BIOLAB

General lab safety rules

The following are rules that relate to almost every laboratory and should be
included in most safety policies. They cover what you should know in the
event of an emergency, proper signage, safety equipment, safely using
laboratory equipment, and basic common-sense rules.
1. Be sure to read all fire alarm and safety signs and follow the
instructions in the event of an accident or emergency.
2. Ensure you are fully aware of your facility's/building's evacuation
procedures.
3. Make sure you know where your lab's safety equipment—including first
aid kit(s), fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, and safety showers—is
located and how to properly use it.
4. Know emergency phone numbers to use to call for help in case of an
emergency.
5. Lab areas containing carcinogens, radioisotopes, biohazards, and lasers
should be properly marked with the appropriate warning signs.
6. Open flames should never be used in the laboratory unless you have
permission from a qualified supervisor.
7. Make sure you are aware of where your lab's exits and fire alarms are
located.
8. An area of 36" diameter must be kept clear at all times around all fire
sprinkler heads.
9. If there is a fire drill, be sure to turn off all electrical equipment
and close all containers.
10. Always work in properly-ventilated areas.
11. Do not chew gum, drink, or eat while working in the lab.
12. Laboratory glassware should never be utilized as food or beverage
containers.
13. Each time you use glassware, be sure to check it for chips and cracks.
Notify your lab supervisor of any damaged glassware so it can be
properly disposed of.
14. Never use lab equipment that you are not approved or trained by your
supervisor to operate.
15. If an instrument or piece of equipment fails during use, or isn't
operating properly, report the issue to a technician right away. Never
try to repair an equipment problem on your own.
16. If you are the last person to leave the lab, make sure to lock all the
doors and turn off all ignition sources.
17. Do not work alone in the lab.
18. Never leave an ongoing experiment unattended.
19. Never lift any glassware, solutions, or other types of apparatus above
eye level.
20. Never smell or taste chemicals.
21. Do not pipette by mouth.
22. Make sure you always follow the proper procedures for disposing lab
waste.
23. Report all injuries, accidents, and broken equipment or glass right
away, even if the incident seems small or unimportant.
24. If you have been injured, yell out immediately and as loud as you can
 to ensure you get help.
25. In the event of a chemical splashing into your eye(s) or on your skin,
immediately flush the affected area(s) with running water for at least 20
minutes.
26. If you notice any unsafe conditions in the lab, let your supervisor know
as soon as possible.

1. Laboratory Hazards Related To Equipment

Laboratory equipment is an essential component of scientific research and

experimentation. Still, it also poses certain hazards that should be
recognized and addressed to ensure laboratory personnel’s and the
environment’s safety. Some of the hazards associated with laboratory
equipment include:
○ Electrical Hazards: Many laboratory instruments, such as
centrifuges, microscopes, and spectrophotometers, require
electrical power to operate, posing a risk of electrical shock. Ensure
equipment is properly grounded and avoid using damaged or
frayed electrical cords.
○ Chemical Hazards: Laboratory equipment is often used with
hazardous chemicals, which can react with the materials used in
the equipment, leading to corrosion or explosion. Always check the
chemical compatibility of equipment before use and follow proper
handling procedures for hazardous materials.
○ Thermal Hazards: Laboratory equipment such as ovens, furnaces,
and autoclaves operate at high temperatures, which can cause
burns or fires. Always use proper protective equipment, such as
gloves and lab coats, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for
safe operation.
○ Mechanical Hazards: Laboratory equipment such as glassware and
pipettes can break or shatter, leading to cuts or punctures. Always
handle equipment carefully and dispose of broken glassware
properly.
○ Radiation Hazards: Some laboratory equipment, such as X-ray
machines, produce ionizing radiation, which can cause harm to
personnel and the environment. Always follow proper safety
protocols for the use and disposal of radioactive materials.
To ensure the safe use of laboratory equipment, it is important to receive
proper training and follow established safety protocols. Always read and
understand the manufacturer’s instructions for safe equipment operation,
and never hesitate to ask for assistance or clarification if you are unsure
how to use equipment properly.

