General Lab Safety and Equipment Review

General Laboratory Safety Rules and Attire

  • Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and attire must be worn at all times in the laboratory:
    • Safety goggles must be worn over eyes continuously during practical work.
    • Lab coats or protective aprons must be worn to protect clothing and skin from chemical spills.
    • Shoes must be fully closed-toe; open-toed shoes, sandals, shorts, and skirts are strictly prohibited.
    • Long hair must be tied back securely to prevent contact with open flames or chemical reagents.
    • Loose sleeves, dangling clothing, and jewelry must be secured or removed.
    • Clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton and wool is preferred over synthetic materials due to superior flame resistance.
  • Personal items including backpacks, binders, coats, and water bags must be stored underneath desks or in designated storage areas to keep aisles and workstations clear.
  • Eating, drinking, and chewing gum are strictly prohibited inside the laboratory environment to prevent chemical contamination and accidental ingestion.
  • Never taste, directly touch, or directly inhale chemical reagents:
    • Chemical vapors must be smelled exclusively using the wafting technique (fanning vapors toward the nose with a hand movement).
  • Glassware and metal apparatus must be tested for heat prior to touching by bringing the back of the hand close to the object; hot equipment must be handled using beaker tongs, test tube holders, or heat-resistant protective gloves.

Room 227 Emergency and Safety Equipment Map

  • Safety equipment distribution and location in Room 227:
    • 1111 Laboratory Sinks (Éviers)
    • 33 Fire Blankets (Couvertures anti-feu)
    • 2 to 32\text{ to }3 Emergency Exits (Sorties d'urgence)
    • 22 Eyewash Stations (Fontaines oculaires)
    • 11 Emergency Shower (Douche d'urgence)
    • Fire Extinguisher (Extincteur d'incendie)
    • Fire Alarm (Alarme d'incendie)
    • Sand Bucket (Seau de sable)
    • Safety Goggles Storage (Lunettes de sécurité)
    • Lab Coat Rack (Manteaux de sécurité)
    • Automatic Gas Shutoff Switch (Arrêt automatique de l'admission de gaz)
    • Broken Glass Container (Contenant à verre brisé)
    • Dustpan and Broom (Pelle et balai)
    • Earthquake Kit (Trousse de tremblement de terre)
    • First Aid Kit (Trousse de premiers soins)
  • Emergency Exit Route: Highlighted in red on room schematic maps to indicate the direct route out of the building during an emergency evacuation.

Laboratory Equipment Identification and Functions

  • Safety Goggles (Lunettes de sécurité): Covers and protects the eyes against chemical splashes, flying debris, and impacts.
  • Beaker (Bécher): Wide cylindrical glass container used for holding, mixing, and heating liquids; provides approximate volume measurements.
  • Erlenmeyer Flask (Flacon Erlenmeyer): Cone-shaped glass container with a narrow neck; ideal for holding and mixing liquids while preventing splashing and containing toxic or volatile vapors.
  • Round-Bottom Flask (Ballon): Spherical glass container designed for uniform heating, boiling, and chemical reactions.
  • Graduated Cylinder (Cylindre gradué): Narrow glass or plastic cylinder marked with precise milliliter graduations for accurate liquid volume measurement.
  • Test Tube (Tube à essai / Éprouvette): Small cylindrical glass tube used to hold, mix, or heat small quantities of chemical substances.
  • Test Tube Rack (Porte-éprouvettes / Support à éprouvettes): Stand used to hold and store multiple test tubes upright simultaneously.
  • Watch Glass (Verre de montre): Concave glass disk used as a cover for beakers to trap escaping gases, as an evaporation surface, or to hold small solid samples.
  • Test Tube Holder / Tongs (Pince à éprouvette): Clamping tool used to securely hold and transport single test tubes, especially during heating.
  • Beaker Tongs (Pince à bécher): Tongs with rubber-coated jaws designed to grip and transport hot beakers safely.
  • Voltmeter (Voltmètre): Electrical instrument used to measure electrical potential difference (voltage) in an electric circuit.
  • Dropper Pipette (Pipette compte-gouttes): Tool used to transfer small liquid volumes drop by drop between containers.
  • Scoopula / Spatula (Scoopula / Spatule): Metal tool used to transfer solid chemicals from containers onto weighing balances.
  • Funnel (Entonnoir): Cone-shaped instrument designed to transfer liquids into containers with small openings without spilling.
  • Beam Balance (Balance à fléau / Balance): Scale used to measure the mass of solid objects accurately.
  • Stirring Rod (Tige de verre): Solid glass rod used to manually stir liquid solutions in containers.
  • Protective Heat Gloves (Gants de protection): Thermal gloves used to handle hot objects and protect hands from heat burns.
  • Fume Hood (Hotte aspirante): Ventilated enclosure used to conduct experiments producing dangerous, toxic, or volatile fumes.

