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Safety first: We practice chemistry for a lot of different purposes. You may love chemistry, or just a job, or something you have to pass to achieve next high ground. Safety is something you have to pay much attention to. It is not only for your benefit, but also for your family, colleagues, and employer. It does not mean we are too scared to do any chemistry. For a highly trained chemist, the chance of  incident occurrence in the lab is less than car accident on the streets. But in a laboratory environment, many dangers associated with chemistry, and in particular organic chemistry, are amplified. Explosions and fires can happen.

Some safety rules are established and should be strictly enforced. Vigilance is always required.

• Understand what you are doing is most important thing. What are the MSDS (Materials safety Data Sheet) of chemicals your dealing with? What is the reaction mechanism you are executing?
• Notorious reactions, like nitration of aromatic ring and synthesis of Dess-Martin reagent, should be extremely careful. Before execution, I suggest you to understand the mechanism of reactions from inside to outside. It is not enough for you to know something is dangerous, you got to understand why. In this condition, a clear space and blast shields are highly recommended.
• Proper PPE (personal protection equipment) is always required in  designated areas. Lab Coat, Safety Glasses with side shield and gloves are the standard PPE. The dressing codes inside Lab include I. Shoes should fully cover the feet to protect against spills; no open-toed shoes or sandals are permitted, and shoes with mesh inserts (such as athletic shoes) are not recommended. II. Trousers or skirts falling below the knee are preferred; if shorter garments are worn, a lab coat or apron of below knee length is required. III. Loose, flowing garments, scarves, and jewelry should be avoided. IV. Long hair should be confined.

   

Proper Material Handling

OSHA Carcinogens

Handling Liquid N₂/He

     Wear safety glasses with side shields and approved cryogenic gloves during transfers of liquid nitrogen and liquid helium.  Wear approved cryogenic gloves, sleeves, apron, and face shield when filling dewars at the building transfer station. Do not leave a transfer of cryogenic liquids unattended.  When transferring liquid nitrogen from large storage tanks to smaller dewars, use phase separators to reduce splashing. Use stainless steel transfer lines whenever possible. This will reduce the chance of injury associated with transfer line failure. If rubber hoses are the only choice, they are to be inspected for signs of wear prior to each use.  Work in a well-ventilated area. Liquid oxygen can collect in traps cooled by liquid nitrogen. A blue tint to a liquid in the bottom of a cold trap or dewar may indicate the presence of liquid oxygen. Liquid oxygen is explosive. If liquid oxygen is observed immediately close the hood doors and evacuate the area.  Pressure may build-up in liquid storage containers. Ensure all safety valves and vent valves are unobstructed and functioning properly. Check the safety vents on liquid nitrogen tanks at least twice a week. For liquid helium dewars, ensure the pressure relief valve is open and operating properly on a daily basis.

Azide Use

Standard personal protective equipment (PPE) of lab coat, safety glasses, and gloves suited to the experiment must be worn.  Conduct the experiment in the fume hood and behind the hood sash.  Additional personal protective equipment: The lab coat sleeves must cover arms completely.  Complete coverage is most easily achieved by tucking the labcoat sleeves into long gloves or by using sleeve protectors.  Handle azides and azide reactions behind a blast shield. If use of a blast shield is inappropriate, a face shield must be employed. This PPE is necessary throughout the entire reaction setup, monitoring, and workup.   Keep the hood clear of any unnecessary chemicals and equipment. Do not let the azide in contact with any metal equipment.  Use a non-metal spatula for weighing and transfer of azides.  Prepare solutions of organic azides below 10 ^oC. Do not use halogenated solvents for reactions or workups. Do not concentrate (rotary evaporation, distillation) azide-containing reaction mixtures. Do not isolate synthesized azides as pure materials. Do not use unnecessary excesses of azide reagents. Treated or untreated aqueous azide waste cannot be poured down the drain. Do not combine untreated aqueous or organic azide waste with other waste.

Cyanide and Cyanide Generating Reagents

  Wear standard personal protective equipment (PPE) of goggles or safety glasses with side shields, a lab coat, and gloves suited to the experiment. Nitrile gloves may be used when handling dry cyanide salts, but chemically resistant gloves must be worn when working with solutions to avoid solvent and reagent absorption through the skin.  Weigh out solid cyanide reagents in the hood. If using a balance outside of the hood, transfer the reagents in the hood to a sealed tared flask.  Reactions must be carried out in a functioning hood behind the hood doors.  A chemical reaction includes setup, monitoring, quench, and workup.  When use of a hood sash is not possible, another barrier (blast shield or face shield) must be placed between the chemist and the ongoing chemistry.  Use a hydrogen cyanide monitor when working with cyanide or a reagent with the potential for generating cyanide.   The cyanide emergency kit must be accessible.   Inform laboratory personnel in the immediate area when working with cyanide or cyanide generating reagents on any scale. Inform laboratory personnel that in the event of a cyanide alarm they are to evacuate the area. Reactions, quenches, or work-ups that use HCN or that generate HCN must be equipped with a bleach trap for off-gases, and keep cyanide-containing wastes basic.

Handling Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) or HF-Generating Reagents

Wear standard personal protective equipment (PPE) of goggles or safety glasses with side shields, a lab coat, and rubber (non-latex) gloves, such as 8 mil Best N-Dex nitrile gloves.  Reactions must be carried out in a functioning hood behind the hood sash.  A chemical reaction includes setup, monitoring, quench, and workup.  Store HF solutions in Teflon bottles or plastic (polypropylene or polyethylene) bottles or plastic-lined bottles.   Use only Teflon or plastic-coated (polypropylene or polyethylene) equipment when employing HF.  Do not allow HF to contact glass for any period of time.  Treat aqueous HF or fluoride ion (F^-) waste with CaCl₂ to precipitate CaF₂.  If an aqueous solution is acidic, neutralize to pH 7 with 1 molar aqueous sodium hydroxide solution or potassium hydroxide solution.  Dispose in a separate Teflon container, label properly, and give it to the waste disposal service.

Phosgene / Diphosgene / Triphosgene / Thiophosgene

Wear standard personal protective equipment (PPE) of goggles or safety glasses with side shields, a lab coat, and chemically resistant gloves.  Reactions must be carried out in a functioning hood behind the hood sash.  A chemical reaction includes setup, monitoring, quench, and workup. Phosgene indicator strips are to be used to determine the presence of phosgene in organic mixtures. Three indicator badges should be used.  The indicator badges should be placed 1) in the hood, adjacent to the reaction, 2) on the outside of the fume hood, and 3) on the person conducting the experiment.  All reactions using the phosgenes should be conducted in anhydrous solvents and dry glassware. Vent reactions to a bubbler/trap filled with aqueous base (ex: 1N NaOH) to quench escaping gaseous reagents. To quench excess amounts of phosgene, diphosgene, thiophosgene, or triphosgene during reaction workups, cautiously add the reaction mixture to a molar excess of aqueous base. In case of contact, immediately flush eyes or skin with copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes.  Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. If inhaled, remove the exposed person to fresh air.

Proper Procedure Handling

Hydrogenation

Distillation

Terminology in Safety