Lab Safety

General lab conduct

The general rules of conduct for laboratory work as displayed on the laboratories news boards apply. It is a good practice to learn from the beginning appropriate lab conduct, which does not encourage unsafe habits.

Use safety equipment where advised.

Clean up trash before you leave.

Switch appliances to ‘off’ or ‘standby’.

Do not leave an experiment behind in an unknown or unsafe state, e.g., hot plates must be switched off and hot water must be emptied into the sinks.

The most important rule for laboratory safety is: Be prepared and do not behave in a careless manner. Put equipment back in the place where you originally found it and take special care to not leave behind any unidentifiable substances or spills – unknown substances present a safety concern for anyone who has to use the workspace after you. Notify your TA about broken equipment!

General safety equipment

First Aid Kit Room 130A at door

Emergency eye flush Room 130A at door

Fire Extinguishers at least one per lab, near exits

You are advised to be cautious of electrical lines and other electrical equipment and chemicals, which might be misplaced in the room. Otherwise, the electricity which is used is comparable to that of normal household exposure. That said, most deadly accidents happen at home! As for the experimental setup, in particular, watch out for broken glass, swinging objects, and power lines.

Students with special needs have to inform the course instructor at the beginning of term or as soon as possible after a special need has arisen. Special needs are (but are not limited to) battery driven implants, medication which affects performance, illness, and pregnancy. As a result, we may clear you for lab only under enhanced safety supervision or may exempt you from certain labs.

Procedure: In case of emergency or accidents

Accident:

1. Inform your TA immediately.

2. If necessary, go directly to the student health center for emergency treatment. If in doubt about the severity of your injury, the TA shall assign a person to accompany you.

3. Inform me about what has happened as soon as possible.

Emergency:

a) Follow the emergency exit instructions right away (see lab blackboard) in case of alarm. Gather outside. The TA will sign you out so that there will be no doubt whether you have left the building.

b) Campus safety: UW-alert (terror or shooting incident): Follow the procedure of Wyo-alert immediately.

http://www.uwyo.edu/cowboyparentssupport/docs/WyomingFamily11-07.pdf

Emergency contacts:

The Student Health Service (SHS) is located in the Student Health/Nursing Building, the second building east of Old Main on the south side of Prexy’s Pasture.

http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/ShSer/

Ivinson Memorial Hospital 742-2142 ext. 2222,

Campus Police Department 766-5179,

After Hours Nurse Advice Line 766-2130

Travis Laurance PS 106 travis@uwyo.edu

Jinke Tang PS 216 jtang2@uwyo.edu