Tips for Handling Lab Chemicals: A Comprehensive Guide

Proper chemical handling procedures are essential for protecting the health and safety of lab personnel, especially in facilities that work with hazardous materials. Crystalgen Inc. is dedicated to advancing the field of life sciences, and promoting lab safety is a crucial part of that commitment. This hazardous material management guide will help lab managers keep students and employees safe from harm.

Understanding and Safely Handling Lab Chemicals

The most common classifications of hazardous materials employees will encounter include carcinogens, toxins, heavy metals, corrosives, acids, nitrates and nitrites. Depending on the nature of work a lab performs, other substances may be present.

Unprotected exposure to these chemicals can have severe consequences, including sickness, injury or even death. To minimize this risk, lab personnel must handle chemicals with the utmost caution before, during and after completing an experiment.

Procedural Steps for Handling Lab Chemicals

When working with hazardous materials, employees must follow proper procedures to keep themselves safe:

• Before handling: Read the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for any chemicals the experiment requires and don the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Keep the MSDS nearby for quick reference in case a spill occurs.
• During handling: Use the proper equipment during handling to prevent spills or injury. For example, if the material poses an airborne risk, work under a fume hood or vent.
• After handling: Label and store materials according to guidelines outlined in the MSDS. Carefully remove PPE and wash hands right away.

The Role of Personal Protective Equipment in Chemical Safety and Handling

PPE is indispensable in any laboratory setting, as it prevents accidental exposure to hazardous chemicals. The type of PPE worn should match the nature of the work being performed and the substances involved. For example, experiments involving a splash risk require employees to wear face shields and body protection. Lab personnel must also follow safety guidelines for donning and doffing PPE to prevent accidental exposure.

The 5 Types of PPE

PPE should protect the whole body, especially the areas that are most at risk of exposure. Life sciences laboratories use several different types of PPE, which include:

1. Eye and face protection: Safety glasses or goggles, face shields and medical masks.
2. Hand protection: Disposable gloves made from latex or nitrile.
3. Body protection: Disposable gowns, Hazmat suits and aprons.
4. Respiratory protection: Respirators or KN-95 face masks.
5. Hearing protection: Earplugs, ear muffs or headphones.

PPE must match the nature of work and the specific hazards the wearer is handling. Safety goggles and disposable gloves are the minimum required PPE for most no-contact lab activities, but any more involved application will require additional equipment.

Required Training Methods for Handling Lab Chemicals

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Hazard Communication Standard requires all lab personnel to receive training in lab safety and hazardous waste. These courses should include guidance on how to handle lab chemicals and dispose of them in various scenarios, including accidents.

Other training courses may be necessary depending on the specific work conducted in a facility. For example, employees in a biomedical lab may need to undergo blood-borne pathogen training.

Lab management is typically responsible for making this training available. The lab must also retain thorough documentation of each employee's training records for inspection purposes. This documentation should be readily accessible to ensure smooth audits.

Managing Spills and Accidents With Lab Chemicals

Lab managers should draft an emergency plan before allowing any experiments in the facility. All students or researchers must thoroughly review this plan and sign their agreement during orientation and onboarding.

Some of the most common accidents that occur in university laboratories include:

• Chemical spills: Spills frequently occur when employees don't follow proper material handling guidelines. Mandatory safety training and operating procedures can help reduce this risk.
• Fires: Equipment malfunctions and improper chemical storage can cause serious chemical fires, which can be deadly. When handling flammable substances, employees must be careful to avoid getting too close to potential ignition sources such as nearby electronic devices. 
• Injuries: Moving too quickly can cause employees to drop fragile equipment or spill materials, causing personal injury. Attempting to clean up major spills or improperly handling broken glass that was in contact with hazardous materials can result in severe injury.

Steps to Remediate Spills and Accidents

If a chemical spill occurs, students should first determine whether it is a minor or major spill. Lab workers can safely handle minor spills without assistance from emergency personnel, but major spills require greater care. The basic steps to remediate a minor spill include:

1. Notify nearby co-workers of the spill and restrict access to the area.
2. Review the MSDS for the spilled chemical and obtain the appropriate spill kit and required PPE.
3. Clean up the spill using the specified absorbent materials. Place these materials in the appropriate container.
4. Decontaminate the spill area.
5. Fill out a hazardous waste label and attach it to the container, then arrange for disposal. 
6. Document the spill as well as staff response.

Lab personnel should never attempt to clean up a major spill by themselves. Instead, they should alert co-workers to the spill and evacuate everyone to a safe area. Then, they must restrict access to the area and post signage to notify others of the spill. Additionally, if the spill poses a fire hazard, someone should activate the nearest fire alarm.

If an injury occurs, personnel should call for medical help or transport injured co-workers to the nearest emergency department. Trained employees may administer first aid while waiting for help to arrive. Anyone coming into contact with the injured employee(s) must don the proper PPE to prevent further injury.

Fostering a Safe Culture in Lab Chemical Management

Working in an environment that emphasizes safety significantly increases the likelihood that lab personnel will follow proper material handling procedures. Lab managers can promote a culture of safety by:

• Requiring employees to follow standard safety operating procedures.
• Recognizing and rewarding employees who demonstrate a commitment to safe practices.
• Encouraging all staff to express concerns.
• Providing comprehensive training for all staff members, including students.
• Properly communicating all hazards to lab personnel.
• Building stronger relationships between safety personnel and lab employees.

Implement Safe Lab Handling Procedures With Crystalgen Inc.

As a trusted supplier of lab equipment to the life sciences industry, Crystalgen carries a wide selection of PPE, including latex and nitrile gloves, face protection and Hazmat suits. Lab managers can supply their facilities with the right equipment to keep their employees safe. Explore our products to learn more about our innovative solutions for lab safety and cleaning.