Skip to content Laboratory safety is an essential part of ensuring the health and safety of workers and researchers in laboratory settings. Laboratories can be hazardous environments with various potential risks, including chemical spills, fires, explosions, and exposure to hazardous substances.

The importance of laboratory safety cannot be overstated. In addition to the risk of accidents and injuries, laboratories also pose a risk to the wider community, as hazardous substances and waste products can be released into the environment if proper safety measures are not in place. To help ensure the safety of workers and researchers in laboratory settings, employers need to implement a comprehensive laboratory safety program.

This should include training workers on how to properly handle and use hazardous substances, as well as procedures for emergency response, waste disposal, and spill containment. In addition to training and procedures, employers should also ensure that laboratory workers have access to the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the tasks they are performing.

This can include gloves, safety glasses, lab coats, and respirators, depending on the hazards present in the laboratory. In addition to the importance of laboratory safety in protecting workers and researchers, there are several key strategies that employers can use to help ensure the safe operation of their laboratory.

These include:

Developing a comprehensive laboratory safety program that includes training, procedures, and policies for the safe handling and use of hazardous substances. This program should be tailored to the specific hazards present in the laboratory and should be reviewed and updated regularly. Providing access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for all workers who use hazardous substances in the laboratory. This can include gloves, safety glasses, lab coats, and respirators, depending on the hazards present in the laboratory. Conducting regular safety inspections of the laboratory. These inspections should be conducted by trained personnel familiar with the hazards present in the laboratory. They should include checking for proper storage and labeling of hazardous substances, as well as the condition and maintenance of PPE and other safety equipment. Implementing procedures for emergency response, spill containment, and waste disposal. These procedures should be clearly communicated to all workers and reviewed and practiced regularly to ensure that workers are prepared to respond to emergencies in the laboratory.

For more information on laboratory safety, employers can refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Laboratory Safety Guidance. This guidance provides detailed recommendations for the safe operation of laboratories, including training, PPE, inspections, and emergency response procedures.

Overall, laboratory safety is an essential part of ensuring the health and safety of workers and researchers in laboratory settings. By implementing a comprehensive safety program and providing access to appropriate PPE, employers can help prevent accidents and injuries and protect the broader community from potential hazards.

Do you need Online Training for Laboratory Safety? Try a free demonstration of our Laboratory Safety Training programs, where you can see the full content of the training program and how the system works from the perspective of the trainee: Course Titles in our Laboratory Program Listing include: Compressed Gas Cylinders in the Laboratory Electrical Safety in the Laboratory Flammables and Explosives in the Laboratory GHS Safety Data Sheets in the Laboratory Laboratory Ergonomics Laboratory Hoods Orientation to Laboratory Safety OSHA Formaldehyde Standard Planning for Laboratory Emergencies Preventing Contamination in the Laboratory Safe Handling of Laboratory Glassware Safety Showers and Eye Washes in the Laboratory

What is the meaning of laboratory safety?

Laboratory Safety

Laboratory Safety

The Laboratory Safety program oversees safety and compliance in all UW research and teaching laboratory spaces to reduce the risk of injury and exposure, decrease the risk of property loss, lessen the likelihood of lost research, and minimize environmental damage.

• Laboratory safety practices include appropriate facilities and equipment, adequate training, personal protective equipment, chemical management, standard operating procedures, waste handling, signage, proper laboratory practices and safe working conditions.
• Laboratory safety helps protect the UW community of students, faculty, staff and visitors, and includes oversight for compliance and safety, training and outreach, institutional support for incident response, building design, and collaboration with UW committees.

You can find detailed information about laboratory safety practices in the including state regulations, UW policies and safe work practices. : Laboratory Safety

What are the basic laboratory safety?

