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IV. Personal Safety Provisions Providing a safe laboratory
environment involves a combination of many efforts. In addition to proper
training, procedures, ventilation, and emergency equipment, it is important
to provide teachers and students with proper personal protection.
Annotated Code of Maryland,
Education Section (GED) Article 7-407, covers the legal requirements for
providing eye protection in the laboratory. In addition to specifying some requirements
for career and technology classrooms, the article states that "Each
student and teacher in a The following website offers more
information on this topic: 1. Goggles a. Teachers,
students, and visitors should wear chemical splash safety goggles at all
times during laboratory work since the student – and sometimes even the
teacher – cannot reliably judge the presence of risk. The teacher has the
responsibility to train students in the proper use and care of goggles. b. Chemical splash
safety goggles should be used as the standard protective eyewear. Such
goggles should fit the face surrounding the eyes snugly to protect the eyes
from a variety of hazards. Ventilation of the goggles should be adequate but
well protected from splash entry. Safety glasses are not an acceptable substitute
for chemical splash safety goggles because they provide protection from
impact only and not from chemical splashes. c. The eye
protectors should meet the requirements of the American National Standard
Z87.1-1989, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face
Protection. The
following website offers more information on this topic: d. Keep the lenses
clean. Dirty lenses obscure vision and may lead to eye fatigue. Never clean
lenses with abrasive hand soap, since it will scratch them. When cleaning
plastic lenses, any abrasive dirt which may be on the surface should be
flushed off by holding the lenses under running water; otherwise, the lenses
will become scratched by the abrasive matter being rubbed into the lenses.
Glass lenses with surface scratches should be replaced since the hardened
glass has thus been weakened. e. Chemical splash
safety goggles should never be left with the lenses in contact with hard
surfaces such as table tops. f. Chemical splash
safety goggles should not be carried unprotected and in the same pocket with
other objects such as pencils or files. It is good practice to keep goggles
in a case when they are not being worn. g. Goggle
sterilization cabinets should be located in the laboratory work area. •See
Chapter XI.G.3, Laser Guidelines, for information on eye protection when
working with lasers. 2. Face Shields a. Full face shields
protect the face and neck better than goggles. b. Face shields are
not a substitute for chemical splash safety goggles. c. When maximum
protection from flying particles and harmful liquids is needed, face shields
should be worn with goggles. 3. Contact Lenses a. Soft contact
lenses can absorb chemical vapors. b. Students who are
not wearing their corrective eyewear (contact lenses or prescription glasses)
may present a different type of hazard because of their limited vision. c. Students who wear
contact lenses should be required to wear chemical splash safety goggles. d. If a student
wearing contact lenses spills or splashes harmful chemicals in his or her
eyes, the contact lenses must be removed immediately and the eyes flushed with
water. B. General Guidelines for Dress in the Laboratory 1. Loose fitting,
frilly, or highly flammable clothing should not be worn in the laboratory.
Ties should be tucked into shirt or removed. 2. Sandals,
open-toed shoes, and shoes with canvas or mesh uppers should not be worn in
the laboratory. 3. Long hair and
loose clothing or jewelry must be confined when working in the laboratory. 4. Finger rings
should not be worn while working with reagent chemicals or equipment that has
moving parts. Rings can react with chemicals or puncture laboratory gloves.
Chemicals can get trapped under rings and irritate the skin. 1. Aprons a. Aprons should be
worn during all chemistry laboratory work. b. Rubber-covered
muslin aprons provide good protection from corrosive or irritating liquids. c. A plastic apron
can accumulate a considerable charge of static electricity and should be
avoided in areas where flammable solvents or other materials could be ignited
by a static discharge. 2. Gloves a. Gloves should be
worn whenever it is necessary to handle corrosive materials, rough or
sharp-edged objects, very hot or very cold materials, or whenever protection
is needed against accidental exposure to chemicals. b. Gloves should not
be worn around moving machinery. c. Many different
types of gloves are commercially available. Consult a laboratory supply
catalogue for descriptions of the various types available and their specified
uses. d. Before each use,
gloves should be inspected for discoloration, punctures, and tears. e. Before removal,
gloves should be washed appropriately. (NOTE: Some gloves, including those
made of leather and polyvinyl alcohol, are water permeable.) f. Glove materials
are eventually permeated by chemicals. However, they can be used safely for
limited time periods if specific use and glove characteristics (i.e.,
thickness and permeation rate and time) are known. Some of this information
can be obtained from glove manufacturers. g. Gloves should be
replaced periodically, depending on frequency of use and permeability to the
substance(s) handled. 3. Laboratory Coats Laboratory coats
are intended to prevent contact with dirt and the minor chemical splashes or
spills encountered in laboratory work. The cloth laboratory coat is, however,
primarily a protection for clothing and may itself present a hazard (e.g.,
combustibility) to the wearer. Cotton and synthetic materials are
satisfactory, but rayon and polyesters are not. Laboratory coats do not
significantly resist penetration by organic liquids and, if significantly
contaminated by them, should be removed immediately. 4. Respiratory
Protection The
following website offers more information on this topic: |
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