The one-stop guide to working with flammable material: from hazard classification to mitigating risks What are flammables? Flammable materials are those gases, liquids, and solids that upon exposure with an ignition source (e.g. open flames, sparks, heat-producing chemical reactions, etc.) will ignite and continue to burn in air.  Many flammable...

The ultimate guide to working with explosives: from hazard classification to primary & secondary effects What are explosives?  Explosives are solid or liquid substances (or mixtures) with an intrinsic ability to undergo rapid chemical reactions that produce high temperature and pressure gases which travel at high enough speeds to cause...

The ultimate guide for 9 types of chemical spills and cleanup procedures Plan for spills “Failing to plan is planning to fail”: prepare to act in a safe, timely, and effective manner during chemical spills (or releases) by walking through minor/major spill protocols, optimizing lab space and organization, and reviewing...

The six major types of fire extinguishers and the Classes of fires they are suitable for Elements of a fire There are four necessary elements of a fire: oxidizer, heat, fuel, and an uninhibited chemical chain reaction, all represented in the “fire tetrahedron”. Heat promotes the ignition temperature of the...

The one-stop guide to working with oxidizers: from hazard classification and extinguishing oxidizer fires to mitigating risks What are oxidizers? Oxidizers (or oxidizing agents) are substances that contribute to or cause the combustion of other materials by (generally) providing oxygen. Oxidizing gases are said to contribute more than air, while...

Hazardous chemical waste disposal guide: avoid violation fines and enhance lab safety What are gases and chemicals under pressure? The first step to avoiding any penalties is determining if the waste produced in your laboratory is hazardous chemical waste according to the jurisdiction that you are in. In the United...