Tip #3: Prevent potential exposure. –

Conduct yourself in a responsible and professional manner at all times. No pranks. No practical jokes. Dress for work in the laboratory. Wear clothing and shoes that cover exposed skin and protect you from potential splashes. Tie back long hair, jewelry, or anything that may catch in equipment. Never eat food, drink beverages, chew gum, apply cosmetics (including lip balm), or handle contact lenses in the laboratory. Use a chemical fume hood or biosafety cabinet, as directed by your supervisor. Observe good housekeeping – keep aisles clear. Report damaged electrical equipment to the supervisor. Do not use damaged electrical equipment. Do not leave active experiments unattended. Never leave anything that is being heated or is visibly reacting unattended.

What are the three most important lab safety rules?

Dress for the Lab – Andrew Brookes / Getty Images Dress for the lab. This is a safety rule because your clothing is one of your best forms of protection against an accident. For any science lab, wear covered shoes, long pants, and keep your hair up so it can’t fall into your experiment or a flame.

What is one general importance of lab safety signs?

A. Warning and Hazard symbols in the lab – These signs/symbols indicate some possible threats in that area. If you see such symbols, you must be alert and take extra care while working in such a zone. It is better to be properly instructed to work in areas with these symbols.

What are the four most common laboratory accidents?

Safety Guidelines in Case of a Laboratory Emergency | Lab Safety | JoVE Trial ends in Robert M. Rioux & Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA The most common laboratory emergencies include chemical spills, fire or explosion, electric shock, and personnel injuries.

Most laboratory accidents occur due to poor planning or lack of attention. Therefore, it’s always better to prevent accidents (being pro active) than having to take any actions during an emergency (being re active). For example, always wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) in the laboratory.

Regular laboratory inspection and equipment maintenance is beneficial to prevent laboratory accidents. However, once the emergency occurs, it’s also essential to know what to do. Ensure your personal safety first and then call local emergency responders, when and if necessary.

1. The extent of your response will depend on the seriousness of the incident and documented laboratory protocols for dealing with such incidents.
2. Stay calm and take proper actions according to the type and level of emergency.
3. Be aware of possible laboratory accidents in advance before working in the lab and prevent accidents from happening by following safety regulations.

Take precautions when dealing with hazardous chemicals and/or severe working conditions. Plan in advance what should be done in all kinds of accidents. In case of an emergency, keep calm and attend to your own safety first. Next, call local emergency responders for assistance and alert people in the vicinity of the emergency and its potential impact on them.

Depending on the type of the emergency, there are specific guidelines to follow; however, there are a few general principles to follow for any type of emergency: Keep yourself safe first and remain calm. Call local emergency responders or a safety department ( i.e., Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)), when possible, to report the emergency. Inform people nearby of what happened and pull the emergency alarm, when and if necessary.

2. Chemical Spills Chemical spills are the most common accidents when working in a laboratory requiring chemicals. Improper or careless opening, handling, or storage of chemicals might lead to chemical spills. Large-volume spills of a non-hazardous chemical or even a small-quantity spill of a hazardous chemical spill might threaten the lives of laboratory personnel.

Chemical spilling onto surroundings

Identify the area of the chemical spill and inform your laboratory co-workers of the spill. Evacuate the location and areas surrounding the spill, when necessary. Identify the spilled chemicals and the amount of chemical that has spilled. Depending on the hazardous properties and quantities of the spilled chemicals, proper actions need to be taken. Refer to the chemical’s safety data sheet (SDS) for hazard assessments. Minor spills refer to spills of less than 1 gallon of low-hazard chemicals or less than 20 mL of hazardous chemicals:

Wear proper PPE first before taking any action. Care should be taken to avoid bodily exposure to chemicals. If possible, modify the spill source to avoid further issues. If possible, turn off any nearby heat or ignition source if the chemical is flammable. Avoid breathing any vapors from spilled chemicals. This applies especially to chemicals that are toxic and volatile. Locate the spill kit and use appropriate kit tools to confine and contain the spill area. Use suitable adsorbent to cover the spill and neutralize the spill, if the chemicals are acidic or basic in nature. Collect the residues and place them into in a suitable container. Report to EHS to dispose of any chemical spill waste. Refill the spill kit.

