Safety

General Rules

SAFETY ITEMS AND RULES FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE LABS

The University of Iowa Department of Chemistry is concerned about your safety in the laboratory courses.  Therefore, all students enrolled in chemistry lab courses are required to complete a safety quiz at the beginning of each course.

The following summary items are provided to make your laboratory experience safe and to assist you with the quiz.

  1. Students are to take care of and be respectful of the lab space.  Equipment may not be in ideal locations so alert your TA if something is not functional or a suggestion can be made.  Your TA will pass that info on to Earlene Erbe, the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories, or other appropriate staff.
  2. Fume Hoods (high efficiency)
    1. Will be used for dispensing reagents
    2. The sash is left down.  Slide the doors side to side to access chemicals.
    3. If you hear the alarm, alert the TA.  Students do not silence the alarms.
  3. Eye Wash/drench hose
    1. Has a gentle stream.  To use hold right up to your eye (use like a garden hose)
    2. Use to wash off chemical spills anywhere on your body or clothing
    3. ****Student safety comes first, so don’t worry about floors getting wet in the case of an emergency.
  4. Emergency eye wash/shower
    1. Pull down to activate eye wash.  Water turns on immediately.
    2. Pull down lever on the right to activate shower.
  5. Chemical spills
    1. If you spill anything on your skin, it is important to wash it off immediately.  Don’t experiment by trying to run reactions on yourself or another student.
    2. Alert the TA immediately using a loud voice to get their attention.
    3. Tell the TA if the spill is on you!
    4. TA may use the drench hose or pull you over to the shower if needed
  6. Fire extinguishers
    1. Note the location and number of fire extinguishers.
    2. Alert the TA immediately in the case of a fire.
    3. It is not the student’s responsibility to use the fire extinguisher, but if the student knows how to use a fire extinguisher, he/she is permitted to use it.
  7. Exits
    1. Know the locations of all exits.
    2. The two doors to the hallway are the main exits, but the exit to the Prep Room may be used in the case of an emergency when the other exits are blocked or smoke is in the hallway.
  8. Fire Alarm
    1. The alarm will sound and a strobe light will show in the case of a fire.  Exit into the hallway and proceed out of the building in a calm manner.  Once outside and a safe distance from the building, stay with your lab section in a group so your TA can account for everyone.
    2. Verify your nearest exit.
    3. If you hear the alarm followed by a voice, please stay quiet and listen carefully for instructions.
      1. e.g. in the case of a tornado, students will proceed down the stairwell to the lowest level
      2. e.g. in the case of a lockdown, the students must stay in the lab room.  Your TA will lock the doors.  Await instructions from your TA.
  9. Power Outage
    1. If the power goes out, stand quietly still for 5-10 seconds at which time the emergency power will come on.   Your TA may then instruct you to safely store your experiment and unplug certain equipment before proceeding outside or into a lit area of the building.
  10. Broken glassware
    1. If you break glassware, do not throw any pieces into any basket.  Broken glassware is to be disposed of in the red SHARPS containers.
    2. Do not pick up broken glassware with your bare hands.  Alert your TA and appropriate cleanup equipment will be provided.
  11. Dress Code
    1. Students not dressed appropriately for the laboratory will not be permitted into the lab.
    2. Appropriate dress
      1. Short-sleeved shirts are needed in the very least (no tank tops, no muscle shirts, and no bare midriffs meaning your shirt and pants must touch when arms are raised)
      2. Long pants or very long skirts to the ankle are needed (no shorts, no Capri pants, no short skirts)
      3. Feet must be completely covered (no sandles, no sandles with socks, no high heels, no shoes that do not have the toes, tops and backs of the feet covered)
    3. Safety goggles must be worn at all times.
  12. Eating, drinking and chewing gum (includes no cough drops, etc) are all prohibited in the lab. Any water or beverage bottles brought into the lab must be stowed deeply inside one's backpack.
  13. Keep books, backpacks and coats out of the aisles and off of the bench tops. Store those items int he cubicles in the room.
  14. Do not touch the chemicals until told to do so by your TA.
  15. Do not sit on the countertops or the floors at any point during the lab. Students must stay in the lab room and are not permitted to sit outside int he hallway to complete any work.
  16. If you should ever have any questions, please ask your TA, your instructor or the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories before taking action.

 

Personal Injury Procedure

IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT
CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY

  1. Wash chemical off skin in cold water for 5-10 min.  Use eye wash if chemical has gotten into eyes.
  2. Have a TA or a student call Earlene Erbe (5-1352).  If no answer, call the Prep Room (5-1382) or the Chemistry Center (5-1341).  Public Safety (5-5022) will be contacted if necessary to have the student taken to Student Health. 
  3. For a class meeting in the evening, contact the course instructor.
  4. If the above people are not available, the TA or a student should call Public Safety (5-5022).
  5. The TA should remain in the lab during the emergency.
  6. After treatment, the student should fill and print an Incident Report Form.  If the student refuses treatment, have the Incident Report Form filled out at the time of the incident. Submit the filled form to the Prep Room W344.
  7. For serious injury, the TA or another student should call 911 (9-911), and then call Earlene Erbe (5-1352) or the Prep Room (5-1382).
Chemistry Department Personnel are not permitted to treat the students.