Laboratory Policies for MG 1026
Last Reviewed: November 11, 2013
The following policies will be strictly enforced and there will be absolutely no exceptions! They apply equally to the laboratory component of CHEM 474 and both semesters of physical chemistry laboratory (CHEM 324 and CHEM 326).
Broken/Missing Item Policy
If a student breaks a major piece of university owned instrumentation (e. g., a spectrometer, a Lab Quest, a Lab Pro, etc.) or an expensive piece of glassware (e. g., a quartz cuvette) they will be charged $100 or 50% of the replacement cost, whichever is greater, but not to exceed $500 per course per semester.
You are responsible for everything in your lab drawer and all equipment that you use during the course of the semester. You will be charged the for any missing or broken items, even if a missing item is later found, or if a broken item may be repairable. You will also be charged a $1 restocking fee (payable to the instructor) for extra items found in your drawer at check out.
Items left on the lab bench, in the hoods or on the drying rack at the completion of lab will be confiscated and they will be replaced at your expense. You must obtain the instructors permission to leave something out and it must be clearly labeled with your name (no initials), what it is (for a reaction this includes the full names of reactants and solvents) and lab day and time.
You are responsible for items loaned to others and items left in an unlocked drawer.
If you break or lose an item, you must inform the instructor of the broken/missing item so that you can be given a replacement (if available) and an Item Replacement Statementcan be issued. The replacement fee must be paid at the Cashiers Window in McClain Hall and your copy of the Item Replacement Statement must be returned to the instructor before the end of finals. No late payments will be accepted! In the event that your copy is not returned on time, or you fail to pay for the item(s), an additional $25 will be charged directly to your account and a hold will be placed on your grades and registration until the account is settled.
Lab Drawer Policies
You will check-in to a lab drawer at the beginning of the semester and you will be responsible for all of the contents in that drawer until the end of the semester. Do not change drawers unless it is cleared by your instructor.
Check-out occurs at the end of the semester, or when you drop the course. You will be charged for any broken/missing items and fined for extra items found at check-out. No check-outs will be conducted once finals begin. Failure to check-out will result in a $25 charge being made directly to your account and a hold will be placed on your grades and registration until the account is settled.
You are responsible for knowing your combination and the following policies apply: 1) any assistance required from the instructor to open your drawer (unlocking your lock, looking up your combination, etc.) will cost you $1, and 2) in the event you leave your drawer unlocked you will be assessed a $1 fine and an IOU slip will be placed in your drawer.
No chemicals or wet items are to be placed in your drawer. There is a cabinet for storing your chemicals; simply place your properly labeled vials in the appropriate container. Lab drawers will be checked periodically during the semester, and improperly stored materials will be confiscated. You will be fined a minimum of $25 per person using the drawer at check-out for damage to the drawer resulting from water or chemical damage to the drawer, plus any charges to repair the damage. Be sure that you note any damage to the drawer at check-in, otherwise you will be charged! Substances not properly dealt with at the semester’s end may result in points being deducted from your laboratory grade. Why are we doing this? Many of the substances that you will make in this lab pose significant health and safety risks if not properly stored. It is for your safety, and the safety of the others who share this space, that we insist that all prepared solutions and chemicals be stored in the designated area.
Fines
All item replacement charges and fines for damaging laboratory infrastructure will be assessed through the Business Office and will be charged directly to your university bill. Failure to pay these charges will result in a hold being placed on your academic records and you will be unable to register for the next semester (or graduate).
Laboratory Work Environment
It is expected that you will act in a courteous, responsible and safe manner in the laboratory at all times. This includes: notifying the instructor when supplies are running low, coordinating experiments with other students, placing waste in the correct container and recording what was in the waste, returning chemicals and common items to their proper place after use and not removing items from locked drawers, other laboratories or from drawers in the laboratory not intended for your class. Failure to act in the expected manner will result in loss of points from your laboratory grade, at the instructor’s discretion.
The majority of the chemical reactions that you will perform must be done in the fume hood; the bench tops should be used as staging areas and for instruments. It is expected that you will arrange your experiments so that everyone can use the equipment and instruments.
You are expected to leave your work areas (both in the laboratory and in the instrument and balance rooms) neat and clean at the end of the laboratory period. Points will be deducted from your laboratory grade, at your instructor’s discretion, for leaving a messy work area.
Specialty items and extra equipment may be checked out from the prep room with your student ID. They are to be returned clean and dry to the prep room at the end of your laboratory session, unless otherwise arranged with the instructor. Students are NOTallowed in the prep room.
All drawers and cabinets in the laboratory are to be locked whenever they are not being actively used. If a drawer or cabinet in the laboratory is locked, you are not supposed to have access to the contents. Please report any drawers that should be locked, but are not, to your instructor.
Safety/Preparation
You must review the chemical safety portion of Sophomore Seminar (CHEM 245) and the laboratory safety web page before the first laboratory meeting. It is assumed that you know and understand standard laboratory operations and emergency procedures. You are expected to familiarize yourself with new procedures (by reading available background material and consulting coworkers before asking the instructor) before starting an experiment.
You are responsible for dressing appropriately for laboratory and supplying proper lab goggles (ANSI Z-87 standard). Lab coats are not required, but are recommended. Other personal safety items (such as gloves, full face shields and blast shields) are available in the laboratory.
Hazardous waste is to be placed in the designated area (green hood on the east wall of the laboratory) in the correct bottle. Write down on the appropriate sheet the identity of the material, and how much of it, you placed in the bottle. Failure to properly segregate chemical waste may result in catastrophic consequences, for which you would be held responsible.
Wanton disregard for the laboratory infrastructure or standard health and safety protocols while in the laboratory is grounds for immediate dismissal from the laboratory. If you are dismissed from the laboratory for health and safety violations, the instructor is under no obligation to allow you to make up the missed work. If your actions lead to the injury of another person in the laboratory, criminal charges may be pursued at the university’s discretion.
You are also responsible for coming to the laboratory fully prepared for each day’s work. Your notebook must be completed to the standard described elsewhere and this includes health and safety information on chemicals and methods.
Personal Materials in the Laboratory
A space is provided for the storage of personal materials (backpacks, etc.) in the laboratory and you are allowed to bring your own laptop for recording data and for data analysis. However, the laboratory is an inherently dangerous place and that materials brought into the laboratory can be damaged by forces not within the instructor’s, the department’s or the University’s control, even when they are stored in the designated storage location. Items not stored in the designated area stand a greater chance of being damaged. So, while you are encouraged to bring personal laptops for recording data and data analysis, the instructor, the Chemistry Department and the University cannot be held accountable for damage to personal items through their presence in the laboratory.