Unit 4 - Laboratory Techniques and their Application
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Assignment 4A Distinction grade
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Unit 4 - Laboratory Techniques and their Application
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PEARSON (PEARSON)
Distinction grade 4A assignment, includes all the relevant information for pass, merit and distinction. Use this as a template for your own assignment and to learn the key points you should make in your own to get a distinction first try.
Unit 4 - Laboratory Techniques and their Application
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Describing the main activities of the organisation
The labs are used for lessons in the science department. In these labs you can find things such as chemicals under 2
moles, PPE which includes goggles and lab coats, and you will fin equipment and glassware.
The prep room is responsible for storing chemicals that are over 2 moles and they are kept inside a locked cupboard
and only handled in fume cupboards as they may be carcinogenic. There is equipment that will be used for practicals
such as glass equipment which is kept here. Organic solids will be kept in well ventilated cupboards and organic liquids
will be kept in fireproof cupboards in case of a fire.
Describe the potential hazards in each departments and the health and safety measures that should be taken.
There’s a big difference between risks and hazards, risks are the probability of something harmful happening and a
hazard is the thing that could cause that harm. You would have to complete risk assessments which outline the level of
risk, the hazards, who could be harmed, and an evaluation of the risks and if it is safe enough to carry out the activity,
and then it needs to be written up and recorded.
Potential hazards in the lab can include things like glassware breaking, this can be dangerous as injuries such as cuts
and even puncture wounds in more serious cases can occur, as well as the possibility of the glass being contaminated
which chemicals or blood, as this can be catastrophic as the chemical could be harmful if it gets inside of you and
blood can transfer illnesses such as hiv or hepatitis. Precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of this happening such
as being careful while handling and washing the equipment to unsure that it doesn’t break, goggles should be worn at
all times because if something does break and pieces go flying into the air the goggles will ensure your eyes are safe,
in the case of a breakage it should be cleaned up immediately by someone wearing gloves and a dustpan and brush,
this should then be disposed of appropriately to ensure no one is injured because they’re unaware of what is in the
bins for example. Closed toe shoes should be worn while in the labs because if glass did smash then there’s a chance
you could get cuts or damage to your feet which can be dangerous. Chemical spillage is another hazard because if you
spilt a dangerous chemical there’s a chance it could get on your skin or in your eyes so you would need to ensure
you’re wearing the correct PPE to reduce the risk of this happening, goggles would need to be worn in order to protect
your eyes if the chemical somehow managed to spit into your eye, this can be very damaging as it could potentially
cause loss or eyesight in extreme cases, and irritation. A lab coat should also be worn with long sleeves that are not
rolled up to ensure that you avoid chemical contact with your skin, the lab coat will also act as protection for your
clothes too so they don’t get damaged. Gloves should be made from latex and worn at all times while handling
chemicals as well to avoid them getting on your hands and potentially causing irritation and in some causes they could
be very harmful and actually erode your skin away which can be very dangerous. Closed toe shoes should be worn to
ensure you don’t get chemicals on your feet for the same reason I previously mentioned. Spilling chemicals can also
lead to a slip hazard as there could be liquid on the floor which could lead to someone slipping and injuring themselves
so we need to ensure that any chemical spills are cleaned up immediately. Trip hazards can also pose a threat to the
staff and students safety, for example bags should be tucked under the desk to ensure no one trips over them as this
could lead to falling over and potentially hitting your head on the floor or a work top, this could lead to a concussion or
in a more serious case you could even crack your head open, other injuries could also occur such as breaking your
arms or twisting your ankle. Any equipment you use should be kept on top of the desk to ensure the floor is clear for
the same reason as before. Also if someone did trip then there’s a possibility you could spill chemicals or set fire to
something or someone by knowing over equipment such as an open flame. If any of these do happen and a student or
staff member is injured a form must be completed and sent to the appropriate place.
Hazards in the prep room can be very dangerous as things such as chemicals over 2 moles could be being handled
these should always be kept in a locked cupboard, but while handling chemicals could lead to chemical burns so the
prep room staff need to ensure they are wearing latex gloves, because if you get chemicals on your skin they could be
corrosive and burn through your skin and also cause irritation, if chemicals spill onto the floor it then becomes a
spilling hazard which could lead to more injuries such as head injuries or other injuries as well as possibly knocking
over equipment which could endanger you and others, as well as the possibility of locking over an open flame or
cutting yourself on broken glass, lab coats should be worn and goggles should also be worn to protect your clothes,
skin and eyes from any potential chemical spills or injuries. Hot glass instruments can be dangerous as they are
cleaned in an autoclave which causes to them to become very hot so they need to be handled with heat proof gloves,
and you should ensure other staff members are aware so you or others don’t pick up the glass without the appropriate
protection and burn themselves. There could also be some tripping hazards in the room such as personal things not
being tucked under your work space and stools being left out, this could lead to someone tripping over and having the
same injured that a slipping hazard could cause which could lead to an injury or damage to other equipment.
Each department in the college needs to follow the protocols and abide by the measures that have been put in place
by the legislation to make sure that staff and students are kept as safe as possible when they are working in the
organisation and are at less of a risk of harm while they’re in a potentially dangerous environment and to also ensure
that they are up to date with the legislation that has been put in place by law. Each department is different because of
the different hazards and risk levels they have, the COSHH act will ensure that in the prep room, for example, the
chemicals that are above 2 mols are kept in a locked cupboard and labelled with the correct hazard signs. It also
makes sure that the chemicals are handled while wearing the correct PPE. In the lab this is only relevant to the
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