Rules and Notes For Students in the Laboratories

Safety glasses (Goggles)

-Safety glasses (Goggles) are to be worn all the time while in the laboratories even if
performing a quiz or doing no experiment or just reading or working on the computer.
The goggles should always be on your eyes. In case you need a break from them, you
cannot remove them while in the lab but you can go out to the corridor for a minute and
then remove them (students should get the instructors approval before proceeding with
this). The cabinet of goggles is next to the door so students grab one while entering and
wear it immediately, before wearing the lab coat.
No excuses are allowed such as I just got in or I was just leaving.

- Contact lenses are not are not allowed in the lab. Eyeglasses are allowed and in that
case, the goggles are to be worn on top of the eyeglasses.

- The goggles should be returned to their cabinets and not left in lockers. The goggles are
sterilized every day. They should be returned tidily one next to the other and not on top of
each other to avoid breakage. In addition, the cabinet of the goggles should remain closed
at all times.

Clothes and appearance
-A lab gown (from cotton) is to be worn, buttoned all the way and not shorter than the
knees. The sleeves should be long and not pulled up no matter how hot the weather is.
-Students should wear their lab gowns before entering to their lab period.
-Shorts, skirts, stockings, and any type of clothing that shows the feet are prohibited.
Pants are only permitted.
-Closed toe footwear is only allowed (no sandals or ballerinas or ballerinas with socks)
-Long hair is to be tied back in a bun and not a ponytail form. No loose hair should be
present on the face.
-Loose clothing (ties, scarves, sleeves...) is to be secured.
-Gloves should be worn especially if working with concentrated solutions and organic
chemicals. Leaving the lab with the gloves is prohibited for contamination reasons.
Gloves should be removed before leaving the lab, or when in the lab and a computer, the
telephone or an instrument is being used by the person wearing the gloves.
-Eating, drinking, smoking, as well as chewing are prohibited. Storing food or drinking
bottles in the lab is prohibited.
-Application of cosmetics while in the lab is not allowed.

Any belongings, (like bags, sweatshirts, others), should be placed in a corner
(specified by the instructor) and not in between benches and not on benches and
bench tops. However, if anything misses from bags, it is of the students
responsibility, so keep wallets and other important items in pockets.
Bags and belongings should not be placed on benches holding chemicals.
Lockers and drawers should be kept closed during work in the lab. The students
should take out the glassware they need for the experiment and leave the locker
closed. If they have a kit, students should take whatever they need from it and
then place it back in the locker and close the locker door.
Horseplay, pranks and other mischief are prohibited.
Mobiles, earphones and music are not allowed during lab sessions.
Moving around in the lab while holding pipettes and burettes is prohibited.
Leaving lit Bunsen burners unattended is not allowed.
The students must not enter labs unless the instructor is present.
The benches should be cleaned after working and checked by the instructor before
leaving the lab. The students receive the benches organized and clean, so they
should return them that way. They should return anything they borrowed, from
clamps, hoses, glassware (after cleaning them), heating plates, stirrersThis way,
they will notice if they have forgotten any glassware that belongs to them outside
their locker and not accuse others of taking staff from their lockers.
Balances and balance benches should be clean before leaving the lab and during
the lab period.
Glassware used are to be cleaned well after performing the experiment with a
detergent and tap water, followed by distilled water, and then to be rinsed with
acetone if available. They should not be left for the following week to be cleaned
or else chemicals will stick and will be harder to be removed. In case the
glassware is not getting clean, ask the technician for other cleaning procedures.
Gas inlets of the bunsen burners should be closed after usage.
Sinks should be clean and contain no solid waste.
Fume hoods should be cleaned before leaving the lab.
Stirrers and heaters should be turned off.
Smelling chemicals is not allowed. Sniffing is the only way to smell chemicals if
needed.
Broken glass should be placed in approved waste containers (the yellow trash).
Students should get a container to obtain a certain amount of a chemical. He/she
should never pipet from a bottle and should never return unused solution/chemical
back to its bottle for contamination issues.
Students must read all labels carefully during the experiment. They are not
allowed to obtain more then the specified amount of a certain chemical. The
specified amount is usually present on the label.
Students are not allowed to change the location of reagent bottles/vials/solvents or
transfer them to their benches unless specified by the instructor. And in case they
do, they should immediately return them to their location.
In case of any spill in the lab, the students should tell the instructor and clean
immediately.
Students will be graded on the usage techniques of glassware by the instructor.
Students should come prepared to the lab.
Students should know the location of eye-washing fountains, shower, first aid kit,
and fire extinguisher as well as know how to operate them.
Students should be allowed the full duration of the lab session (as specified on the
class schedule) if needed. Rushing students for an early dismissal is not allowed.
During check in and at check-out, the students should clean all their glassware
with a detergent
Lab doors should be kept unlocked while working so in case anything happens to
someone, anyone can enter to help.
Waste bottles should be labeled with full chemical name of all the constituents,
approximate percent composition of all the constituents and the date started.
Several inches of space should be left at the top.
Working alone in the lab is not allowed. At least two persons need to be around
and if not working in the same lab, they should be checking each other every half
an hour.
Your hands should always be washed before leaving the laboratory even if you
wore gloves.
All safety rules apply to all laboratory visitors, no matter how brief their visit is.
Visitors are not allowed to help in the lab for experimental work or cleaning. No
one other than you knows about the hazards of the work you are performing.
If you need the cleaner (genitor) to clean benches, he or she is not allowed to
work without gloves and without your attendance. He should not be working with
any chemicals. The only thing he can help you with is wiping the dust from the
benches, the floor and instruments on benches with a dry or wet towel. The towels
he uses for benches should be different from the ones he uses for instruments on
benches.
When transporting chemicals place the immediate container in a secondary
container or bucket (rubber, metal or plastic) designed to be carried and large
enough to hold the entire contents of the chemical.
Do not place chemicals and glassware close to edges and do not place them on the
floor.
Chemicals should not be stored in the hood. The hood does not work properly if it
contains more then three, four small items. Do not place the items at the sides of
the hood.
Do not place more than a few items on top benches.
Eye washing stations should be checked at least once a week and monthly records
of it should be kept. Do not check them once at the end of the month and sign on
the record as checked for four weeks and do not give excuses that you do not use
them. Of course you would not be using them if no accident occurs. They need to
be checked to verify proper functioning, and to clean it from deposits and
accumulated bacteria.
When checking the eye washing station, keep the water running for around
15minutes.
Fire extinguishers are not to be used for fun. In case they are used for emergency,
inform the people responsible of safety.
Do not keep your lab coat on while eating or drinking outside the lab.


In case any of these rules is not followed, students will be asked to leave the lab and
will get a zero grade for the experiment being performed. Other actions might take place
according to the situation.