Module 1 : Introduction

Lecture 1 : Introduction

Don'ts

  1. Do not sit on the laboratory benches.

  2. Never eat or drink anything inside the laboratory.

  3. Do not handle your contact lenses or apply cosmetics in the lab.

  4. Never touch any chemical or reagent with bare hands.

  5. Never try to taste or smell any chemical or reagent.

  6. Do not pipette any of the chemicals through your mouth.

  7. If the chemicals are taken from the original container, and you happen to take out more than the amount required, never transfer back the excess amount to the original container.

  8. If concentrated acids are to be diluted, never add water to the concentrated acid; concentrated acid should be added to the water drop-wise with continuous stirring.

  9. Never leave your experiments unattended.

  10. Never point the open end of any glassware or vial towards yourself or any other person.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

A Material Safety Data Sheet is a document provided by the manufacturer/supplier that contains information about the potential hazard of the material. An MSDS comprises of sections on product information (product name, names and addresses of manufacturer and supplier, emergency numbers); ingredients of the material; physical properties of the material; fire or explosion hazard data; toxicological data; first aid measures in case of an accident; and information on safe handling, usage, storage, and disposal. You might have observed certain hazard warning symbols, also known as pictograms, on the chemical containers. These warning symbols allow immediate identification of the material as a hazard.

Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals

Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, introduced by United nations in 2000, is an internationally accepted system for classifying and labeling the chemical. The chemicals are classified as physical hazards, health hazards, and environmental hazards. Some of the routinely observed symbols are shown in figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Some of the commonly observed hazard warning symbols (pictograms) on the chemicals.