A student-friendly guide to the “two worlds” of lab glass in organic chemistry. Learn the difference between molded and hand-blown borosilicate glassware, why it matters for heat and vacuum, and how to choose brands that balance safety, performance, and budget.
Not all lab gloves give the same protection. This guide shows how to choose gloves to protect your skin from chemicals: understand incidental vs extended contact, match glove material and thickness to your reagents, and avoid common mistakes like wearing contaminated gloves for too long.
In an organic lab, you need to protect your skin from chemicals, not just your eyes and lungs. Many organic reagents can irritate or be absorbed through the skin, so hand protection is more than just a formality. To reduce risk, wear suitable gloves whenever you handle liquids or solids that could harm the skin, … Read more
SummaryIn an organic chemistry lab, a fume hood is a local exhaust device designed specifically to handle organic vapours, corrosive gases and hazardous dusts. You work outside the hood while your apparatus sits inside; the hood draws contaminated air away and discharges it safely. Using it correctly means knowing when to work inside the hood, … Read more
SummaryBefore you start any experiment, take a moment to inspect your glassware. Any visible crack or chip – anywhere on the piece – is a reason to stop using it. This is especially important for vacuum and thick-walled vessels. Retire damaged items, place broken glass in the correct waste container, and choose appropriate glassware for … Read more
SummaryIn a lab, anything that reaches your mouth can carry invisible chemical or biological contamination. Eating and drinking in the lab, or pipetting by mouth, turns that invisible risk into a direct exposure. Modern lab safety rules ban food and drink in experimental areas, forbid mouth pipetting, and require thorough handwashing before you leave the … Read more
SummaryCutting glass tubing and inserting glass into rubber or cork stoppers are common tasks in teaching labs, but they are also a frequent cause of hand injuries. To work safely, always score and wet the glass before breaking it, wrap it in a towel or tissue when snapping, lubricate the end before insertion, and hold … Read more
SummaryHeating is essential in organic chemistry, but it is also one of the main sources of fires and burns in the lab. To use heat safely, avoid open flames around flammable solvents, prefer hot plates and heating mantles, keep solvent bottles and waste containers away from hot surfaces, and never leave an active heater unattended. … Read more
SummaryTo stay safe in an organic chemistry lab, you should always wear a lab coat, goggles and suitable gloves, keep flames and hot surfaces away from flammable solvents, and handle volatile or toxic chemicals in a fume hood. Never eat, drink or pipet by mouth in the lab, wash your hands when you finish, and … Read more