SAFETY

Here are the basic rules to experiment safely in a lab.

• Wear appropriate clothing and use a labcoat;
  Do not experiment in flip-flops, shorts, costume etc.


• Always use gloves and goggles when needed. Keep a mask nearby in case you are dealing with gases or powders.
• Make sure you know the reagents you're buying and you're using. Learn their danger phrases and their incompatibilities so you can avoid accidents due to inappropriate storage and misuse;
  For example, when producing chloroform you should be aware that light decomposes it to phosgene, so you wouldn't want to store it in a clear bottle.


• Do not eat or drink in the lab or while experimenting: take a break and leave the area if you need to eat.
• Make sure you're not alone -at least during dangerous experiments- so if you're in need of immediate help someone is nearby.
• Never randomly mix reagents unless you are trying to determine their composition;
  When doing so, please follow the instructions and techniques of qualitative analysis and make your tests in small scale vessels (reaction plates or 10mL beakers).


• Don't keep more than one reagent container open at the same time to avoid contamination.
• Don't use a spoon/spatula/pipette for more than one reagent at a time to avoid contamination.
• Use maximum personal protection while dealing with Cr(III), Cr(VI), Pb(II), Pb(IV), Ni(II) and other carcinogenic compounds.
• Even if the old chemistry books (1800-1940s) suggested to, never taste chemicals.