The Home Scientist 002 - Lab Safety

An brief overview of safety precautions for a home lab, including personal protective equipment (PPE)--gloves, goggles, and protective clothing--as well as what to do when accidents happen.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• lab safety
• chemistry
• biology
• physics
• forensics
• earth science
• home science
• MAKE
• Maker Shed
• Make: Science Room
• makemagazine
• home scientist
• robert bruce thompson

[olympicfan2]

Whats the best thing to do if you get a small spill of conc. HF on your Hand?

[TheHomeScientist]

@olympicfan2

Wash it off immediately with copious water and head for the emergency room. Depending on the size of the spill, it may kill you anyway. Fluoride ions from HF are readily absorbed through the skin, and are lethal.

[mewrox99]

What advantages do nitrile have over latex other than skin sensitivity to latex?

[TheHomeScientist]

@mewrox99

Although it varies from chemical to chemical, in general nitrile is more resistant than latex.

[carlos10047275]

will nitrile or latex gloves be enough protection from HCL or H2SO4? Don´t you need thicker ones?

[TheHomeScientist]

@carlos10047275

I've always found the thin latex or nitrile gloves adequate, unless I'm working with something *really* nasty. The problem with heavier gloves is that they make it much more likely you'll drop something. If something gets on the thin gloves, just rinse them off as soon as you can and you should be fine.

[metalicmario]

Nice video. I think safety is something that goes unmentioned in too many of the scientific youtube videos. My first line of defense is prevention through good practices and the equipment is secondary. Thanks for sharing.

[ScienceTry]

@XDecagraphX Well, I think you need one more tip. Whenever you do home chemistry, check the MSDS of any chemical you use. Another point, make sure any reaction you do is safe. The Internet is a wonderful tool and is also extremely useful for all home scientists.

[98JMA]

@XDecagraphX

It wouldn't have *osmosed* through skin.

[XDecagraphX]

Fluorine is lethal? Now I know why NurdRage is scared of HF.....I was always wondering, and I had no idea that fluorine is lethal or that it can be osmosed into your skin. Now I shall NEVER EVER EVER think about making/buying/acquiring it in any way. You may have very well saved my life ;P

[scienceman64]

I had an experience where goggles saved my eyes. somebody had a beaker explode across the lab and a large piece hit me right on my goggles and left a gouge in the plastic over my eye.

[olympicfan2]

@TheHomeScientist Thanks, ive also heard of Ca-Gluconate injection. Anyway, to be honest, i know the danger oft HF. My question in meaning "small spill" was, if it´s acutally enough to wash your hands only with water, if the spill is smaler than the size of a match -head. ;-)

[98JMA]

@barhamd

Well, the demo seems to work but personally I just wouldn't trust it.

[ABOlsen69666]

Very good videos, been enjoying them, thanks. Have had a home lab since i was 9-10 years old. Great stuff. One thing. When demonstrating a procedure for rinsing, you don't need to use the actual chemical. Use a substitute, and make aware that it is a substitute. In this case, it could give the impression that HCI is not dangerous.