Safety in the laboratories
All laboratories are equipped with protective gear, first-aid kits and where required eye-wash stations. Please ensure that these are in place and use them as directed. The Department has a number of trained and certified first-aiders; their names and office locations are given on the departmental directory, on the ground floor. Once in the laboratory, make yourself familiar with the emergency route and procedures in the case of an evacuation.
All new research students have to attend a workshop on Occupational Health and Safety, run by the University. This course is compulsory, please check your timetable for the date.
Access to the biogeochemistry laboratories (incl. clean lab) is restricted. Contact person for the biogeochemistry laboratories is Prof Roychoudhury and access is restricted to students in his team. Access will only be granted to students who can prove that they are familiar with the methodologies they are going to use and with the risks associated with those procedures. Depending on your work, you may be asked to prove that are aware of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) before you will be granted access.
Access to the rock crashing laboratories and saw room must be requested from Mr George Olivier.
Visitors are not allowed in the laboratories. Use the tea room for social gatherings.
Always adhere to general rules in all laboratories:
- never work alone in the laboratory, and always let someone know what you are doing, when and explain associated risks.
- report any incident or injury immediately to your supervisor. However, in case of emergency follow emergency procedures directly.
- keep all work benches clean and all chemicals in the designated safety cupboards
- no food or drinks are allowed in any of the laboratories
- even as a geologist never taste or inhale any chemical. Be aware that some chemicals release vapour when you open them. Make use of fume hoods and/or masks.
- wear your protective gear: labcoat, long pants, goggles, gloves, safety boots
- dispose of broken glass, but report it to the supervisor or lab manager
- all chemicals must be disposed of properly. We reserve the right to charge for damages or extra costs resulting from willful reckless waste disposal.
- do not remove any chemicals or equipment from the laboratories.
You will receive further safety rules once you have been granted access to specific laboratories.