Safety and work environment in HTX workshops and laboratories
The rules for chemicals, machinery and personal protective equipment – and how you work safely
When you work in HTX laboratories and workshops many of the same principles for safety and working environment apply as in a real workplace. It is not just common sense – it is regulated by occupational health and safety legislation and by a number of standards for labelling and handling of hazardous substances. Learning to work safely is a professional competence on par with the experiment itself.
§Prevention rather than reaction
The basic idea in modern working environment work is that risks should be removed at the source before reaching protective equipment. This is often called prevention principles or a substitution principle: if a dangerous process can be avoided or a dangerous substance replaced with a less dangerous one, that is done first. Protective equipment is the last, not the first, protection.
| Level | Principle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remove the hazard | Avoid a dangerous experiment if a safe one gives the same learning. |
| 2 | Replace (substitution). | Use a less hazardous chemical where possible |
| 3 | Technical measures | Work in fume hood; shield rotating machine parts |
| 4 | Organized fire brigades and private rescue corps; specialized extinguishers (foam, powder, CO2) are developed | Instruction, work procedures, access restriction |
| 5 | Personal protective equipment | Glasses, gloves, hearing protection — last line of defense |
§Danger labeling and safety data sheets are there for you. Never assume what's on a drum — and always use the protective equipment prescribed for that specific product.
Chemicals are labeled according to a common European system, the CLP regulation, which is based on the global GHS system. The labeling consists of hazard pictograms (the red diamond warnings), signal words (danger or warning) and hazard and safety statements that describe the risk and precautions. You must be able to read the labeling before you touch a substance.
You should check this before using a chemical
- 01What hazard pictograms are on the packaging, and what do they mean?
- 02Does the signal word danger or warning appear?
- 03What do the hazard statements (H-statements) say about the risk?
- 04What do the hazard statements (P-statements) prescribe that you should do?
- 05Is there a safety data sheet and what does it say about handling and first aid?
§Machines and physical hazards in the workshop
In technical trades and workshops you encounter machines that can cause serious injury. Here, you may only operate a machine you are trained in, protective shields and emergency stops must be in place, and loose clothing, jewellery and long loose hair have no place near rotating tools. Many accidents happen during routine tasks where attention lapses.
- 01Use only machines you are trained to use and are allowed to use
- 02Check that guards and emergency stop work before you start
- 03Remove loose clothing jewelry and tie long hair up
- 04Clean up on an ongoing basis — chips, spills and mess are a common cause of accidents
- 05Stop and call for help in case of doubt rather than improvise
§Personal protective equipment
Where the risk cannot be removed in another way, personal protective equipment is used. Which are required depends on the task: safety glasses against splashing and particles, gloves chosen according to the specific chemical, hearing protection against noise, respiratory protection against dust or vapours. Protective equipment only works if it fits and is used correctly — wrong gloves can even be more dangerous than none.
§If the accident is out
You must know the emergency procedures before you need them. This means knowing where eyewash stations, eye wash, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers are, and how to sound the alarm. For chemical splash in the eyes, flush immediately and for a long time; for spills, follow the safety data sheet instructions. Always report small accidents yourself to the teacher — that's how you learn to avoid big ones.
“The skilled technician is known not only by the result but by having worked so that no one got hurt along the way.”