Bunsen Burner Parts, Assembly, and Operation

  • Bunsen Burner Components:
    • Chimney / Barrel (La cheminée): Vertical tube where gas and air mix.
    • Air Vent / Collar (La virole / L'entrée d'air): Rotating metal ring at the base of the barrel regulating air intake.
    • Gas Adjustment Valve (Le réglage de gaz): Needle valve controlling gas flow into the burner.
    • Gas Inlet Tubing (L'arrivée de gaz / Le tuyau): Flexible tubing connecting the burner base to the gas tap.
    • Burner Base (La base): Heavy wide support preventing the burner from tipping over.
    • Nozzle / Cap (Le chapeau / La buse): Flame opening at the top of the barrel.
  • Pre-Ignition Safety Steps:
    • Tie back long hair and roll up loose sleeves.
    • Put on safety goggles and lab coat.
    • Inspect rubber gas hose for cracks or structural damage.
    • Clear table of all flammable materials and papers.
    • Confirm gas valve handle on main gas tap is in OFF position (perpendicular to gas outlet).
    • Rotate collar to fully close the air intake vent.
  • Lighting Procedure:
    1. Connect flexible gas inlet hose securely to gas tap valve.
    2. Ensure air intake collar is closed.
    3. Close gas needle valve completely, then open it exactly 1.51.5 full turns.
    4. Hold spark lighter directly above the chimney top with one hand, and open the main gas tap handle with the other hand.
    5. Create a spark immediately above barrel top to ignite gas.
    6. Burner ignites in safety mode producing a yellow flame (flamme jaune).
    7. Stabilize base with one hand and rotate collar with the other to open air intake vent, converting burner to heating mode producing a blue flame (flamme bleue).
    8. Use gas control valve to adjust total flame height as needed.
    9. Shutdown Procedure: Turn collar to return flame to yellow safety flame, then turn main gas tap handle to CLOSED position.
  • Rules for Heating Test Tubes:
    • Clamp test tube near top rim using test tube tongs.
    • Hold test tube at a 45 degree45\text{ degree} angle.
    • Keep test tube moving continuously back and forth in the flame.
    • Point open top of test tube away from yourself and all lab partners.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS / SIMDUT)

  • WHMIS / SIMDUT Hazard Pictograms and Classifications:
    • Gas Cylinder (Gaz sous pression): Gases compressed under pressure; explosive hazard if heated, dropped, or damaged.
    • Flame (Inflammable / Incendie): Flammable liquids, solids, gases, aerosols, self-heating substances, or organic peroxides.
    • Flame Over Circle (Comburant / Oxidizer): Oxidizing solids, liquids, or gases that ignite or intensify combustion in other materials.
    • Exploding Bomb (Explosif / Réactivité): Explosives, self-reactive substances, and organic peroxides prone to explosion from heat, friction, or shock.
    • Corrosion (Corrosif): Corrosive to metals; causes severe chemical burns to skin and permanent eye damage.
    • Skull and Crossbones (Toxique Empoisonnant / Acute Toxicity): Severe acute toxicity; lethal or fatal upon short exposure via ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact.
    • Exclamation Mark (Toxique Irritant / Harmful): Causes skin or eye irritation, allergic skin reactions, or acute toxicity; harmful to health.
    • Health Hazard (Danger pour la santé / Chronic Toxicity): Carcinogenicity, germ cell mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory sensitizers, and target organ toxicity.
    • Environment (Danger pour le milieu aquatique): Aquatic toxicity; harmful or destructive to aquatic ecosystems and aquatic organisms.
    • Biohazardous Infectious Materials (Matières infectieuses présentant un danger biologique): Biological agents, micro-organisms, or toxins causing disease in humans or animals.

