Safety Information
CM4655
Polymer Rheology Laboratory

Dr. Faith A. Morrison, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
Chem-Sci-Eng 304A
phone 906-487-2050
email fmorriso@mtu.edu
Office hours: click here

---

To download a PDF of the Polymer Rheology Laboratory Safety Information, click here.

---

In case of emergency find a campus phone and dial 911 or dial 911 on a cell phone. 

---

Department of Chemical Engineering safety rules must be followed at all times while in CM laboratories.  These are detailed in the Departmental Safety Manual, which is available on the web at  this link:  Department of Chemical Engineering Safety Manual

In particular, the following rules must be followed: 

1. Safety glasses with side shields must be worn in the laboratory at all times.
2. Shoes must be closed – no sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes.
3. No shorts or skirts may be worn unless a lab coat is worn over top.
4. No eating or drinking in the laboratory.
5. No working alone in the laboratory after 6pm or before 8am.
6. When working alone in the laboratory, the door must be unlocked.
7. Do not tamper with safety guards.
8. Report all damage to equipment to Dr. Morrison, in person if possible, and follow up with an email or memo to document the incident.
9. Always record your activities on the log book for the instrument you are using.
10. Do not use equipment for which you have not received training.
11. All chemicals, no matter how benign, need to be labeled with the following (at a minimum):  your name, the date, the name of what is inside, and a correctly filled out NFPA diamond.  You may find a guide to the NFPA diamond at www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/nfpa.html.
12. Broken glassware should be disposed of in the broken glass box located behind the Goettfert rheometer.
13. All chemical waste must be disposed of in accordance with the rules outlined in the CM Department Safety Manual.
14. Chemicals in glass containers that need to be transported from the laboratory or from another laboratory or Chem Stores to the Rheology Labs must be transported in a safety carrier.
15. Dr. Morrison must be notified of any new chemical introduced into the laboratory so that the MSDS can be obtained and all students can be trained on the handling of the chemical.
16. Chemicals are NOT to be stored in the hoods. Chemicals must be removed from the hoods at the end of the day.
17. Do not dry volatile flammable chemicals in the vacuum oven without an appropriate liquid-nitrogen trap installed.
18. Wash hands before and after running an experiment.
19. Insulated gloves are required to avoid burns when operating the Goettfert Capillary rheometer and when handling hot objects.
20. A first-aid kit is located in 309A.
21. If you need to leave equipment running unattended, you must leave a note with your name, the date and time, an estimate of the duration of the operation, and an indication of how to contact you, preferably a cellular telephone number.
22. Broken mercury thermometers must be disposed of by following the procedures in the CM Department Safety Manual.

When you complete this laboratory, you must dispose of all materials for which you are responsible.  Mainstream polymers (polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene) may be thrown away in the regular trash.  Broken glass must be disposed of in the broken glass box – if wet with volatile compounds, allow the broken glass to first dry in the hood before disposal.  Dirty glassware must be cleaned and put away in the drawers.  Left-over chemicals should be discussed with Dr. Morrison; in some cases these can stay in the lab in the appropriate storage cabinet.  Chemicals that are not of general utility must be disposed of at the end of the semester, after consultation with Dr. Morrison.

Before beginning work in a new laboratory, familiarize yourself with the locations and operating procedures for the fire extinguishers, safety showers, and eye-wash stations.  Locate the nearest fire alarm in the hallway.  Locate the nearest telephone.