2. Laboratory Hazards Related To Gases

Laboratories often utilize various compressed gases for numerous

applications, including calibration, sample preparation, and as reaction
agents. Understanding the potential hazards associated with these gases
and following safety guidelines to minimize risks is crucial. Some common
hazards associated with gases used in laboratories include:
○ Toxicity: Some gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide,
and chlorine, can be toxic when inhaled or come into contact with
 the skin. Prolonged exposure to these gases may result in severe
health issues or even death.
○ Corrosiveness: Corrosive gases, like hydrogen chloride, ammonia,
and sulfur dioxide, can cause severe damage to human tissues,
laboratory equipment, and the surrounding environment. These
gases can lead to chemical burns, respiratory issues, and material
degradation.
○ Flammability: Flammable gases, such as hydrogen, methane, and
acetylene, can ignite in the presence of an ignition source, causing
fires or explosions. These gases pose significant risks when not
stored, handled, and used appropriately.
○ Explosiveness: Some gases, like oxygen and nitrous oxide, can react
violently when combined with other substances or exposed to heat,
leading to explosions. Proper containment and separation of
reactive gases are essential to minimize the risk of explosion.

○ Proper equipment: Utilize gas cylinders with appropriate

regulators, valves, and fittings. Ensure all equipment is compatible
with the specific gas used and regularly inspected for leaks or
damage.
○ Confinement and ventilation: Store and use gases in well-ventilated
areas, preferably under a fume hood or within a designated gas
storage cabinet. This helps to prevent the buildup of hazardous gas
concentrations in the laboratory.
○ Safety valves: Use pressure relief devices and safety valves on gas
cylinders and systems to prevent over-pressurization and potential
explosions.
○ Procedural controls: Develop and implement standard operating
procedures for safely handling, storing, and using gases. Train all
personnel working with compressed gases and ensure they
understand the risks and appropriate safety measures.
○ Gas detection and monitoring: Install gas detectors and alarms
where hazardous gases are used or stored. Regularly monitor gas
concentrations to ensure that they remain within safe limits.
○ Personal protective equipment (PPE): Ensure that laboratory
personnel wear appropriate PPE, such as safety goggles, gloves, and
lab coats, when handling or working near compressed gases.
○ Emergency preparedness: Develop and maintain emergency
response plans, including evacuation procedures and first aid
measures, in case of gas leaks, fires, or explosions. Regularly
conduct drills and training to ensure all personnel know these
plans.
By following these safety guidelines, laboratories can minimize the hazards
associated with compressed gases, ensuring a safe working environment for
all personnel.

3. Laboratory Hazards Related To Chemicals

Chemicals in laboratories pose significant hazards to laboratory workers

and require careful handling and management to prevent accidents and
injuries. Acids, bases, etching solutions, and solvents are commonly used in
materials chemistry and device fabrication. They can cause severe burns,
tissue damage, organ damage, asphyxiation, and genetic damage if used
improperly.
Some of the hazards associated with chemicals in labs include:
○ Chemical burns: Chemicals can cause severe burns on contact with
skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.
○ Toxic fumes: Some chemicals can emit toxic fumes that can be
harmful if inhaled, leading to respiratory problems or even death.
○ Fire and explosion: Many chemicals are flammable and can cause
fires or explosions if they come into contact with a spark, heat
source, or incompatible substances.
○ Corrosion: Some chemicals can corrode materials, such as metals
or plastics, leading to structural damage or failure.
○ Chemical spills: Spills of chemicals can lead to contamination of
the environment and pose a danger to those in the area.
○ Reactive hazards: Some chemicals are reactive and can react
violently with other substances, leading to explosions or fires

Bunsen Burner
A Bunsen burner is a safe source of heat or mechanical appliances,
connected to flammable gas. It uses a knob and pivot collar for gas flow
and airflow.
Wire gauze
It is the iron wire gauze piece posted with asbestos in the center. It is
placed on the tripod stand so that the flame does not touch the glass
apparatus directly, reducing the danger of its breaking
Test tubes
Test tubes, round glass tubes, are used in laboratories for small samples,
qualitative comparison, and assessment, often used in biochemistry labs,
but should never be heated.

Beaker
Beakers are common laboratory instruments used for holding samples,
titrations, and filtering. They have spouts for easy pouring and are
available in various sizes.

Titration flasks
Erlenmeyer flask, 1861, features a slim neck, wide opening, and
numberings for estimation, making it easy to stir, mix, and use with a
stopper.

Safety Tip: A significant safety tip here is to never heat the flask while it is
covered. This causes pressure build-up that results in an explosion.
Funnels
A lab funnel is a specially designed funnel made of glass or plastic, with
various sizes and stems for easy and quick flow of liquid.

