For quick reference, see the Short Version

Prepare & Protect Yourself

The minimum level of safety protection necessary to work in the Undergraduate Teaching Labs is safety eyewear, closed shoes and long lab coat. Students who arrive unprepared or inappropriately dressed will be dismissed until ready to work.

SAFETY EYE PROTECTION [Note: This is the Department rule; individual Instructors may use a more restrictive rule (such as goggles only - check with your Instructor).] Safety Eye Protection must be worn by everyone at all times. All students, faculty, staff, and visitors are required to wear approved glasses or goggles, in addition to any prescription glasses. Ordinary prescription glasses are not sufficient protection.
Chemical splash goggles are required whenever anyone is transferring more than a small amount (~25 mL) of a hazardous material or when performing an operation involving a splash hazard. Goggles may be required at all times in some labs - check with your Instructor or Lab Supervisor.
Approved safety glasses are designed for use in normal laboratory operations but offer only minimal splash protection. They are permitted as an option in some labs.
Approved goggles and glasses are available at the UCSD Bookstore in the Price Center and the General Store Coop in the Student Center. If you wear prescription glasses, choose safety glasses designed to fit over your glasses or choose goggles. The Undergraduate Labs Stockroom does not lend or sell goggles or glasses to students.

Additional eye and face protection (e.g., full-face shields) are available and should be used as directed by the experimental procedure or the lab supervisor, or when the level of eye hazard is unknown. Always be sure to use proper eye protection when ultraviolet (UV) lamps or lasers are being used.

Contact lenses: The current understanding is that using contact lenses in lab creates no additional hazard. When worn with the safety eyewear required for everyone, contact lens wear is acceptable.

APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: Lab Coats and Closed Shoes are required in the labs. Choose sturdy shoes and a long style (knee length) lab coat. Wear the coat closed to protect skin and clothing; make sure shirt sleeves don't protrude beyond coat sleeves. Avoid very loose or very long clothing; remove loose jewelry; secure long hair & loose clothing away from flames, equipment and chemical contamination.

GLOVES are provided in the labs and should be worn by everyone working with hazardous chemicals. Ask the lab staff if you do not find suitable gloves stocked in your classroom. Remove gloves and wash hands before leaving lab.

KNOW THE HAZARDS OF MATERIALS before you begin any procedure. Check the appropriate Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS); additional information is available on bottle labels, in your laboratory manuals, textbooks, in the laboratories, in the Science & Engineering Library, and in the Undergraduate Chemistry Labs Stockrooms (YORK 3150 and NSB1104).

KNOW YOUR SAFETY EQUIPMENT: Note exits and evacuation routes, presence/absence of installed telephone, location of first aid station(s), shower/eyewash stations, spill control materials & fire extinguishers. Know your evacuation assembly location and how to summon assistance from the Stockroom, Campus Police or EH&S, as appropriate.

KNOW YOUR OWN LIMITS: If you have limited mobility or any condition that may limit your ability to work safely in the Labs, consult with the lab staff, campus EH&S, and your health care provider. If you carry medication that might be needed on an emergency basis (e.g., for diabetes or asthma), inform your lab supervisor or a responsible coworker. Work stations for physically impaired or temporarily disabled students are available; if you need these facilities, ask your Instructor. Emergency Response Information forms allow students & staff to communicate medical information to emergency response; printed forms are available in York 3150 and NSB1104.

Prevent Accidents

Horseplay and pranks are especially dangerous in a laboratory setting and are forbidden at all times.

Keep chemicals and all lab materials away from the face & mouth - never pipet or start a siphon by mouth. This has been a source of serious laboratory accidents. Never work alone in the laboratory and never perform unauthorized experiments. Students are to be in the Undergraduate Labs only when attended by an Instructor, TA, or member of the lab staff.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS HANDLING: Label all containers with contents and hazards. Store hazardous materials with earthquakes & other extreme conditions in mind. Use secondary containers (trays or tubs) and segregate materials according to hazard class; store hazardous materials below eye level and return all materials to their proper storage locations. Date containers when first opened.

