GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES

Introduction:
In a chemical laboratory exercise of care & the adoption of safe working procedure is the responsibility of each & every person. If there is any doubt to the safety of proposed experiment, advised from an experienced person must be taken, rather than just hoping for the best. All analysts must adopt a responsible attitude to their work & avoid any thoughtless, ignorant or hurried behavior, which may lead to an accident & possible harm to themselves or to others. All personals therefore must adopt thoughtful, careful & methodical approach. While doing work in a laboratory following important practices must be considered.
1. Personal Protection:
2. Tidiness & Cleanliness:
3. Conduct in the Laboratory:
4. Accident Procedure:
5. Off hour working:
6. Storage of Chemicals:
7. Glass Ware:
8. Waste Disposal:
1- Personal Protection:

Under the personal protection the main factors, which we usually deal with, are as
Ø Skin & Body Protection:
Ø Eye Protection:
Ø Hand Protection:
Ø Respiratory Protection:

Skin & Body Protection:
No personal should be allowed in the laboratory without a protective coat, preferably white, since spillage & stains are more readily detected.

Eye Protection:
All personal must wear safety spectacles or goggles. Several good light-weight goggles are available for good coverage of eyes & upper face. Although contact lenses give some protection against mechanical damage to the eye, wearing of protective spectacles is still essential. In case of chemical splashes, first aid should be confined to through irrigation of eyes with clean water. A close fitting safety goggle is a much greater measure of protection in these circumstances.

Hand Protection:
In case of experiment involving toxic reagents or solvents must be contacted in an efficient fume cupboard. Plastic or rubber gloves should be used for protection of hands.

Respiratory Protection:
To avoid inhalation of dangerous chemicals suitable respiratory equipment i.e. masks should be used.




2- Tidiness & Cleanliness:
Tidiness & Cleanliness is a major factor for laboratory safety. The laboratory must be kept clean & tidy at all times. While doing work in laboratory cleanliness of following aspects should be taken in account.

Ø Passageway & Exits:
Ø Floor:
Ø Working Benches:
Ø Apparatus:

Passageway & Exits:
Passageway between & around the benches & near exits must not be locked with equipment or furniture.

Floor:
Floor must be kept in good condition to prevent slipping or tripping.

Working Benches:
Cleanliness of working benches is an indication of personal practical ability.

Apparatus:
Apparatus not immediately required should be kept as for as possible in a cupboard beneath the bench, if it must be placed on the bench, it should be arranged in a need & orderly manner. Dirty apparatus can be placed away from the working area, until it can be cleaned.

3- Conduct in the Laboratory:
Except in an emergency running or any over-hurried activity, should be forbidden in & around the laboratory, as practical jokes or irresponsible behavior. Eating, drinking & smoking in the laboratory should be also be forbidden, these constitute avoidable risk of ingestion of toxic substances & in case of smoking an obvious fire hazard.

4- Accident Procedure:
Every person working in a laboratory should know about
Ø Fire Escape/ Exits:
Ø Position of Fire extinguishers:
Ø First Aid equipment:
Every person should know where the exits & fire escapes are situated & also know about the positions of fire extinguishers, fire blankets & must know how to use them. Personal should also be familiar with the location of first aid equipment, provided for emergency use, & should know the position of nearest telephone, the numbers of appropriate medical team & hospital.

5- Off hours-working:
No person should ever work alone in laboratory. Experiment which must be left running over night are best sited in a specially constructed overnight area, but if it is not possible, the precautions should be adopted & in the apparatus labeled clearly as to the nature of reaction & likely hazards. ‘Please leave on’ notices should be left alongside any service, which is to be left running (water, electricity). Specific regulation relating to Off –hours working & overnight experiments must be strictly adhered to.

6- Storage of Chemical in Lab:
Chemicals should never be allowed to accumulate on benches or in fume cupboard but should always be returned to their proper places.
Incompatible chemicals: Incompatible chemicals should be separated from one another.
Dangerous chemicals: Dangerous chemicals should be stored in a fire proof steel cabinet filled with a vapor seal door, & an area must be assigned & properly equipped for the safe dispensing of flammable & toxic solvents.

Carcinogenic Chemicals: Carcinogenic chemicals are always retained in a main store in specially provided sealed cabinets.

All containers of chemicals should bear clear labels indicating the nature of contents & a hazard symbol together. Many chemicals deteriorate with age, so when bottle arrives from distributor, date should be mentioned on it.

7- Glass Ware:
Glass ware should be carefully examined before use & any, which is cracked, chipped or dirty, should be rejected. Minute cracks in glass ware for use in evacuated system are particularly dangerous. All apparatus & clean glass ware not in use should be stored away & not allowed to accumulate on benches.

8- Waste Disposal:
This is one of the most important but difficult aspect of laboratory management. Waste material must never be allowed to accumulate in the laboratory; it should be removed regularly from the laboratory area. There are two types of waste material with which we deal are:
Solid Waste: There should be separate bins with properly fittings for broken glass ware & for flammable materials such as papers or cloths (used to mop up flammable liquids). Toxic solids should be sealed in plastic bags & placed in separate bins; both bins should be clearly labeled.

Liquid Waste: Waste solvents should be placed in suitable containers & should be labeled. Halogenated solvents in particular should be kept apart from other solvents.
The accumulated waste material is disposed off appropriately by combusting of the flammable organic material.