• Long hair (chin-length or longer) must be tied back to avoid catching fire.
• Wear sensible clothing including footwear. Loose clothing should be secured so they do not get caught in a flame or chemicals.
• Work quietly - know what you are doing by reading the assigned experiment before you start to work. Pay close attention to any cautions described in the laboratory exercises.
• Do not taste or smell chemicals.
• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes when heating substances, dissecting, etc.
• Do not attempt to change the position of glass tubing in a stopper.
• Never point a test tube being heated at another student or yourself. Never look into a test tube while you are heating it.
• Unauthorized experiments or procedures must not be attempted.
• Keep solids out of the sink.
• Leave your work station clean and in good order before leaving the laboratory.
• Do not lean, hang over or sit on the laboratory tables.
• Do not leave your assigned laboratory station without permission of the teacher.
• Learn the location of the fire extinguisher, eye wash station, first aid kit and safety shower.
• Fooling around or "horse play" in the laboratory is absolutely forbidden. Students found in violation of this safety rule will be barred from particpating in future labs and could result in suspension.
• Anyone wearing acrylic nails will not be allowed to work with matches, lighted splints, bunsen burners, etc.
• Do not lift any solutions, glassware or other types of apparatus above eye level.
• Follow all instructions given by your teacher.
• Learn how to transport all materials and equipment safely.
• No eating or drinking in the lab at any time!

Did You Know? There are many different types of potential hazards in welding and thermal cutting processes. Everyone involved should be aware of what these hazards are. Welding and cutting processes are safe, and the risks from the hazards can be reduced, if they are carried out correctly and with care. Potential hazards need to be identified, measured where appropriate, and assessed, and remedial measures put in place wherever necessary. Although Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, should not be issued as the primary method of reducing a hazard it should be issued to all personnel if beneficial. Employers and employees should be made fully aware of the dangers that can arise and take all reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of all.

Chemical safety has many scientific and technical components. Among these are toxicology, ecotoxicology and the process of chemical risk assessment which requires a detailed knowledge of exposure and of biological effects.

infections have been reported and many others have certainly occurred. Incidents such as a splash to mucous membranes, needle stick, contamination of open wounds or skin lesions, ingestion or inhalation of an aerosolized infectious agent or toxin have all produced laboratory-acquired disease.

The essential component of evaluating and controlling exposure to biohazardous materials is the process called “Risk Assessment.” The most straightforward component of risk is evaluating the possibility that a researcher could become infected with an agent they are handling. However, protection of the environment and community against an accidental release of biohazardous materials and/or genetically modified materials or animals is also essential. In order for the Biosafety Officers and the Institutional Biosafety Committee to do their analysis, researchers must provide complete and comprehensive information. It is therefore essential when completing applications, such as a Biological Use Authorization (BUA), for descriptions of the work and materials to be written so that a layperson can understand.

The tools used during risk assessment include identifying an agent’s Risk Group, and determining the appropriate Biosafety Level (BSL) required for adequate containment. The characteristics of Risk Groups and BSLs are described in the tables at the end of the chapter. Note that Risk Groups are only based upon the potential for an agent causing disease in healthy adults, not children or those who may be at increased risk due to immunocompromised conditions. Also note that the Biosafety Level often corresponds to the Risk Group, but not always. There are many cases where an agent poses little or no risk to a person but could do serious harm to agriculture or the environment if released. The Biosafety Level will be higher than the risk group would indicate. The BSL may also be increased for working with large quantities of culture (greater than 10 liters) or if laboratory manipulations dictate higher containment conditions.

It is important to understand that the Risk Group for an agent is assigned by entities external to UTHM such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) or the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is the practice of the UTHM IBC (Institutional Biosafety Committee) to use the most conservative reasonable RG assignment for an agent in their risk assessment. However it is entirely the UTHM IBC’s responsibility to assign the appropriate BSL for the work being done.