Major spills refer to spills of larger than 1 gallon of low-hazard chemicals or larger than 20 mL of high-hazardous chemicals. If a major spill occurs:

Secure and evacuate the spilled area immediately. Make sure all nearby personnel are aware that a major spill has occurred. Call emergency responders or EHS for help. Never attempt to clean up a major spill even when wearing PPE. If possible, without exposure to the spill, shut down the power to any heat source if the spilled chemical is flammable. Help the emergency personnel identify the spilled area when they arrive.

Chemical spills onto the body

Wash off all chemicals spilled on a body immediately using a safety shower for at least 15 min. If clothes are saturated with spilled chemical, remove clothing immediately. If the spill splashed into eyes, use an eyewash right away for at least 15 min. Open the eyes to allow complete washing. Only attempt to remove contact lenses after eye washing has commenced. If the spilled chemical is a strong acid, wipe out the residues first before washing to avoid excessive or painful burning. Remove contaminated clothing immediately to avoid further exposure to chemicals. Call local responders or EHS for emergency assistance and alert people in the vicinity of the spill.

3. Fire or Explosion

Fire or explosion may occur from overheating, leakage, or spillage of flammable chemicals, or gases exposed to excessive heat, an open flame, or electric sparks in the laboratory. Be careful when working with flammable or explosive chemicals and avoid heat or electric sparks nearby. Safely operate electric equipment and any source of heat to prevent fire or explosion. In case of a fire involving an individual’s clothing, do not run since it might accelerate the fire. Stop, drop onto the ground with hands covering the face, and roll to extinguish the fire. If possible, use the safety shower to extinguish the fire. In case of a lab fire or explosion, ensure your safety first and call emergency responders immediately for help. Evacuate the building safely and pull fire alarms or notify nearby people, if possible. Don’t use elevators. Use stairs and locate the nearest exit. If possible, shut down the electric power before evacuating. Use a wet towel to cover the mouth and nose, if there is heavy smoke. In case of a small fire, use a proper fire extinguisher and make sure an easy exit is available if you fail in extinguishing the fire. Here we listed the types of extinguisher and discussed the circumstances in which each extinguisher type should be used.

Types of fire. Class A: Ordinary combustible solids such as paper, wood, clothes. Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, petroleum oil and paint and flammable gases such propane, methane and butane. Class C: Electrical equipment such as appliances, motors. Class D: Combustible metals such as sodium, aluminum and potassium. Class K: Cooling oil and greases such as animal or vegetable fats. Types of extinguisher.

Water and Foam: for Class A fires only. Not suitable for class B or C fires. Water and foam extinguish fire by reducing the heat and the foam helps to separate oxygen from the objects. Carbon Dioxide: for Class B and C fires. Not effective for Class A fire. Carbon dioxide extinguishes fire by separating oxygen from the object and removing heat. Dry Chemical: multipurpose dry chemical works for Class A, B and C and ordinary dry chemicals works for Class B and C only. Dry chemical extinguishes fire by interrupting the chemical reaction. Wet Chemical: for Class K fire only. Wet chemical extinguishes fire by removing heat and separates oxygen from fuel elements. Clean agent: for Class B and C. Clean extinguishers used halon or halocarbon agents to interrupt the chemical reactions. Dry Power: for Class D only. Dry power takes away heat and separates oxygen to extinguish fire.

Be safe first and help others if possible. Be aware of a second fire or explosion.

4. Personnel Injuries

Besides chemical spills, fire, or explosion, there are many other accidents that might happen in the lab, such as electric shock, heat burn, bleeding, or poisoning. Here are some general principles to follow for personnel injuries.

Assess the situation before taking any actions. Ask the person what happened to them first, if they are conscious. Look for possible signs of injury if the person is unconscious and/or unresponsive. Call local emergency responders immediately if the person is in danger. Don’t move the injured personnel unless imminent danger is present. If an individual has received an electrical shock, shut down the power first, if possible. Do not touch the person with bare hands. Use non-conductive material such as wood, glass, or rubber to pull the person away from the electric contact. If bleeding from minor cuts, flush with water to avoid contamination and treat with first aid supplies. If cuts are more serious, call for medical assistance. Initiate first aid to help, if possible.