Evaporating Dish (China Dish)

It is a small dish made of porcelain used for evaporating and concentrating
the dilute solutions. It is available in different sizes.
Graduated or Measuring cylinders
Graduated cylinders are crucial for measuring liquid volume, with markings
and special increments. They come in various sizes and have indentation
around edges.
Stirring Rod
A stirring Rod or glass stirring rod is used for mixing and stirring different
chemicals. it is made up of solid glass (borosilicate or ) having rounded
edges slightly thick and longer than a soda water straw. Stirring Rods are
often 10 to 45 cm long with almost a half-centimeter in diameter. it is also
available in the triangular paddle, flat paddle, or round button shape.
Measuring flasks OR Volumetric flasks
A volumetric flask is a round flask with a flat bottom and long neck.
Volumetric Flask is used to measure the exact volume of liquids. There is a
short line on the neck that hints at how far to fill the flask. Special caps are
available that will not let anything in or out through the flask. These are
available in different sizes i.e., 100cm3, 250cm3, 500cm3 and 1000 cm3.

Just Remember: The temperature affects the volume; therefore always

avoid using liquids that will vary in temperature (for example hot water
that will cool).
Buret
Burets are precise tools for adding liquids, measuring up to 0.01 mL.
Attached to a clamp, they have a stopcock for controlling the volume. They
are highly accurate in laboratories, allowing for precise liquid addition and
volume adjustments.
Forceps
Forcep is derived from the Latin word forcipes used for holding and
grasping small objects in laboratories. they are used when things are
picked up in bulk or when large fingers are unable to collect little and
tiny things. besides this, “forceps” is a very common word in the medical
field. in the common world, forces are referred to different names like
pliers, tweezers, clip, stongs, or clamps, etc. basically there are two
major types of forceps:
1. Non-disposable forceps
2. Disposable forceps
Pipettes as Laboratory Apparatus
There is a large variety of pipettes that are designed to accomplish many
specific goals. However, they all are for measuring the exact volume of
liquids and then placing liquids into the other containers. Generally
available sizes are 10cm3, 20cm3 and 25cm3.
Thermometer
The temperature of a substance is measured using a thermometer. The
temperature in the laboratory is usually measured in units of degrees
Celsius (˚C).
Striker
The Bunsen burner is lightened by the striker.
Watch glasses
A watch glass circular convex or concave rounded piece of the glass often
used to hold a small amount of solid or liquid, to evaporate a liquid, while
being weighed, and for many other purposes. Watch Glasses are also used
for different purposes like evaporation.

it can also work as a lid for a beaker to prevent dust from entering a
beaker. in the chemistry Lab, two types of Watch glasses are used such as
glass watch glasses and plastic watch glasses. both types have various
sizes and varieties in the market. the glass type is more famous than
plastic type. Most glass type is reused and plastic-type are disposable i.e.,
for one-time use.
Pipet Bulb
Pipet Bulb is used to draw different liquids into the pipet.
Iron stand
It is used for hanging (thermometer), clamping/holding (burette, round
bottom flask, etc.)
Ring Clamp
ring clamp is used with a ring stand to hold different types of glassware
like funnel or beaker.
Wash Bottle
Nowadays polythene wash bottles are used in the laboratory for storing
distilled water for various operations such as transferring precipitates from
a container to the filter paper or washing the precipitates. When the bottle
is pressed with hand, water comes out through the jet in the form of a fine
stream.
Flat bottomed – Florence flasks, AKA boiling flasks
It is also known as a boiling flask. Florence flask contained a round bottom
with a long neck. It is used for holding liquids and can easily be heated and
swirled. It can also be capped by glass or rubber stoppers easily. Once
again, safety edict that this flask never is heated when covered or capped
with a stopper. It build-up pressure and can result in an explosion.
Scoopula
Scoopula is often used to transfer solids to different locations.
Erlenmeyer Flasks
you can use an Erlenmeyer flask to place liquid samples or to catch filtrates
as a laboratory apparatus.
Utility Clamp
Utility Clamp resembles a couple of scissors often used to secure
glassware to a ring stand. it has a screw in the middle that is used to
widen the adjustments between two-prong. ring stand or retort stand is
attached to it. round laboratory glassware is held e.g flasks and beakers
etc. with the help of Utility Clamp. there are three major parts of Utility
Clamp:

• clampdown
• 2-prong adjust
• metal rod
Ring Stand
Ring Stand is helpful as a laboratory apparatus for holding or clamping
different lab glassware so that it does not fall down.
Droppers
they have been used for the addition of liquids/solutions in the shape of
drops.
Test Tube

A test tube stand, made of wood, polythene, or steel, allows test tubes to be
placed upright in a rack, which is secured with test-tube tongs if necessary.
Clay Triangles as Laboratory Apparatus

Clay Triangles are rare but essential for discussing apparatuses like
funnels, evaporating dishes, and crucibles. They are placed on a ring
attached to a stand.

