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Essay / Proper Laboratory Safety Procedures
Table of ContentsIntroductionMethods and MaterialsResultsConclusionIntroductionLaboratories can often present many potential hazards and require additional precautions to remain safe. Laboratory safety and procedures are crucial to ensure that you and anyone near your procedure or equipment and materials can remain safe and unharmed and even avoid death. Laboratory safety includes proper procedures, appropriate safety equipment and activities, and proper disposal. Pay attention to these elements to ensure your safety during the majority of the time you spend in a laboratory. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Methods and Materials The first part of our lab involved a proper hand washing procedure. You will need soap, paper towels, clean running water and possibly a nail brush or sticks depending on the length of the nails. If you have jewelry on your wrists or hands, remove them first. You will turn on the water and rinse your hands. After you have wet your hands, you can apply soap and spread it on both hands, rubbing them together. Next, scrub your hands under water with your fingertips facing down and scrub for at least 20 seconds without leaving any visible dirt. If necessary, use a nail brush or wooden sticks to remove dirt from under the nails and spend at least 20 seconds there. Then use a paper towel to dry your hands and dispose of it properly. If you must turn off a manual faucet, use a paper towel and dispose of it properly. The next step for the lab was safety and protocols. When entering a laboratory, you must not bring any food or drink and you must wear the minimum acceptable dress. Minimum acceptable attire includes: closed-toe shoes, long pants without holes, a sleeved shirt, and a lab coat. Then, use protection adapted to the dangers present in the laboratory; gloves when chemicals or potentially infectious materials are used, protective eyewear when working with harmful chemicals, tied up hair (if long), and loose-fitting clothing if near open flames are some examples. If you are working with materials that produce fumes, use a fume hood. In general, you should know what you are working with and take appropriate precautions. If you are unsure of proper precautions, consult the Material Safety Data Sheet that should be in the laboratory. If you have an accident, inform the person in charge of the laboratory and use the procedure appropriate to your accident. If splashed in the eyes, use the eyewash station, if it was on the body, use the shower station. The final part of the lab involved the proper disposal of lab equipment. Any sharp, glass or broken objects will be disposed of in a sharps container. If it has the potential for infection or is not reusable and has touched infectious material, place it in the biohazard container. Finally, ordinary waste such as notes or used paper towels on hands should be thrown into a regular trash can. Tools or materials intended for reuse may be autoclaved if sterility is necessary or washed in the sink if they must.