Even when safety regulations are followed, emergencies can happen in the laboratory. Therefore, it is important to know what to do in the case of an accident. The three most common types of laboratory accidents are chemical spills, fires and explosions, and personnel injuries.

In any case, you should always remain calm, contact local emergency responders once you’ve moved to safety, and inform nearby people of what happened. Spills are the most common accidents, which we cover in detail in another video in this collection. Fires and explosions typically occur from overheating, spillage of flammable chemicals, or gases exposed to heat, flames, or electric sparks.

It’s important to operate electric equipment and heat sources safely to prevent fire and explosions. Personal injuries include a wide range of categories in the lab, such as electric shock, burns, wounds, or chemical exposure. These can be caused by not following correct guidelines, as well as equipment malfunction.

Each case requires specific actions, but there are general principles to follow to ensure the safety of the injured party. Now that you understand some of the typical emergencies causes, let’s see how to deal with fires or personal injuries. In case of a fire involving an individual’s clothing, never run as it might accelerate the fire.

Stop, drop on to the ground with hands covering the face, and roll to extinguish the fire. If possible, use a safety shower to extinguish the fire. For more information, see our video on safety shower. In case of lab fire or explosion, ensure your safety first and call emergency responders immediately for help.

• If possible, shut down the electric power before evacuating the area.
• Use a wet towel to cover mouth and nose as protection against heavy smoke.
• Pull fire alarms and evacuate the building safely.
• Use stairs, as elevators could be damaged during operation.
• Small fires can be contained with an extinguisher, but it’s important to use the correct one, depending on the type of fire.

Class A fires involve ordinary combustible solids, such as paper or clothes. Class B fires include flammable liquids and gases, like gasoline or butane. C type fires are caused by electrical equipment, while Class D fires are combustible metals, like sodium.

Finally, class K fires, are grease fires. Matching the correct type of extinguisher, such as foam, carbon dioxide, or chemical, to the fire on hand is important to avoid spreading and aggravation of flames. Personal injuries cover a wide range of situations. Always access the situation before taking actions.

If the person is conscious, ask them what happened. If the person is unconscious or unresponsive, look for possible signs of injury. If the person seems to be in danger, call local emergency immediately. Don’t move the injured person unless they need to be removed from a serious threat.

If an individual has received an electrical shock, first shut down the power if possible. Use non-conductive material such as wood, glass, or rubber to pull the person away from the electric contact. If the person is bleeding from minor cuts or abrasions, flush with water to avoid contamination and treat with first aid supplies.

For serious cuts, call for medical assistance. While waiting for assistance, keep the person warm and calm. If you have knowledge and are willing to help, initiate first aid to help. You’ve just watched JoVE’s introduction to emergency guidelines in case of laboratory accidents.

You should now understand what to do in the case of fires, explosions, or personal injuries. Thanks for watching! Emergencies may happen in the laboratory no matter how detailed the safety regulations are. If an emergency arises, don’t panic and ensure your safety first before attempting additional actions.

Assess the situation and call local emergency agencies for assistance. For severe injuries, wait until emergency responders come, and don’t take any actions without appropriate knowledge. For minor injuries, use the first aid kit to help, when necessary.

Laboratory Emergency Response, Chemistry/Biochemistry, University of North Georgia. at http://ung.edu/chemistry-biochemistry/laboratory-emergency-response.php Lab Safety Manual: Emergency Planning and Procedures, 2014, Cole Science Center Laboratory Safety Manual, Hampshire College. at https://www.hampshire.edu/ehs/lab-safety-manual-emergency-planning-and-procedures Emergency Response in a Laboratory, 2011, Environmental Health and Safety, Louisiana State University. Emergency Procedures, Laboratory Safety Guide, Environment, Health & Safety, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Portable Fire Extinguishers, Fire Equipment Manufacturers’ Association, at http://www.femalifesafety.org/types-of-fires.html

Even when safety regulations are followed, emergencies can happen in the laboratory. Therefore, it is important to know what to do in the case of an accident. The three most common types of laboratory accidents are chemical spills, fires and explosions, and personnel injuries.

