Injuries

Any injury, however slight it may appear, must be treated immediately by the technical staff who have been trained in first aid. There are, however, some general procedures that may be followed in an emergency:

Splashes on the skin.
If you spill any toxic or corrosive material on yourself, you should wash it off immediately with copious quantities of water before seeking first aid treatment. Even a few seconds may save a serious burn; make sure you know where the emergency showers are. Removal of chemicals insoluble in water is facilitated by cleaning the contaminated skin area with soap. Remove all contaminated clothing.
Splashes in the eye.
If any chemicals splash into your eyes, you must wash them thoroughly with the eye baths provided. Familiarise yourself with their location and operation. Ensure that the eyelids are kept open so that the eyeball is thoroughly bathed during the treatment. All eye injuries from chemicals should be examined by a doctor.
Inhalation accidents.
The casualty should be removed from the danger area into fresh air and his/her clothing loosened around the neck. Someone qualified in first aid must be summoned immediately.
Ingestion of poisonous chemicals.
If the ingestion is confined to the mouth wash out the mouth will copious quantities of water, ensuring that the mouth wash is not swallowed. If the chemical has been swallowed, consume about 250 cm3 of water to dilute it in the stomach. Do not induce vomiting. Medical attention must be sought immediately in all cases.

The hazard assessments provided in connection with each experiment include the permissible limits for an 8-hour exposure to the chemical in question, given as "occupational exposure standards" (OES). In the case of more hazardous materials "maximum exposure limits" (MEL) for an 8-hour period are given.

Burns and cuts.
If you receive any burns or cut yourself or swallow any material which is at all toxic (virtually anything), seek first aid at once.