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Standard Operating Procedure For Laboratory and Chemical Safety

The document provides safety guidelines and procedures for a small analytical chemistry laboratory. It outlines general safety rules including wearing protective clothing and shoes, keeping work areas uncluttered, and properly storing chemicals. Specific safety protocols are given for laboratory instruments, which can have hot or high voltage hazards, and for chemical handling and storage. Chemicals must be clearly labeled and incompatible chemicals stored separately according to their hazard groups to avoid fires or explosions. Safety data sheets must also be available for all chemicals in the laboratory.

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ahmed alghrably
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125 views4 pages

Standard Operating Procedure For Laboratory and Chemical Safety

The document provides safety guidelines and procedures for a small analytical chemistry laboratory. It outlines general safety rules including wearing protective clothing and shoes, keeping work areas uncluttered, and properly storing chemicals. Specific safety protocols are given for laboratory instruments, which can have hot or high voltage hazards, and for chemical handling and storage. Chemicals must be clearly labeled and incompatible chemicals stored separately according to their hazard groups to avoid fires or explosions. Safety data sheets must also be available for all chemicals in the laboratory.

Uploaded by

ahmed alghrably
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RSPLABDOC0719

Standard Operating Procedure for Laboratory and Chemical Safety

Laboratory Safety Guidelines


Reliance Specialty Products Lab is an analytical chemistry lab that is unaccredited and operates with a limited
scope.
The laboratory must operate within determined guidelines so that all operations are guided by rules and
regulations that ensure safety of the lab and its personnel, reliable data, good lab practices, and proper
handling of all materials including hazardous materials.
Generally, following safety guidelines creates not only a safe work environment but a fast work environment
once all employees have an understanding of safety requirements.
General Safety Procedures
1. Know the potential hazards of the materials used in the laboratory. Review the Safety Data Sheets for
any chemicals used in the laboratory. Operation manuals should be read and understood and safety
procedures should be followed when operating benchtop instrumentation.
2. Know the location of safety equipment such as emergency showers, eyewashes, fire extinguishers, fire
alarms, first aid kits, and spill kits.
3. Read and understand all safety procedures regarding the laboratory and the materials used in the
laboratory.
4. Leather shoes, closed toe with slip resistant soles are recommended.
5. Minimize unsafe work conditions by making sure exits and safety equipment are unobstructed, work
benches are uncluttered, and accumulated waste is sequestered appropriately.
6. Both business casual attire as well as casual attire are permitted in the lab. Clothing is to be chosen so
as to minimize exposed areas below the neck. If areas of exposed skin are present, a full length lab coat
is to be worn to protect the worker. Clothes made of synthetic fabrics such as nylon should not be
worn in areas that hold potential hazards like open flame or reactive chemicals.
7. Contact lenses are permitted, but not recommended for use inside the lab. Working with volatile
organic chemicals is problematic for contact lens wearers.
8. Restrain or confine long hair and loose clothing. Restrained clothing or hair should not present loose
tails that could increase a fire hazard or get caught in moving parts.
9. Storing food in the lab or in the laboratory refrigerator is not allowed.
10. All experimental activity or general lab activity should be completed. Potentially hazardous
experiments should not be left unattended by lab technician. Experiments in progress should be made
known to the lab supervior and manager for prior approval and take steps to ensure the experiment in
progress is adhering to safety measures when unattended.
Instrument Safety
Reliance Specialty Products laboratory utilizes both bench top instrumentation and heavier, stand-alone
instruments. Workers in the lab should be aware of any hazards of working with these instruments and be
properly trained on how to operate the instruments safely. Some instruments have extremely hot surfaces
and high voltage associated with them and workers should take precautions to avoid interacting with them
unsafely and possibly being injured or killed. A proper training regimen and daily basic maintenance like
calibration are vital for safe usage and the generation of reliable data.

Chemical Safety
Review all Safety Data Sheets pertaining to each chemical under use in the laboratory. Proper chemical
labeling and storage is essential for a safe laboratory work environment. Inappropriate storage of
incompatible or unknown chemicals can lead to spontaneous fire and explosions with the associated release
of toxic gases. To minimize these hazards, chemicals in the laboratory must segregated properly. Storage and
handling procedures listed below are not intended to be all-inclusive but should serve instead to supplement
more specific procedures and recommendations obtained from container labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and
other chemical reference material.
Chemical Identification
Manufacturer chemical labels must never be removed or defaced until the chemical is completely used. Once
a chemical is used, a permanent marker can then be used to completely obscure the manufacturer label. All
secondary chemical containers such as bottles, beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, volumetric flasks, and vials should
all be labeled. Larger containers should have the full chemical name, the day’s date, and the initials of the user
of the container. Small containers should have either a number or a letter/character designation with a
referenced associated log that describes the contents of the smaller container. Groups of smaller containers
can be labeled as a group and stored together.
Safety Data Sheets
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all laboratory chemicals are required to be maintained in the laboratory or online.
Safety Data Sheets are available from chemical manufacturer’s websites. These can be accessed for free by
entering in the product code and /or manufacturers Lot number. The SDS for the exact chemical or mixture
provided by the manufacturer of the product must be available. The chemical identity and manufacturer
found on the label must match the chemical identity and manufacturer found on the SDS. All personnel must
know how to read and understand an SDS.

Chemical Storage
A defined storage place should be provided for each chemical/ chemical group and the chemical should be
returned to its defined place after every use.
Chemical containers must be in good condition before they are stored. Frequent inspection of chemical
containers can inhibit leakage or unwanted spills. The list of Hazard Groups for chemical grouping
distinguishes each chemical group to be stored with specific properties that similar to individual chemicals
within each group.
Hazard Groups
 Flammable/Combustable Liquids
 Inorganic Acids
 Strong Bases
 Water Reactives
 Toxins/Poisons
 Non-Toxics
 Gases*- Inert/Flammable

Chemicals (including chemical waste) must be separated and stored according to their hazard group and
specific chemical incompatibilities. Reading the SDS of a specific chemical can lend insight on how to store a
specific chemical properly. Chemicals should be separated by distance. Physical barriers such as storage
cabinets and secondary containers should be used to prohibit contact of incompatible chemicals in the event
they are accidentally released or spilled. Liquids should not be stored above dry chemicals unless they are
stored in secondary containers. Storage of chemicals within hoods and on bench tops should be avoided.
Stored chemicals should not be exposed to heat or direct sunlight. Storage shelves and cabinets should be
secured to prevent tipping. Shelves should have a lip or doors to prevent chemicals from falling. Flammable
liquids in excess of 37.8 liters in each laboratory must be stored in an approved flammable storage cabinet.
Liquid chemicals should be stored below eye level to minimize spilling.

Name Formul CAS MW Boil Pt Density VP FlaPt


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