Maintenance

Minimize the safety hazards by maintaining lab work areas in a good state of order.
Maintain at least two clear passages to lab exits.
Always keep tables, fume hoods, floors, aisles and desks clear of unnecessary material.
Wipe down bench tops and other lab surfaces after use with appropriate cleaning or disinfecting agent.
All equipment should be inspected before use.
Use borosilicate glassware for lab work.
If dichromate or sulfuric acid glass cleaner is used in the lab, make sure that cleaning is confined to the fume hood as toxic chromyl chlorides are released from the dichromate or sulfuric acid solutions.
Use non-chromate cleaning solutions preferably.
If experiments must be left unattended, place a note next to your working location, indicating the chemicals involved, your name and a telephone number where you can be reached in case of an emergency.
Keep the lab floor dry at all times.
Immediately attend to spills of chemicals or water, and notify other lab workers of potential slipping hazards.
All machinery under maintenance or repair should be properly tagged prior to servicing.
Sink traps and floor drains should be flushed and filled with water on a regular basis to prevent the escape of sewer gases or the release of chemical odors in the event of an emergency.
Drains which are not routinely used should be filled with 20 - 30ml of mineral oil to prevent evaporation of water in the trap.
All compressed gas cylinders should be securely chained, clamped or fixed stationary in the lab.
Mark all empty cylinders and use all safety precautions as if the cylinder were full.
All maintenance and service works must be carried out by authorized personnel.