• Question: Do you use very dangerous chemicals on a day to day basis

    Asked by benandajay10 to Katherine on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Katherine Jones

      Katherine Jones answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      I guess it depends on what you mean by dangerous! I have to do a risk assessment before every single experiment I do, to make sure it is not too dangerous – I don’t want to hurt myself, or other people I work with.

      But… a lot of the chemicals I use are very nasty – they can cause burns, catch fire, or even cause cancer if I am exposed to them. To make sure I am safe, I wear a lab coat, safety glasses, and gloves all the time. We also use fume cupboards, which suck air upwards so that the chemicals are taken away from us. I think as long as I am careful, I am safe.

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