Greetings again, folks! Lab safety is the topic for today. What is it that make a safe lab you ask? In my classes with power tools, hand tools, all sorts of stuff, I take it very seriously. However, the rules that we use in class are relatively simple. The biggest thing I think I that needs to be addressed is safety is more about prevention and preparation than anything else. I usually have a bin of safety glasses right by my door when I walk in. This way they can grab a pair right when they walk in the door. Students must always have a lesson on a piece of machinery before they use it as well. They re quizzed on lab safety before they even step foot in the lab. All this may sound excessive, but like I said before, safety is more about preparation and prevention than anything else. Some other safety rules I have in my lab are:
-Brush benches with hand brooms and not your hands
-Compressed air is only to be used to inflate or dust off benches. It can be very dangerous if air is sprayed on open skin.
-Make sure guards for all machines are in place
-No horseplay
-No open toed shoes
-Never work alone
-Tie back loose clothing
Hope that helps a bit. For more tips you can check out Episode 7 of the podcast. See you Thursday!
Sign up for our newsletter and get a lab cleaning checklist spreadsheet for free!