1. In any case, you should always remain calm, contact local emergency responders once you’ve moved to safety, and inform nearby people of what happened.
2. Spills are the most common accidents, which we cover in detail in another video in this collection.
3. Fires and explosions typically occur from overheating, spillage of flammable chemicals, or gases exposed to heat, flames, or electric sparks.

It’s important to operate electric equipment and heat sources safely to prevent fire and explosions. Personal injuries include a wide range of categories in the lab, such as electric shock, burns, wounds, or chemical exposure. These can be caused by not following correct guidelines, as well as equipment malfunction.

• Each case requires specific actions, but there are general principles to follow to ensure the safety of the injured party.
• Now that you understand some of the typical emergencies causes, let’s see how to deal with fires or personal injuries.
• In case of a fire involving an individual’s clothing, never run as it might accelerate the fire.

Stop, drop on to the ground with hands covering the face, and roll to extinguish the fire. If possible, use a safety shower to extinguish the fire. For more information, see our video on safety shower. In case of lab fire or explosion, ensure your safety first and call emergency responders immediately for help.

1. If possible, shut down the electric power before evacuating the area.
2. Use a wet towel to cover mouth and nose as protection against heavy smoke.
3. Pull fire alarms and evacuate the building safely.
4. Use stairs, as elevators could be damaged during operation.
5. Small fires can be contained with an extinguisher, but it’s important to use the correct one, depending on the type of fire.

Class A fires involve ordinary combustible solids, such as paper or clothes. Class B fires include flammable liquids and gases, like gasoline or butane. C type fires are caused by electrical equipment, while Class D fires are combustible metals, like sodium.

Finally, class K fires, are grease fires. Matching the correct type of extinguisher, such as foam, carbon dioxide, or chemical, to the fire on hand is important to avoid spreading and aggravation of flames. Personal injuries cover a wide range of situations. Always access the situation before taking actions.

If the person is conscious, ask them what happened. If the person is unconscious or unresponsive, look for possible signs of injury. If the person seems to be in danger, call local emergency immediately. Don’t move the injured person unless they need to be removed from a serious threat.

• If an individual has received an electrical shock, first shut down the power if possible.
• Use non-conductive material such as wood, glass, or rubber to pull the person away from the electric contact.
• If the person is bleeding from minor cuts or abrasions, flush with water to avoid contamination and treat with first aid supplies.

For serious cuts, call for medical assistance. While waiting for assistance, keep the person warm and calm. If you have knowledge and are willing to help, initiate first aid to help. You’ve just watched JoVE’s introduction to emergency guidelines in case of laboratory accidents.

What is the full meaning of laboratory?

A laboratory is a building or a room where scientific experiments, analyses, and research are carried out.2. countable noun. A laboratory in a school, college, or university is a room containing scientific equipment where students are taught science subjects such as chemistry.

What is laboratory safety introduction?

Laboratory Safety/Introduction – Wikibooks, open books for an open world From Wikibooks, open books for an open world Laboratory Safety is a very important aspect of science. Without it, experimentation could result in very serious injury, if not death, of course.

1. To reduce the risks involved with experimentation, there are certain procedures that we should all follow as individuals and as a member of a group.
2. It is important that the correct procedures are used in various situations, when handling hazardous or biological materials, when preparing, executing or cleaning up an experiment.

It is also essential that you understand how to identify and use emergency equipment and protective gear. This book is provided to guide you through and develop your understanding of Laboratory Safety. It is important to take your time to understand the procedures, concepts and reasons to make your laboratory as safe as possible.

What is the definition of a laboratory?

often attributive 1 a : a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis broadly : a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study b : a place like a laboratory for testing, experimentation, or practice That area is a laboratory for cultivating the germ of terrorism.2 : an academic period set aside for laboratory work a course of study requiring two lectures and one laboratory per week

Jack Gloop