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Precautions to Take When Working With Chemicals

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As we saw in the accident at Ohio State, working with and handling chemicals is a very serious matter. Typical safety guidelines used in schools when working with chemicals include:

• Do not mix chemicals together unless instructed to by a teacher.
• When smelling a chemical, waif the vapors towards you, never smell it directly.
• Use the least amount of chemicals necessary during an experiment.
• Never return unused chemicals back to their original container. They could be contaminated with another substance.
• Dispose of chemicals in the proper container as instructed.
• Label and store chemicals properly. When using hazardous substances read and re-read the label carefully to assure that you are working with the correct chemical.
• If a spill occurs, tell a superior or teacher immediately. Clean the spill up according to the proper guidelines for that substance. A spill can be just an inconvenient mess or a major accident.
• When working with chemicals try to keep them off your skin and avoid touching your face, especially your eyes. If you do splash a chemical in your eyes or somehow get it on your skin tell a superior immediately and locate an eyewash or emergency shower as soon as possible.

An eyewash should be used only if your get a chemical in your eyes. You should flood your eyes and eyelids with water for at least 15 minutes. When rinsing, wipe from nose to ear to avoid splashing chemicals back into the eye. An emergency shower is needed when a large spill occurs on the skin or clothing. Be sure to remove items that have chemicals on them.

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