EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Fortunately, accidents resulting in any injury are
very rare in the general chemistry laboratory and those that do occur are
nearly always minor in nature.
However, it is important that you report any injury to an instructor so
that you receive proper assistance.
A minor scratch to the hand -- which you would probably ignore at home
-- must be treated before you can continue working in the laboratory. (This involves washing and bandaging
the scratch and then covering the hand with a glove to eliminate all possible
contact with chemicals.)
First-aid supplies for minor injuries can be
obtained from kits mounted on the laboratory walls. Because of the risk of blood-borne infections, you
should wear plastic gloves when assisting anyone who has a skin injury. Unless it is an emergency, wait for an
instructor to provide all assistance.
However, just in case, here are the general procedures for dealing with
injuries:
Thermal burns: If a burn of the skin is slight, immerse it in water cooled
with ice to relieve the pain. Do
not use ointments. Do not open
blisters. If the burn is severe
enough to cause blistering, refer the student to the Health Center.
Chemical burns: Remove contaminated clothing. Flush the skin area with large quantities of water for at
least 15 minutes. Showers are
available near the main doors of the laboratory if the area of chemical
contamination is too large to be flushed with water at a sink. Eye wash fountains are available at
each of the island sinks. If the
burn has caused blistering, if it involves a large area, or if the eyes are
affected, refer the student to the Health Center.
Cuts or puncture wounds: If the cut is small and bleeding is not profuse, carefully
wash with soap and water to remove all foreign material. Apply a disinfectant to all parts of
the cut and loosely bandage. If
the cut is large and/or painful, refer the student to the Health Center.
Any severe injury: Immediately call Public Safety using the direct line (yellow
phone in the hallway outside the lab).