ABSTRACT
The most important safety rule in any laboratory is that every person involved in laboratory operations, from administrator to individual worker, must be safety minded. Laboratory supervisors have the overall safety responsibility and must provide for scheduled formal safety inspections as well as continual informal inspections. Some general guidelines for safety practices in the laboratory that experience has shown to be useful for avoiding accidents or reducing injuries in the laboratory. When housekeeping is poor, safety record also deteriorates. In addition to the general safety practices already discussed, every laboratory worker must observe the following safety practices as well: unattended operations, working alone, cryogenic hazards, pressurized systems, and mechanical equipment. The laboratory supervisor has the responsibility to determine whether the operation requires special safety precautions such as having two workers in the same laboratory when a particular operation is being carried out.
