It was a regular evening, and Jane, the custodian, was cleaning labs in the building. She was almost finished when she noticed a puddle on one of the benches. It looked like water. Jane thought nothing of it and wiped it with her cloth.
Suddenly, her hand started to burn.
She dropped the cloth and rushed to the sink, rinsing her hand in cold water. But it was too late—her skin was already red and blistering. Jane didn’t know it, but she had just come into contact with sodium hydroxide, a strong chemical that can cause serious burns.
Earlier that day, a student had spilled the chemical during an experiment. Instead of cleaning it up, they left the lab in a hurry, assuming someone else would handle it later. But that small decision had huge consequences.
Jane had to go to the hospital. She was treated for chemical burns and needed time off to heal. The student learned a hard lesson: never leave a spill unattended. Even a small puddle of chemicals can be dangerous to others, especially those who don’t know it’s there.
From then on, everyone in the lab made sure to clean up spills right away. It’s not just about keeping the lab tidy—it’s about keeping people safe.
What can be learned from this incident?
- Good laboratory housekeeping is critical!
- Don’t put your colleagues at risk. Always clean spills up immediately!
- Follow appropriate spill clean up procedures.
- Always report major chemical spills.
- If you’re unsure of how to handle a spill, ask your supervisor or AL’s Chemical Hygiene Officer.