Student Research Guide & Responsibilities
Students doing research in the Chemistry Department are required to comply with all federal, state and city regulations, and, university and department guidelines, for laboratory safety and waste disposal. The general responsibilities of every student researcher are as follows:
Start up — Every student researcher is responsible for:
- Notifying the Storeroom Manager you are doing research, where, and for whom.
If you will be spending money from a grant or an award, give the Storeroom Manager a copy of the letter, and the award statement with the amount and the account number it is under.
- Checking the lab for any hazard and report it to the Storeroom Manager. If you don't know if it is a hazard or not, ask the Storeroom Manager to check it.
- Attending the Safety Seminar and orientation meeting.
- Arranging for a tour of the specific safety equipment in your lab and how to use it.
- Knowing where the "Sharps" container is and what goes into it -- also, the "broken glass" bucket, and the normal garbage can...
- Knowing where your assigned lab space is in the lab, including hood space.
- Ordering your equipment and chemicals early and avoid paying for "rushed" shipments.
- If you open a door - LOCK IT when you leave. Please do not leave it open in case someone needs to go into a room. You are responsible for locking it. This is especial true for rooms you use other than your research room. You maybe using refrigerators, computers, and instruments in other rooms.
Lab work — While working in your lab, every student researcher is responsible for:
- Knowing the Hazards and Physical properties of the substances you are using.
- Following the Federal and State regulations for Labeling containers. Be sure your Name, the contents, the Concentration, and the date are on ALL containers you use... even the beakers and flasks.
- Wearing your goggles, and other protective equipment when necessary, especially gloves.
- Transporting chemicals safely, especially between floors... use a plastic carrying bucket for secondary containment.
- Chemicals are stored on the bench top or cabinets... not on the floor
- Securing Gas Cylinders, and transporting them safely.
- Keeping your lab space orderly and clean.
- Refrigerators are a shared area... label everything you put inside them.
- Instruments are also shared... keep them clean and pick up after yourself.
- Returning borrowed equipment from the storeroom, so others may use them too.
- If you borrowed equipment from another lab, return it as soon as possible
- Unauthorized experiments are prohibited -- work under the guidance of your supervisor.
- Working alone while doing a dangerous step in your experiment is unwise if not stupid... notify someone.
- Using the fume hoods to protect you and others in the lab from harmful vapors.
- Having fun is what we do... but do not over do it... no playing around, squirting water, etc. You are expected to behave yourself in a positive, adult manner.
Check out & Clean up:
- Leave your lab space in a better condition then you found it!
- Use the Clean Up & Check Out Guide for preparing to Check Out of your lab space.
- Before you leave, give the Storeroom Manager and your Advisor enough advanced notice so they can check you out of your lab space. In other words, please do not wait until the last minute and expect them to make time for you. Please be considerate.