Personal Hygiene and Behavior in the Chemical Laboratory
Last Reviewed: June 8, 2005
- No eating, gum chewing, drinking or smoking is allowed in the laboratory.
- Food or drink must NOT be brought into the laboratory, this includes water bottles. If it is, it must be disposed of immediately.
- Do not apply make-up in the laboratory.
- There is to be absolutely no horseplay in any laboratory.
- Perform no unauthorized experiments. Do not deviate from a written procedure, unless given the expressed written consent of the instructor.
- Never work alone in the laboratory and work only during times approved by your instructor.
- Avoid direct contact with chemicals. Any chemical spill on the hands should be immediately washed off and your instructor notified. Hands should be washed before leaving the laboratory to remove potentially hazardous chemicals.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes in the laboratory.
- Do not sit on the lab benches as they may have residues of hazardous materials from earlier spills still on them. It may look clean, but it probably isn’t.