Labs are harmful locations.
They’re brimming with nasty chemical compounds and dangerous organic supplies.
But, so many individuals are flippant about their private security (and the security of others) when doing their work. A technique by which folks make lab work extra harmful is the misuse of private protecting gear (PPE).
It solely retains us all protected when it’s worn appropriately.
So with that in thoughts, listed here are our 10 widespread laboratory PPE sins. Sins we’ve all dedicated, I’m certain.
Our 10 PPE Sins
1. Not Sporting a Lab Coat
This all the time boggles my thoughts. Lab coats present a barrier between that nasty chemical you’re utilizing and your garments and pores and skin.
When you spill one thing nasty in your lab coat, it may be simply cleaned or disposed of. When you do the identical to your garments, it’s possible you’ll be confronted with throwing away your favourite pair of denims. Additionally, you by no means know what chemical compounds (particularly these positive powders) are sticking to your garments with out realizing it.
So you may expose folks, equivalent to relations and buddies, to those nasties. In addition to placing your lab coat on—button it up.
A lab coat can solely shield you and your garments whether it is truly protecting them.
2. Sporting Lab Coats Outdoors of the Lab
Many labs have separate writing areas away from the bench the place folks can learn papers, do computer-related work and seize a snack. This place ought to be a hazard-free zone.
But I’ve seen many individuals sitting at their desks carrying lab coats. I don’t need my tuna sandwich with a touch of SDS, so whereas it’s good your utilizing your lab coat, keep in mind to take it off earlier than coming into write-up areas.
3. Sporting the Incorrect Kind of Lab Coat
Lab coats can are available in a number of varieties, so be sure you put on one appropriate in your wants. Try Determine 1 beneath for variations between the 2 essential forms of lab coats—chemistry-type and Howie-type.
That is notably vital when utilizing harmful gear like UV transilluminators, the place you want the lab coat to cowl all elements not coated by different PPE (like gloves and face masks).
I do know somebody who had fairly a nasty ‘sunburn’ from utilizing a UV transilluminator with out carrying a lab coat that buttoned as much as the neck.
4. Not Sporting Gloves
That is my largest pet peeve within the lab, because it is senseless in any respect.
In case you are utilizing harmful chemical compounds and dealing with dangerous organic supplies, why would you not need to shield your arms?
Additionally, gloves shield far more than simply your arms, as you contact your face, doorknobs, and meals along with your arms many instances a day, and never carrying gloves can result in you contaminating your self and others.
5. Re-using Disposable Gloves
They’re disposable for a purpose.
Try what nitric acid does to nitrile gloves.
When you get acrylamide or every other harmful chemical onto your gloves, you must get rid of them and get a contemporary pair. In any other case, every little thing you contact may even get a pleasant dose of acrylamide, once more probably contaminating your self and different folks.
Additionally, some chemical compounds will eat away on the gloves over time. And never all rips and tears get seen instantly.
6. Not Eradicating Gloves when Transferring Between Areas
Labs aren’t all completely arrange, with gear situated in several rooms and even on totally different flooring.
If you’ll want to transfer between lab areas throughout an experiment (e.g., to visualise your DNA gels), take a spare pair (or two) of gloves with you in your lab coat pocket and take away one in every of your gloves to will let you open doorways with out contaminating them. Then, carry every little thing else in a container in your gloved hand.
7. Misusing Insulated Gloves
Insulated gloves shield you from chilly when digging via the -80 °C or taking on cells from the liquid nitrogen. These gloves don’t shield your arms from extended contact with liquid nitrogen.
So don’t go plunging your hand into the liquid or permit any to pour over your arms when eradicating trays, or you’ll find yourself with some extraordinarily nasty burns.
Identical if the liquid nitrogen goes down the again of the cuffs.
8. Not Sporting Security Glasses or Visors
Your eyes are valuable and likewise very weak. Not all lab experiments or duties require utilizing eye safety, however typically it is important to guard your eyes and face.
If you end up doing experiments the place you threat spilling or splashing hazardous reagents into your eyes, it’s higher to be protected and put on a pair of goggles.
They may not be probably the most enticing of PPE, however they’re vital in defending your sight.
9. Sporting Security Glasses As an alternative of Visors
There are some circumstances the place security glasses are inadequate, and also you’ll must put on a full-face visor. UV transilluminators once more come to thoughts.
Whereas defending your eyes from UV publicity is vital, you additionally want to guard your face, otherwise you threat getting a nasty ‘sunburn’ and even disfigured within the case of an accident when dealing with giant portions of corrosive chemical compounds.
As well as, many lab security goggles is not going to shield you from UV publicity. Ensure you know when glasses are enough and when full visors are required.
10. Sporting Inappropriate Clothes
Whereas not strictly PPE, your garments (notably your sneakers) additionally play a task in your security. The transgression right here is carrying open-toed sneakers within the lab for each women and men.
Sporting open-toed sneakers (or sneakers the place a big portion of your toes are uncovered) leaves your toes weak to spilled chemical compounds and acid burns. Excessive heels are additionally a difficulty as a result of if you happen to battle to stroll in them, you threat tripping, which might be very harmful in a lab.
Forgive Me for My PPE Sins
In abstract, in the case of PPE:
- Put on it.
- Put on it appropriately.
- Assess the security of every state of affairs individually.
That approach, we are able to keep away from committing extra PPE sins and make the lab a protected working setting. And people are our PPE pet peeves. What are yours? Tell us within the feedback part beneath.
Initially printed in November 2012. Reviewed and up to date, December 2022.