Laboratory Hazards & Safety – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms and definitions related to laboratory hazards, safety equipment, regulations, and best practices from the lecture notes.

Biological Hazard

Risk posed by infectious agents in clinical specimens that can cause disease in humans or animals.

Sharps Hazard

Cuts, punctures, or blood-borne pathogen exposure from needles, lancets, or broken glassware.

Chemical Hazard

Danger arising from flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, irritant, or reactive substances and reagents.

Radioactive Hazard

Potential radiation exposure from radioisotopes or energized equipment.

Electrical Hazard

Burns or shock from ungrounded, wet, or damaged electrical equipment and cords.

Fire/Explosive Hazard

Risk of burns or dismemberment from open flames, volatile chemicals, gases, or detonation-prone materials.

Physical Hazard

Injury risks such as wet floors, heavy boxes, or mechanical, electrical, and fire dangers in the lab.

Mechanical Risk

Cuts or injuries due to broken, chipped, or improperly handled laboratory glassware and equipment.

Flash Point

Temperature at which a liquid produces enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air.

Volatility

Tendency of a liquid or solid to vaporize; indicated by its boiling point.

Pyrophoric Material

Substance that can ignite spontaneously in air without external ignition (e.g., potassium metal).

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Manufacturer document outlining physical, health, fire, reactivity, and handling information for a chemical.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

GHS-formatted update of MSDS containing standardized hazard information for chemicals.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

Written program detailing work practices, PPE, engineering controls, and training for hazardous chemical use.

NFPA Diamond Label

Color-coded diamond indicating health, flammability, reactivity, and specific hazards of a chemical.

RACE

Fire response acronym: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate.

PASS

Fire-extinguisher use steps: Pull pin, Aim nozzle, Squeeze handle, Sweep side-to-side.

Fire Triangle

Three essentials for combustion: heat, fuel, and oxygen (plus a chemical reaction).

Class A Fire

Fire involving ordinary combustibles like paper or wood; fought with water or dry chemical extinguishers.

Class B Fire

Fire involving flammable liquids such as grease or gasoline; extinguished with dry chemical, CO₂, or foam.

Class C Fire

Fire in energized electrical equipment; suppressed with non-conductive dry chemical or CO₂ extinguishers.

Class D Fire

Fire involving reactive metals (e.g., magnesium); controlled with Metal X or sand by trained personnel.

Class K Fire

Fire in cooking oils or fats; extinguished with specialized liquid agents that prevent splashing and cool oil.

Universal Precautions

Older OSHA concept focusing on protection from blood and certain body fluids only.

Standard Precautions

Current comprehensive infection-control approach applied to all patients and body fluids except sweat.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Gloves, fluid-resistant gowns, goggles, masks, and face shields used to reduce exposure risks.

Biosafety Cabinet

Enclosed, ventilated workspace that protects user and environment when handling infectious materials.

Fume Hood

Local ventilation device that captures, contains, and exhausts hazardous chemical vapors.

Safety Shower

Emergency station delivering large volumes of water to rinse chemicals from skin or clothing.

Eyewash Station

Fixture providing a continuous gentle flow of water to flush contaminants from the eyes for 15 minutes.

Spill Kit

Pre-assembled PPE and absorbents enabling prompt cleanup of chemical or oil spills.

Sharps Container

Closable, puncture- and leak-proof, biohazard-labeled box for safe disposal of needles and broken glass.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

U.S. agency enforcing workplace safety standards such as blood-borne pathogens and PPE rules.

Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

OSHA regulation requiring universal/standard precautions, HBV vaccination, and exposure control plans.

Chain of Infection

Model showing links (agent, reservoir, exit, transmission, entry, host) that must be broken to stop disease spread.

Handwashing

Most effective method to prevent communicable disease; recommended 20-second scrub to “Happy Birthday.”

Category 1 Exposure (OSHA)

Job classification with daily exposure to blood or body fluids; employer must provide free HBV vaccine.

Category 3 Exposure

Job classification with no exposure to blood or body fluids during routine duties.

Acid Spill Cleanup

Neutralize with sodium bicarbonate until fizzing stops; bag, label, and place residue in fume hood.

Solvent Spill Cleanup

Apply activated charcoal, mix until dry, bag absorbed material, and place inside fume hood.

GHS Flammable Symbol

Flame pictogram indicating substances that easily ignite.

GHS Oxidizer Symbol

Flame over circle pictogram marking chemicals that intensify combustion by providing oxygen.

GHS Compressed Gas Symbol

Gas cylinder pictogram denoting gases under pressure.

GHS Acute Toxicity Symbol

Skull and crossbones pictogram for rapidly toxic substances even at low doses.

Chemical Storage Cabinet

Ventilated enclosure designed to hold limited quantities of flammable or corrosive chemicals safely.

Explosion-Proof Refrigerator

Specialized fridge with spark-free components for storing flammable liquids in laboratories.

Safety Can

Approved ≤5-gallon container with spring-closing lid to relieve internal pressure and store flammables.

Flammable Chemical

Substance that can combust when exposed to an open flame or spark (e.g., ethyl alcohol).

Corrosive Chemical

Agent that burns or destroys living tissue and eats away materials (e.g., concentrated sulfuric acid).

Irritant

Substance causing inflammation on skin or mucous membranes upon contact (e.g., xylene).

Reactive Chemical

Material that reacts with other substances, often generating heat or new products (e.g., sodium oxide + water).

Toxic/Poisonous Chemical

Substance capable of serious injury or death when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed (e.g., mercury).

Hydrogen Sulfide

Extremely flammable, fatal-if-inhaled gas; classified as GHS Flammable Gas 1 and Acute Toxicity 2.

Fire Blanket

Laboratory item recommended for warming shock victims; not advised for extinguishing person fires.

Wet Floor Hazard

Slip risk contributing to sprains or falls; part of general physical hazards.

Proper Lifting Technique

Bend knees and keep back straight when moving heavy lab objects to prevent injury.