Guide on Hazardous Materials; 10th ed. National Fire Protection Association: Quincy, MA, 1991.

Gosselin, R. E.; Smith, R. P.; Hodge, H. C. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products; 5th ed. Williams and Wilkins: Baltimore, 1984.

Lenga, R. E., Ed. The Sigma-Aldrich Library of Chemical Safety Data; SigmaAldrich Corp.: Milwaukee, Wl, 1985.

Lewis, R. J. Carcinogenically Active Chemicals: A Reference Guide; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1990.

Merck Index, 12th ed.; Merck and Co.: Rahway, NJ, 1996.

Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories; National Research Council, National Academy Press: Washington, DC, 1983.

Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories; National Research Council, National Academy Press: Washington, DC, 1981.

Renfrew, M. M., Ed. Safety in the Chemical Laboratory; Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society: Easton, PA, 1967-1991.

Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 4th ed.; Committee on Chemical Safety, American Chemical Society: Washington, DC 1985.

Sax, N. I.; Lewis, R. J. Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 7th ed.; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1988.

Sax, N. I.; Lewis, R. J., Eds. Rapid Guide to Hazardous Chemicals in the Work Place, 2nd ed.; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1990.

Safety-Related Internet Addresses: