Source: Purdue University Chemistry Lab Safety Document, Topics 3 and 4
Tags: lab safety rules, chemical handling, hot plate safety, glassware handling, emergency scenario, chemical spill, eye wash procedure, lab fire, Purdue chemistry
Difficulty: Beginner Prerequisites: Review the Lab Equipment and Safety Features notes (Part 1) and Lab Attire notes (Part 2) first. This topic builds on knowing what equipment exists and where it is.
This covers the 16 core safety rules for handling chemicals and equipment in a Purdue chemistry lab, plus three emergency scenarios that test your ability to apply those rules under pressure. These rules are not unique to Purdue; they reflect standard laboratory practice across academic and professional chemistry. Mastering them now means you will not have to relearn them in upper-level courses or in industry.
Handle chemicals carefully (hoods for volatiles, spatulas for solids, beakers as intermediate containers for liquids), never force glassware, treat every heated object as hot, and report everything to your TA immediately. When something goes wrong, the response is always: protect yourself first, then alert your TA, then follow the correct emergency procedure.
Spatula (lab spatula)
A small, flat tool used to transfer solid chemicals from a reagent bottle to a flask or beaker. Think of it as a tiny, chemical-grade shovel that gives you precision and keeps your hands away from the substance.
Intermediate container
A beaker used as a go-between when pouring liquid from a large bottle into a small vessel. Beakers have wide mouths and spouts, making them easier and safer to pour from than a narrow reagent bottle.
Hot plate
An electrically heated surface used to warm chemicals. It looks identical whether it is at 30°C or 240°C, so you must always test the temperature by placing your palms near (not on) the surface.
Thermowell
A heated well used for controlled heating of round-bottom flasks. Treat with the same caution as a hot plate.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A standardised document listing the hazards, handling procedures, and toxicity information for a specific chemical. Formerly called Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Available online or from your TA.
Teaching Assistant (TA)
The person in charge of your lab session. Report all injuries, accidents, and spills to them immediately. They have the authority to dismiss you for safety violations.
These are grouped by theme for easier recall. The numbering matches the source document.
(1) Always wear indirectly vented splash goggles when working in the lab.
(2) No food or drink in the lab. Do not bring any in. Do not bite pens, pencils, or fingernails (you may have chemical residue on your hands).
(3) No headphones, earbuds, or AirPods. You need to hear instructions and warnings. Personal audio devices can also become contaminated.
(4) Work in a snorkel hood, main fume hood, or your assigned hood whenever handling volatile liquids, odorous compounds, or flammable materials. Your TA will direct you.
(5) Use a spatula to transfer solids from a reagent bottle to a flask or beaker.
(6) When pouring liquids from a large container to a small one, pour into a beaker first (intermediate container), then from the beaker into the smaller vessel. Beakers have wider mouths and spouts, reducing the risk of spills.
(7) Never apply force to glassware. Do not force a stirring rod into a graduated cylinder or a pipet into a pipet bulb. Forcing glass causes it to shatter and can result in deep cuts.
(8) Point containers away from yourself and others when heating or mixing. If there is an unexpected reaction, the contents go away from people.
(9) Never reach over glassware, flames, bottles, or hot equipment.
(10) Always assume a heated object is hot.
(11) Hot plate precautions:
Test temperature by holding your palms near the surface.
Keep hot plates away from flammable liquids.
Heat chemicals slowly.
Some compounds must be heated inside a hood (they produce hazardous fumes).
Keep power cords away from the hot surface; they will melt.
(12) Report injuries, accidents, and spills to your TA immediately.
(13) Read labels twice before taking anything from a bottle. Using the wrong chemical can cause a dangerous, unwanted reaction.
(14) Wear gloves when directed. Remove before leaving the lab; put on a fresh pair when you return.
(15) Clean all electronic devices (phones, iPads, laptops) before leaving. Clean your work area. Return equipment. Lock your drawer.
(16) Wash your hands every time you leave the lab. Do not touch your face or use your phone before washing. Residual chemicals transfer easily.
These three scenarios are drawn directly from the source document and are the kind of question you can expect on a lab safety exam.
Situation: Your sweater sleeve brushes the top of a beaker of concentrated acid. The acid soaks through, and your skin becomes irritated.
Correct response:
Wash the affected area under the faucet immediately for at least 5 minutes.
Alert your teaching assistant.
If the spill is very large, use the safety shower instead.
Seek medical attention. Even if burns seem minor, emergency personnel will be summoned if needed.
What would have prevented it:
Never reach over glassware, flames, bottles, or hot equipment.
Wear fitted clothing. Baggy or bulky sleeves are more likely to contact chemicals.
