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Chemical Safety

Any chemical used in a laboratory should be handled with care and according to laboratory procedures. Prior to performing work involving chemicals, safe handling procedures and the chemical's MSDS must be reviewed. If mixing chemicals, the reactivity of each must be reviewed to avoid adverse chemical reactions.

Chemicals are hazardous for many reasons. The categories of hazardous chemicals are detailed in the following pages:

  1. Toxic Substances
  2. Flammable Liquids
  3. Oxidizers
  4. Corrosives
  5. Highly Reactive Chemicals
  6. Ethidium Bromide

While a wide range of chemicals and processes are used in various laboratories, the following sections detail the general safety practices that must be followed:

  1. Handling Chemicals

  2. Chemical Storage

  3. Hazardous Materials Spills

** Chemical Reactivity Worksheet (from U. S. National Office of Response and Restoration). Download available for interactive reactivity worksheet.