Safety with Reagents

Quality reagents are indispensable for much of the work done in laboratories and facilities across the world, yet improper use or storage can lead to disastrous results. We’d like to spend some time talking about what the dangers in your lab might be, and what you can do to mitigate those dangers and work safely with reagents.

Reagents can be classified by what potential dangers they pose when handled or stored improperly. Some may pose a hazard due to the risk of fire or explosion, some because they are toxic, and others because they can cause burns or irritation when humans are exposed to them. 

Still others may be considered hazardous because of the possibility of decomposition during storage, or their effect on the environment when they are disposed improperly. Many reagents can be hazardous in multiple ways and combinations of the aforementioned. 

There are many steps you can take in your facility to avoid these hazards.

• For one thing, always read the description that comes with your reagents and check to make sure that the label accurately describes what you’ve received. You’ll find that most labels use a hazard code that is made up of four differently colored diamonds that describe the hazard.

  1. Blue is for health.
  2. Red indicates flammability.
  3. Yellow indicates reactivity.
  4. White is for special hazards.
  A number from 1-4 is placed in the diamond indicating the severity of the hazard presented by the reagent, one being the least and four being the most severe.
• When you see these warnings be sure to put in place the proper safety measures to protect against potential hazards.
• Always refer to literature, regulations, the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and any other relevant material when handling any reagent.
• Always wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) and handle your reagents with care using preventative measures to avoid drops, spills and exposure.
• Make sure that you have a plan in place to deal with any spills, drops, or other incidents involving your reagents and require that all personnel are appropriately and adequately trained in the proper steps to take in the event of such an incident.
• Storage and management of reagents should be carefully monitored as decomposition can become a factor with sensitive or hazardous reagents.
• Inexperienced users should always be monitored by more experienced team members when handling hazardous reagents and/or only qualified personnel should be handling them at all.
• Follow all rules and regulations related to the disposal of old or surplus reagents to avoid any environmental impact or legal issues.

At Chata Biosystems, we know that the reagents you use for your work can be both essential and hazardous. That’s why we’re focused on providing unsurpassed quality in the reagents we deliver, as well as in the packaging they come in.

We tailor our reagents, packaging, and deliveries to meet your needs and ensure that you have exactly what you need to operate your facility in a safe and efficient manner. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about the benefits of outsourcing your reagent production and how Chata can help keep you or your employees safe.  Please also consider us a resource if there is every a question about how to handle or store a reagent; whether we manufactured it or someone else did.