It is important to dress correctly in the laboratory
Lab coats don't just protect your clothes but also provide your first line of defence against hazardous chemicals. Your lab coat should cover all your clothes and it is recommended that you use a cotton coat, since these are less flammable than coats made of synthetic material. It should be easy to do up the lab coat and you must be able to remove it quickly, e.g. if something corrosive is splashed on it or if it catches fire. Lab coats must be washed regularly, but not with other laundry. If something splashes on it, you will need to evaluate whether to wash it or dispose of it.
Always wear safety goggles if you are working with chemicals in a lab, whether they are in solid or liquid state. Half of recorded chemical accidents in research labs in Iceland involve trauma to the eye. Everyone should have their own safety goggles. Normal glasses provide only limited protection; it is best to use safety goggles. It's all right to use contact lenses if you wear safety goggles too.
Wear gloves! They provide essential protection against corrosive and harmful chemicals. They protect you against infection from biological specimens and microorganisms. They also protect your specimens from bacteria or contaminants on your own hands. The general rule is that if something splashes on your hands, your gloves will protect you just as long as it takes to remove them. Wear gloves!
Find out which gloves are best for the chemicals you are working with and how much protection they provide.
- Choose gloves that can withstand the chemicals you are working with. Check the information in the chemical SDS – this often recommends a specific kind of glove where necessary.
- Choose the right size; gloves that are too small may rip and gloves that are too big can get in the way.
- Before you start work, inspect your gloves and make sure they are intact, even if they are new.
- If you come into contact with a chemical that you know is a strong solvent or acid, change gloves. Better safe than sorry.
- Note that disposable gloves can be flammable, so take care around flames.
- Remove gloves correctly. Turn the first glove inside out as you pull it off and roll it up in the palm of the second glove. Carefully remove the second glove, turning it inside out so that the first glove is inside the second. Then any contaminants are contained.
- Try not to use disposable gloves more than once.
- Never wear your gloves outside the lab and remove gloves before answering the phone, touching a door handle or using a keyboard.
If there is a risk of dust, spray or vapour from a chemical, you must use a mask and/or work in a fume hood. Of course it is also a courtesy to colleagues to keep such chemicals inside a fume hood to stop the whole room getting dirty or smelling bad.
Long, loose hair is not permitted when working in a research lab. Long hair should be tied up in a ponytail, bun or braid. Long hair could get caught in machinery, come into contact with chemicals or even catch on fire.
Always wear closed footwear and long trousers/pants. Do not wear high-heeled shoes! Do not wear sandals or other open-toed footwear in the lab. If something is spilled, it will probably land on your toes. A fifth of chemical accidents occur when a hazardous chemical splashes on feet.
When working with radioactive chemicals or X-rays, it is important to minimise the level of radiation you are exposed to. When working with X-rays, it is important to stay behind a radiation shield at all times or use a lead apron. This protective equipment must shield your external and internal genitalia from radiation. If you work with radioactive chemicals, you must use an appropriate radiation shield, e.g. made of plexiglass or lead as appropriate.