As a scientist you can come into contact with a number of different materials. These materials range in risk level from benign to deadly. What is considered dangerous by a biologist might not be considered dangerous by a chemist and so on. It's all relative to the hazards that are encountered in your field of study and to how prepared you are to work with those materials.
Working safely in the lab should always be your number one priority. Yes, we want you to publish and be successful, but you can't do that if you are lying in a hospital bed recovering from a lab accident. Adopting good habits for working in the lab does not take a lot of time or effort. In fact, after a few days you don't even realize that you are doing them, they are part of your everyday life and routine. The benefits? These habits can save your life (and protect your project).
So what habits should you adopt for working safely in the lab? Here are some of the big ones:
1. Be current on your lab safety training
2. Ask questions if you don't know how to do something
3. Never work alone
4. Always wear your personal protective equipment (even when you aren't using chemicals in the lab)
5. Know the emergency procedures for your lab (who to call, where the safety shower and eyewash is, etc)
6. Store your chemicals properly
7. Handle chemicals in the fume hood and know how to use the hood properly
8. Keep your lab clean and organized
Most of these things only require you to slow down and pay attention. All of them can help keep you safe and ensure that your time at UVA is successful so that you can move on to your next endeavor.
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