Laboratory Preparation and Experimental Techniques

  • Pre-Laboratory Preparation Requirements:
    • Read all lab instructions and procedures carefully prior to class.
    • Identify all safety risks and review safety data sheets (SDS / MSDS).
    • Prepare structured observation and data collection tables beforehand.
    • Keep all non-essential personal items (backpacks, coats, binders) off lab benches.
    • Work only under direct teacher authorization and direct supervision.
  • Operational Laboratory Techniques:
    • Maintain low noise levels and disciplined behavior at all times.
    • Diluting Concentrated Acids: ALWAYS add acid directly to water (AAA rule: Add Acid to Water), NEVER add water to acid, preventing extreme exothermic reactions and splashing.
    • Never leave active heat sources unattended; turn off Bunsen burners and hot plates immediately when not actively in use.
    • Substitute open flames with electric hot plates when working with flammable solvents or reagents.

Laboratory Cleanup and Chemical Disposal Procedures

  • Broken Glassware Cleanup:
    • Sweep up broken glass immediately using a broom and dustpan.
    • Place glass exclusively inside designated rigid broken glass container (Contenant à verre cassé).
    • Report all glass breakage immediately to instructor and neighboring students.
  • Chemical Spill Management:
    • Clean chemical spills immediately using proper chemical spill kits.
    • Notify nearby lab partners of spills to prevent accidental contact.
  • Chemical Reagent Disposal:
    • NEVER return unused chemical reagents back to original stock bottles to avoid cross-contamination.
    • Distribute unused excess chemical reagents to fellow students or dispose of in designated waste containers.
    • Acids or reactive chemicals must never be dumped down sink drains unless explicitly authorized.
  • Workstation Washdown:
    • Wash glassware thoroughly using soap, cleaning brushes, and water; rinse and air dry.
    • Wipe down bench surface thoroughly with soap and water after completing practical tasks.
    • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before exiting the laboratory.
    • For multi-day experiments, clearly label all materials with name and date, storing them in designated areas.

Laboratory Safety Scenarios, Hazard Analysis, and Prevention

  • Scenario 1: Adjusting microscope coarse focus while looking through eyepiece.
    • Hazard: Objective lens crashes into glass slide, breaking glass sample.
    • Prevention: Observe objective lens from side position while adjusting coarse focus dial.
  • Scenario 2: Handling glass beakers with wet, unwashed hands.
    • Hazard: Beaker slips from grip, smashing on floor and spilling contents.
    • Prevention: Dry hands thoroughly with paper towels before lifting glass apparatus.
  • Scenario 3: Cluttered workstation with loose papers near an active Bunsen burner.
    • Hazard: Combustible papers catch fire from open flame.
    • Prevention: Clear all loose papers and flammable materials away from active workspace before lighting burner.
  • Scenario 4: Unnoticed active hot plate left powered on by previous class.
    • Hazard: Severe skin contact burns or fire hazards.
    • Prevention: Always inspect heating devices, check power lights, and test surface heat cautiously with back of hand.
  • Scenario 5: Spilling large quantity of chemical reagent while taking measurements.
    • Hazard: Slipping hazards, chemical exposure, or floor degradation.
    • Prevention: Clean up chemical spills immediately using chemical absorbent spill kits.
  • Scenario 6: Attaching heavy rock sample to lightweight spring scale.
    • Hazard: Spring mechanism snaps, causing rock to drop and cause injury or damage.
    • Prevention: Check scale weight capacity limits; use heavy-duty mass balances for high-mass objects.
  • Scenario 7: Reaching across active Bunsen burner flame to retrieve notebook.
    • Hazard: Open flame ignites clothing sleeves or inflicts thermal skin burns.
    • Prevention: Turn burner off before reaching across bench or route arms around flame perimeter.
  • Scenario 8: Discovering hairline crack in test tube before heating.
    • Hazard: Glass shatters upon heating, causing sharp debris cuts and thermal/chemical spills.
    • Prevention: Inspect glassware prior to use; immediately discard cracked tubes into broken glass container.