Laboratory Safety and Chemical Waste Disposal

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering laboratory safety rules, clothing standards, chemical waste classification, quenching methods, and emergency procedures.

SharpSafe

A yellow plastic bin designated specifically for the immediate disposal of needles and other sharp tools, excluding Pasteur pipettes, glass shards, and syringes.

Quenching

The process of allowing highly reactive solutions (such as concentrated acids, bases, oxidizers, reductants, or Grignard reagents) to react with a suitable substrate before being poured into waste jerry cans.

Quenching Strong Acids

Neutralizing highly reactive strong acids using a dilute solution of a weak base, such as ammonia or sodium acetate.

Quenching Strong Bases

Neutralizing highly reactive strong bases using a dilute solution of a weak acid, such as acetic acid.

Quenching Strong Oxidizers

Safely neutralizing strong oxidizing agents using dilute reductants, typically oxalic acid or sodium bisulfite.

Quenching Strong Reductants

Safely neutralizing strong reducing agents using dilute oxidizers, typically sodium hypochlorite ('household bleach'), potassium permanganate, or hydrogen peroxide.

ADR Class Symbols

Standardized symbols located at the very bottom of chemical waste stickers that specify the road transportation classification.

Halogen-Poor Organic Waste Bin

A $10\,\text{L}$ jerry can designated for organic compounds and solvents (such as acetone, petroleum ether, THF, or ethyl acetate) that do not contain bromine, chlorine, fluorine, or iodine atoms.

Organic Halogen-Rich Waste Bin

A $10\,\text{L}$ jerry can designated for halogenated organic solvents (such as chloroform and dichloromethane) and solutions containing organic halogen-containing compounds.

Toxic Liquids Waste Bin

A $10\,\text{L}$ jerry can designated for solutions of inorganic substances, such as dissolved salts and metal complexes (e.g., copper chloride, potassium iodide, and quenched potassium permanganate).

Halogenide

Negatively charged ions of halogens (such as fluoride, chloride, bromide, or iodide) which, with the exception of fluoride, are typically much less dangerous than their halogen counterparts or halogenated organic substances.

Skin Contamination Protocol

Immediately flushing contaminated skin with plenty of water for at least $15\,\text{minutes}$, utilizing the emergency shower in case of large contamination.

Eye Contamination Protocol

Flushing the affected eye outwardly away from the other eye with a gentle stream of water for $15\,\text{minutes}$ while keeping the eye wide open, which can be followed by rinsing with diphoterine.

Fire Blanket Protocol

Preventing a person on fire from running and rolling them in a fire blanket, ensuring the head remains clear and closing space between the blanket and neck to prevent a chimney effect.

SL-2 Rooms

Safety Level 2 laboratories in which wearing a lab coat made of $100\%$ cotton and safety goggles is mandatory at all times.

Foam Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers containing water that are suitable for general fires where water presents no extra danger, but strictly forbidden on metal fires, electrical fires, and water-reactive chemical fires.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers suitable for electrical fires and water-sensitive fires, but dangerous and forbidden for use on burning metals.

Sand Buckets

Firefighting material provided in designated areas between labs, uniquely required as the only safe extinguishing method for metal fires.

Red Panic Buttons

Emergency buttons located in the laboratory that, when pressed, immediately shut down electricity across the entire lab.

GHS Hazard Statements ('H sentences')

Standardized phrases that provide detailed information about the specific dangers associated with chemical substances.

GHS Precautionary Statements ('P sentences')

Standardized phrases that provide detailed instructions on the correct and safe handling of chemical substances.

Material Safety Data Sheet ('MSDS')

A document providing detailed physical and chemical safety information, applicable GHS hazard symbols, H sentences, and P sentences for chemical substances.

Clean Glass Waste Container

Containers located next to the waste fume hood for non-chemically contaminated glass (where all solvent traces have evaporated or been rinsed with acetone and water) to be disposed of with household glass.

Scanning Out Chemicals

The mandatory administrative procedure of unregistering an empty chemical bottle or jar from the online database prior to disposal.

Sink Disposal Protocol

A waste disposal route allowed only in exceptional cases for diluted solutions of harmless salts and diluted inorganic acids or bases, requiring flushing down the drain with plenty of water.