Science Lab

OVERVIEW:

A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. In our college we have defined well established laboratories in the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Computer science etc.

PERSONAL AND GENERAL LABORATORY SAFETY:

1. Never eat or drink anything while working in the laboratory.
2. Read labels carefully.
3. Do not use any equipment unless you are trained and approved as a user by your supervisor.
4. Wear safety glasses or face shields when working with hazardous materials and/or equipment.
5. Wear gloves when using any hazardous or toxic agent.
6. Clothing: When handling dangerous substances, wear gloves, laboratory coats, and safety shield or glasses.
7. If you have long hair or loose clothes, make sure it is tied back or confined.
8. Keep the work area clear of all materials except those needed for your work. Coats should be hung in the hall or placed in a locker. Extra books, purses, etc. should be kept away from equipment that requires air flow or ventilation to prevent overheating.
9. Students are responsible for the proper disposal of used material if any in appropriate containers.
10. If a piece of equipment fails while being used, report it immediately to your lab assistant or tutor. Never try to fix the problem yourself because you could harm yourself and others.
11. If leaving a lab unattended, turn off all ignition sources and lock the doors.
12. Clean up your work table area before leaving.
13. Wash hands before leaving the lab and before eating.
14. Avoid wastage of water and use judiciously.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

1. Obtain permission before operating any high voltage equipment.
2. Maintain an unobstructed access to all electrical panels.
3. Wiring or other electrical modifications must be referred to the Electronics Shop or the Building Coordinator.
4. Avoid using extension cords whenever possible. If you must use one, obtain a heavy-duty one that is electrically grounded, with its own fuse, and install it safely. Extension cords should not go under doors, across aisles, be hung from the ceiling, or plugged into other extension cords.
5. Never, ever modify, attach or otherwise change any high voltage equipment.
6. Always make sure all capacitors are discharged (using a grounded cable with an insulating handle) before touching high voltage leads or the "inside" of any equipment even after it has been turned off. Capacitors can hold charge for many hours after the equipment has been turned off.
7. When you are adjusting any high voltage equipment or a laser which is powered with a high voltage supply, USE ONLY ONE HAND. Your other hand is best placed in a pocket or behind your back. This procedure eliminates the possibility of an accident where high voltage current flows up one arm, through your chest, and down the other arm.

CHEMICAL SAFETY

1. Treat every chemical as if it were hazardous.
2. Make sure all chemicals are clearly and currently labeled with the substance name, concentration, date, and name of the individual responsible.
3. Never return chemicals to reagent bottles. (Try for the correct amount and share any excess.)
4. Comply with fire regulations concerning storage quantities, types of approved containers and cabinets, proper labeling, etc.
5. Use volatile and flammable compounds only in a fume hood. Procedures that produce aerosols should be performed in a hood to prevent inhalation of hazardous material.
6. Never allow a solvent to come in contact with your skin. Always use gloves.
7. Never 'smell' a solvent!! Read the label on the solvent bottle to identify its contents.
8. Dispose of waste and broken glassware in proper containers.
9. Clean up spills immediately.
10. Do not store food in laboratory refrigerators.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY GUIDELINES

1. Never do unauthorized experiments.
2. Never work alone in the laboratory.
3. Keep your table and lab space clean and organized.
4. Do not leave an on-going experiment unattended.
5. Always inform your instructor if you break a thermometer. Do not clean mercury yourself!!
6. Never taste anything. Never pipette by mouth; use a bulb.
7. Never use open flames in laboratory.
8. Check your glassware for cracks each time while you use it. Cracks could cause the glassware to fail during use and cause serious injury to you or lab mates.
9. Maintain unobstructed access to all exits, fire extinguishers, electrical panels, emergency showers, and eye washes.
10. Do not use corridors for storage or work areas.
11. Do not store heavy items above table height. Any overhead storage of supplies on top of cabinets should be limited to lightweight items only.
12. Areas containing lasers, biohazards, radioisotopes, and carcinogens should be used carefully.
13. Be careful when lifting heavy objects or glass containers.
14. Clean your lab bench and equipment, and lock the door before you leave the laboratory.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. Some of the abilities which may be developed and evaluated during practical work are the following:
   • to handle equipments.
   • to design and conduct experiments
   • to tabulate and classify the data
   • to draw tentative inferences.
2. Students should understand the theory behind the reactions they carry out. They will turn out to be better analysts if they have a full understanding of what they are doing.
3. Students who happen to be absent for a practical should do it before the next practical is held. They will not be permitted to do it afterwards.
4. Students should carry out the experiments, take the readings, do the calculations and write their observations independently. Consulting others or copying from neighbors is strictly prohibited.
5. Laboratory work shall be assessed continuously in every practical class.
6. Part of the practical examination mark will be allotted for the practical's done during the year and for the record maintenance. The external examiners will scrutinize the practical record note book maintained and award mark on the basis of the records. Hence submission of record notebooks and observation note books on the date and time mentioned by the teachers concerned is imperative.
7. The external examination will be conducted with two external examiners. The external practical examination for all U.G. & P.G. Courses will be conducted at the end of even semesters only.
8. Great care should be taken by students in handling the costly apparatus of the laboratory. All breakages, damages, losses etc. as soon as they happened must be reported to the concerned lecturer. The cost of things broken, damaged or lost will be recovered from the students at the current market rates.
9. Students should pay the breakage charges at the end of the year. Failure to do so will be penalized by non-issue of hall ticket.

LANGUAGE LABORATORY

The Department of English has a digital Language Lab for the benefit of the development of their pronunciation. It is highly useful for the students to explicate their communication skills. The digital Language Lab is beneficial for the literature students to acquire a complete perception / learning in their prescribed literary plays through CDs. The students of all disciplines are trained on the digital Language Lab once in a week, with a follow up for a week.