Special secondary containers are provided for carrying hazardous materials outside the labs or between labs. To obtain a refill from the Stockroom, choose the appropriate secondary container to carry the empty bottle and use it to carry the filled bottle back to your lab.

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT: Hazardous waste containers are provided; choose the correct container for chemical hazardous waste and for all broken glass (& other sharps that might cut through ordinary trash bags). Unless explicitly instructed, do not dispose of any waste to the drains. Read labels and ask the TA, Instructor or Lab Assistant for your course. The Safety Coordinator for the Undergraduate Labs or the lab safety staff at EH&S can also help you find information.

Use the fume hoods for all work involving flammable, corrosive, or fuming chemicals. Any volatile toxic substance should be opened and used only in a hood.

Respond Appropriately to Accident, Emergency, or Sudden Illness

SUMMON ASSISTANCE and - if you are trained - ADMINISTER FIRST AID. Call the Undergraduate Labs Stockroom (534-0222) or send an uninjured student with a message. TA must not leave students unattended in the classroom. Emergency contact information is posted near each lab telephone (where available). If you suspect an injury is serious or an ambulance will be needed, do not hesitate to call 9-1-1 for assistance.

An ACCIDENT REPORT is necessary for any accident, injury or chemical spill, no matter how minor the incident seems. These records are important in identifying recurring injuries or problem areas. 

PERSONAL EXPOSURE: If clothing catches fire or if a hazardous chemical is spilled on skin or in eyes assist the exposed person to the shower/eyewash and rinse the areas of contact with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes or until assistance arrives; remove contaminated clothing. Call 9-1-1 an send an uninjured person to notify the lab staff to ensure injuries receive proper treatment.

Do not attempt a SPILL CLEANUP without proper personal protective equipment. If the spill is large or the material is very hazardous, call 9-1-1 for assistance. For small spills, use the spill cleanup kits provided; consult with your lab supervisor and check the Material Safety Data Sheet for appropriate cleanup precautions. When the cleanup is complete, double bag the contaminated materials and store them in the Hazardous Waste Area of the lab; notify the Labs staff; a hazardous waste tag will be filled out and attached to the bag.

For a mercury (Hg) spill, use only the in-line mercury traps or the Hg sponge collectors provided in the spill kits. Do not mix mercury with any other waste; there are no waste handlers who will accept such mixed waste.

BUILDING EVACUATION: In any situation, assure the safety of people before considering any damage to property. When instructed, leave the lab immediately. Use stairs, never elevators (which may fail in an emergency). Pull the fire alarm as you exit; as soon as you reach a safe location, call 9-1-1, and report the situation to the UCSD police. Go to the assigned assembly location for your lab; locations are posted in lab rooms. The lab supervisor (Instructor or TA) takes attendance to assure that everyone is safe and provides this information to responding emergency personnel. Do not leave the area or reenter buildings until instructed to do so. Report any injuries to yourself or others and any remaining dangers. Provide assistance to injured persons, as long as you do not place yourself in immediate danger.

FIRE: Do not attempt to fight fires in the lab (except clothing fires - use emergency shower/eyewash); evacuate the lab quickly (see Building Evacuation); close all doors and call for assistance. Fire extinguishers are placed in the labs for use on small fires by trained personnel working in pairs.

EARTHQUAKE: Move away from overhead lights, heavy unsecured objects & hazardous materials. Choose a sheltered position to wait (under a strong table or bench, in a door frame, or against a bearing wall). Once the tremor stops, shut down gas lines & heat sources. Exit the building quickly (see Building Evacuation).

• The Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories Manager is Suzanne Anderson (534-4843 ).
• The Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories Safety Coordinator is Sheila Kennedy, CHO (53< b>4-0221).
• The Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Safety Director is John Palmer, PhD (534- 5906).
• The UCSD Chemical Hygiene Officer is Doug Harvey (822-1579).