What is the proper way to handle acid?

Chemical Handling & Disposal
1. Always remember the three ‘A’s of acid handling – Always Add Acid to
water or base.
2. Always treat any liquid in chemical area as acid because few acids like
HF may look and feel like water.
3. All spills and leakage should be cleaned up immediately.

First Aid for Poisonings in a Child

In some cases, accidental poisoning of a child can be treated at home. You
will need to follow the directions of a poison control center or your child's
healthcare provider. In other cases, a child will need emergency medical
care.

Poison that is swallowed

If you find your child with an open or empty container of a toxic substance,
your child may have been poisoned. Stay calm and act quickly:
○ Get the poison away from the child.
○ If the substance is still in the child's mouth, make him or her spit it
out or remove it with your fingers. Keep this along with any other
evidence of what the child has swallowed.
○ Don't make the child vomit.
○ Don't follow instructions on packaging about poisoning. These are
often outdated. Instead, call your child's healthcare provider or
poison control center right away for instructions.
Call Poison Control at 800-222-1222, your child's healthcare provider, or go
to the closest emergency room if your child has any of these symptoms:
○ Sore throat
○ Trouble breathing
○ Drowsiness, irritability, or jumpiness
○ Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain without fever
○ Lip or mouth burns or blisters
○ Unusual drooling
○ Strange odors on your child's breath
○ Unusual stains on your child's clothing
Take or send the poison container with your child. This is to let the
healthcare provider know what your child swallowed. Both the poison
control center and your child's healthcare provider will need this
information:
○ Your name and phone number
○ Your child's name, age, and weight
○ Any health conditions your child has
○ Any medicines your child is taking
○ The name of the substance your child swallowed. Read it from the
container and spell it out.
○ The time your child swallowed the poison (or when you found your
child), and the amount you think was swallowed
○ Any symptoms your child is having
 ○ If the substance was a prescription medicine, give all the
information on the label, including the name of the medicine:
○ If the name of the medicine is not on the label, give the name and
phone number of the pharmacy, and the date of the prescription.
○ What the pill looked like (if you can tell) and if it had any printed
numbers or letters on it.
○ If your child swallowed another substance, such as a part of a
plant, describe it as much as you can to help identify it.

Poison on the skin

If your child spills a chemical on his or her body, remove any contaminated
clothes. Rinse the skin well with lukewarm—not hot—water. If the area
shows signs of being burned or irritated, continue rinsing for at least 15
minutes, no matter how much your child may protest. Then call the poison
control center for more instructions. Do not put ointments, butter, or grease
on the area.

Poison in the eyes

Flush your child's eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a small,
steady stream of lukewarm—not hot—water into the inner corner near the
nose. Let the water run across the eye to the outside corner to flush the area
well. You may need help from another adult to hold your child while you
rinse the eye. Or wrap your child tightly in a towel and hold your child
under one arm. Continue flushing the eye for 15 minutes, and call the
poison center for more instructions. Do not use an eyecup, eye drops, or
ointment unless the poison center tells you to do so.

Poison breathed in
In the home, poisonous fumes or gases can be breathed in from sources
such as:
○ A car running in a closed garage
○ Leaky gas vents
○ Wood, coal, or kerosene stoves that are not working as they should
○ Mixing bleach and ammonia together, which makes chloramine gas
○ Strong fumes from other cleaners and solvents
If your child breathes in fumes or gases, get him or her into fresh air right
away. If your child is breathing without problem, call the poison control
center for more instructions.

When to call 911

Call 911 or your local emergency service if your child has any of the below:
○ Seizures
○ Loss of consciousness
 ○ Trouble breathing
If your child has stopped breathing, start CPR. Do not stop until your child
breathes on his or her own or someone else can take over. If you can, have
someone call 911 right away. If you are alone, do CPR for 2 minutes and
then call 911.