The first-year class of Chemistry graduate students has completed their introduction to laboratory safety in the Chemical Laboratory Safety class, Chem 599, taught by Prof. Dewey Holten. At the conclusion of their final class meeting, each student was presented with a personalized lab coat and splash goggles.
Chem 599 covers a range of safety topics, including cylinder safety, fire safety, laser safety, chemical incompatibilities, and cryogen safety. Guest lecturers from Environmental Health & Safety, WU Emergency Preparedness, the Chemistry faculty, and Provost Holden Thorp participate in the course, helping to give incoming first-year graduate students a broad view of safety and compliance topics across campus. Students also get the opportunity to learn how to write Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), a technical skill that helps orient lab personnel to safety concerns with specific lab procedures and operations. Chem 599 is a required course for all first-year graduate students in the Chemistry Department.