| Glassware is one of the most commonly used kinds of equipment in science laboratories.
In the laboratory, glassware is used to contain, heat and otherwise combine or react chemicals. Handling glass improperly in the laboratory can cause breakage and accidents.Glassware should only be used for its recommended purpose.
Follow all lab safety rules when using and handling glassware to avoid accidents and injury.
Inspection
All glassware should be inspected for cracks and contamination before use. Cracked items should be disposed of, and contaminated glassware should be cleaned.
Cleaning
Cleaning your glassware is an important part of lab safety. Chemicals from previous experiments may be present on your glassware, causing violent reactions and making your lab work fail. Make sure to clean your glassware before any experiment, even if the glass looks clean. Always use a detergent that is nonabrasive to prevent scratching the glass. Even small scratches can harbor dirt. If cleaning a beaker, do not insert your hand into it while cleaning; instead, use a sponge or light, nonabrasive brush to reach inside. Some glassware is thin and may break if your hand is inserted. If you are using a dishwasher to clean your glassware, make sure the drying temperature is not over 110 degrees Celsius or 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Exposure to prolonged, extreme drying temperatures will crack the glass. You can also steam-sterilize your glassware.
Hot and Cold
Check the hot and cold temperature recommendations on the glassware you are using. Most are robust, but it is a good idea to know the limits of your glassware. In most laboratories Pyrex glassware is used. Extremely low temperatures, those below -20 Celsius or -4 Fahrenheit, can cause the outer coating of the glassware to crack. Most glassware will be able to withstand intense heat. Do not, however, place your glassware over direct heat or an open flame. If the glassware has become brown or is brittle, the coating has been compromised and the vessel should be thrown away.
Heating and Cooling Glassware
Heat or rapid temperature changes (including cooling) should be applied only to Borosilicate (e.g., "Pyrex") glassware that is designed for such applications.
Storage
Glassware should always be securely stored to minimize the potential for breaks. Containers should typically stored with the lids in place to prevent dust and other air-borne particulates from getting inside; glassware should be safely covered with aluminum foil if no lids are available.
Label Containers
All containers should be labeled to clearly indicate their contents. This includes glass and plastic reagent bottles and test tubes.
Stoppering Glassware
Glassware should be vented when heating to avoid overpressurization and possible explosion. Keep stoppers loose when autoclaving or during procedures that require heating.
Wear Safety Glasses
Safety glasses should be worn at all times in a laboratory to prevent eye damage from broken glassware.
Disposal
Broken and other waste glass should be discarded in a container specially marked to indicate its contents. This is so that housekeeping and other personal will exercise due caution when handling it.
Handling Broken Glass
In general, don't! Broken lab glassware, in addition to having sharp and jagged edges which can seriously injure you, also have the added element of danger in that there is most likely chemical residue on the glass itself. Cutting yourself on a piece of broken glass with chemical residue on it could seriously mess things up, especially in an organic chemistry lab.
If you break a piece of glassware and chemicals are not involved, obtain a small dustpan and broom (there are a few sets in each teaching lab) and sweep up the pieces. Discard them in the 5-gallon white plastic bucket marked "BROKEN GLASS" in the lab. Do not handle broken glass by hand, if it can be avoided. Also, only place CLEAN broken glass in the "BROKEN GLASS" bucket. Broken glassware with chemical residue should either be cleaned (if there is a way to do so safely), or placed into the "LAB TRASH" bucket.
Caution: Remember glass is fragile, and broken glass can cause cuts and serious injury. Use care and handle gently! Do not apply too much force or subject to rough treatment.
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