Safety is a top priority in the chemistry laboratory. It is imperative for anyone who works in the laboratory to be conscious of the hazards and risks involved with their work. The chemistry department at Luther College has developed a set of guidelines that are intended to inform and educate our students in the correct ways to work with chemicals and equipment in the laboratory. We have also begun to draft a set of specific guidelines for students doing on-campus research during the academic year. Links to both of these files can be found as follows.

• Teaching Laboratory Safety Sheet (.pdf)
• Research Student Safety Sheet (.pdf)
  
• Luther College Chemistry Department Chemical Hygiene Plan (.pdf)
  

The cause of many accidents in the lab can be attributed to a lack of information regarding the properties of a particular chemical or procedure. If you need more information about any of these, try searching for more information using the following online sources:

• Chemfinder
• The Sigma-Aldrich Safety Center (MSDS Search)
• The American Chemical Society - Committee on Chemical Safety
• Prudent Practices in the Laboratory
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration