Working with chemicals can be dangerous, especially in a laboratory setting. This danger is why different types of lab safety gear and PPE exist that technicians must wear before handling these materials. Keep reading to learn the key PPE and safety gear pieces that every chemical lab needs.
Chemical-Resistant Gloves and More
Specific laboratory-grade protective gloves resist chemicals that are common in experimental settings. Before handling hazardous chemicals in the lab, selecting gloves that are appropriate for the chemicals you’ll be working with is crucial. They provide a protective layer between your skin and potentially harmful chemicals. Regularly checking your gloves for tears and other signs of damage is key to promoting safety and maintaining their protective qualities. Any holes or tears in your laboratory gloves could allow chemicals inside or transfer skin oils and cells, causing injuries or impacting experiments. Lab coats, aprons, and coveralls are also important for large-scale experiments that use fume hoods and other chemical lab applications.
Respiratory Protection Gear
Working with chemicals can also pose dangers to your airways due to the harmful fumes they produce. For this reason, respiratory protection gear is also a requirement for working in chemistry laboratories. Many types of respiratory equipment are available, including simple filtering masks and air-purifying respirators. Depending on your experiments and applications, you may need a unique type. Training is also necessary for laboratory respirator use, including how to wear, operate, and maintain the respirator.
Eye Protection and Cleaning Stations
Eye protection is one of the most crucial layers of laboratory PPE. Chemical contact with the eyes can result in vision loss and other serious injuries, which is why eye protection in the lab is crucial for everyone, even those visiting or observing. Eye protection for lab workers includes goggles, safety glasses, or full-face shields, depending on the application. Certain chemical reactions can cause chemical splashes, which is why face shields are ideal. All laboratories must also have eye wash stations, which your entire staff should know how to use.
Any type of laboratory that handles chemicals needs the proper PPE and safety gear. Review the proper PPE for your workplace and chemical applications during your next shift. Keep this list in a common area and always stock your lab with the required PPE.
