Risk Assessment

Every experiment you carry out must be risk assessed. For this you must fill in a COSHH form. Certain protocols routinely carried out in the lab and common chemicals may already have been risk assessed; and these forms are kept in the blue COSHH folder in Lab C301. If you order a new chemical, biological kits etc. or carry out a new procedure you MUST fill in a new COSHH form.

If you are unsure of how to carry out a risk assessment or are in any in doubt about your planned experiment please ask somebody who knows.

 

Clothing and Protection

Safety glasses and lab coats must be worn at all times when in the Lab. If you do not, you run the risk of being ask to leave the lab. Your risk assessment should tell you when you need to wear gloves, but remember that your samples, especially protein, may need protection from you!

 

Use of Nitric Acid

Occassionally you may need to use nitric acid for cleaning purposes, or analytically when using the AAS of ICP instruments. We have a special protocol on dealing with nitric acid disposal, which may be found on the fume cupboard blast guards or here.

 

Spills Kit

We have vermiculite in the cupboard marked 'SPILLS KIT' to use in spillage of acids etc. When you first start in our lab, please ensure you know where this is.

 

Eye Wash

There are two eye wash kits located at the sinks.