Situation: A lab partner bumps you while pouring a liquid, and it splashes into your eye.
Correct response:
Rinse your eye for 15 minutes using the eyewash station or faucet.
Hold your eye open so water reaches the underside of your eyelid, where chemicals accumulate.
Rinse the skin around your eye to clear residual chemicals.
Emergency personnel will be called if warranted.
What would have prevented it:
Wearing splash goggles at all times. This scenario should never happen if goggles are on.
Situation: You hear a loud noise and see a fire across the lab.
Correct response:
Notify your teaching assistant.
Evacuate through the nearest safe exit.
If the lab is filled with smoke, crawl on the floor to avoid inhalation.
Follow the evacuation plan posted at the exit.
Pull the fire alarm as you exit the building.
Key details:
The TA handles the fire extinguisher, not you.
If your clothing catches fire: get under the safety shower, or drop and roll.
Know exit locations before an emergency happens.
No formulas apply here. The key visual to memorise is the layout of your specific lab: where the exits, safety shower, eyewash stations, fire extinguisher, and waste containers are located. Sketch a quick floor plan on your first day.
The "read labels twice" rule applies in any chemistry or pharmaceutical environment. Mislabelled or misidentified reagents have caused industrial accidents, including the 2009 T2 Laboratories explosion in Florida (wrong chemical used in a reactor). The habit of double-checking labels is one of the simplest and most effective safety practices in any laboratory.
Students often think small spills on the bench can be ignored. They cannot. Even small spills of hazardous chemicals must be reported to your TA.
Some students assume that if a hot plate is not glowing, it is cool. Hot plates look identical at 30°C and 240°C. Always test by holding your palms near the surface before touching.
Students sometimes believe they should fight a lab fire with the extinguisher. At Purdue, your job is to alert your TA and evacuate. The TA handles the extinguisher.
Many students think washing hands is optional if they wore gloves. It is not. Chemicals can transfer to skin during glove removal, and gloves may have micro-tears you did not notice.
⚠️ The three emergency scenarios (chemical on skin, chemical in eye, fire) are almost certain exam material. Know the correct response for each and what would have prevented it.
⚠️ The 15-minute eye rinse and 5-minute skin wash durations are specific, testable details.
⚠️ "Read labels twice" is a rule the source document emphasises by name. Expect it.
⚠️ Know which emergency equipment you operate (eyewash, safety shower) versus what the TA operates (fire extinguisher).
⚠️ The rule about pointing containers away from yourself and others when heating or mixing is a common exam question.
True or false: If you spill a small amount of a hazardous chemical, you can clean it up yourself without telling your TA.
Fill in the blank: If a chemical splashes into your eye, rinse for at least ______ minutes.
True or false: You should use the fire extinguisher if you see a fire in the lab.
Fill in the blank: When pouring liquid from a large bottle to a small container, first pour into a ______ as an intermediate step.
True or false: A hot plate that is not glowing is safe to touch.
Answers: 1. False (always report to your TA). 2. Fifteen (15). 3. False (alert your TA and evacuate; the TA handles the extinguisher). 4. Beaker. 5. False (hot plates look the same at 30°C and 240°C).
Q: You need to transfer a small amount of solid sodium chloride from a reagent bottle to a beaker. What tool do you use, and why?
A: Use a spatula. Spatulas allow precise transfer of small quantities of solids and keep your hands away from the chemical.
Q: While heating a solution, you notice the container is pointed toward your lab partner. What should you do?
A: Reposition the container so it points away from all people. If there is an unexpected reaction, the contents will be directed away from everyone.
Q: A classmate takes off their headphones when the TA gives instructions but puts them back on during the experiment. Is this acceptable?
A: No. Personal audio devices are not allowed at any time during the lab. They block important warnings, cause distractions, and can become contaminated with chemicals.
Q: You accidentally grab the wrong reagent bottle and add the chemical to your reaction before realising the mistake. What do you do?
A: Stop immediately and report the incident to your TA. Using the wrong chemical can cause a dangerous, unwanted reaction. This is why the rule says to read labels twice before taking anything from a bottle.
Q: In the fire scenario, the lab is filled with smoke. How do you exit?
A: Crawl on the floor to stay below the smoke and prevent inhalation. Follow the evacuation plan posted at the exit. Pull the fire alarm as you leave the building.
These practices tie back to the equipment topic (knowing where the safety shower, eyewash, and exits are) and the attire topic (fitted clothing prevents Scenario 1, goggles prevent Scenario 2). In upper-level organic and analytical chemistry courses, the same rules apply but with additional protocols for more hazardous reagents and higher-risk procedures.
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