Get to Know 15 Laboratory Safety Equipment
Every job must have its risks, one of the work risks that have a fairly high level of danger is work in the laboratory. Any laboratory like chemistry laboratory, physics, microbiology, etc. has a wide-range and high risk of potential hazards.
Laboratories have 4 different biosafety levels, as well as different hazardous risks. The higher the biosafety level, the higher the potential for the laboratory hazard will be. Also same with the work safety equipment, the usage will be more different and stricter than before.
Although each laboratory has a different level of danger, its workers still must always use work safety equipment or commonly called personal protective equipment. This is because in the laboratory there are things or hazardous chemicals that have the potential to explode, catch fire, be corrosive to other substances, reactive and toxic, or even death.
The following below are 15 work safety equipment commonly used in laboratories:
- Lab Coat. Lab coats have a function to protect the body from contamination by harmful chemicals. There are lab coats that can be used many times, like in a biology laboratory, or there are also those that can only be used once, especially in a chemistry laboratory. Lab coats also have a variety of different models, such as flame-resistant lab coats, cotton lab coats, synthetic polyester lab coats made from polyester, and many more.
- Safety Glasses and Safety Goggles. Safety glasses and safety goggles have a function to protect the eyes from potential exposure to hazardous chemicals. Safety glasses are usually used to protect the eyes from splashes of chemical solutions or dust, while safety goggles are used to protect the eyes from chemical splashes or dangerous and deadly chemical reactions.
- Safety Shoes. Safety shoes serve to protect the feet from exposure or chemical spills. Safety shoes in laboratories are usually made of materials that are resistant to fire and certain pressures.
- Face Shield. Face shields are used to protect the face from splashes of material, fire or hot chemicals. This protective equipment is often used when taking laboratory equipment that is heated at high temperatures, like heating an object in an autoclave.
- Gas Mask. Gas masks are used to avoid exposure to harmful gases that are inhaled through the respiratory tract of laboratory personnel. These harmful gases are formed from a chemical reaction, therefore it will be very dangerous if inhaled into our bodies, because these gases may contain deadly toxins, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and sulfide acid.
- Safety Gloves. Safety gloves protect the hands from contamination of chemical solutions that have harmful effects such as itching and blistering on the hand’s skin.
- Hearing Protector. Hearing protectors are used to protect the sense of hearing from the noise that can be emitted by certain equipment. For example, autoclaves, crushers, sonicators, and glassware washers that use ultrasonic.
- Eye Wash. Eye wash is used and provided to clean and wash parts of the eyes that have been exposed to chemical solutions or liquids.
- Fire Blanket. A fire blanket serves to extinguish the fire due to spilled chemical substances that can trigger a fire.
- Safety Shower. Used if the body is exposed to spills or exposure to chemical solutions in large quantities, the safety shower will be able to clean the body optimally.
- Spill Neutralizers. Chemical solutions may spill onto the floor and must be cleaned up immediately. For that, use spill neutralizers that have been equipped with acid and alkaline materials. Spill neutralizers can neutralize the spilled chemical solution.
- First-aid Kits. This medicine box for first aid serves to handle minor accidents, such as being scratched by sharp objects. Usually this box has bandages, alcohol, scissors, and wound medicine.
- Fire Extinguisher. Used to extinguish small-scale fires due to work accidents or other sources.
- Emergency Exit. This special door is used only for emergencies and may not be used for general purposes, such as earthquakes and fires. Therefore, the door is usually designed not to be opened from outside the laboratory. The emergency exit is also equipped with an alarm, so that when it is opened it will make a certain sound.
- Fume Hood. Used to take chemical solutions containing harmful gases, such as sulfuric acid, acetone, hydrochloric acid, and others. The fume hood is equipped with a suction so that the harmful gases that come out of the chemical solution can be inhaled and neutralized first.
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