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Health and Safety

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A Survival Guide for Research Scientists
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Abstract

As a scientist, you will have an obligation to carry out laboratory activities in a safe manner, so that you do not cause harm to yourself, others and the environment. In some countries, such as the UK, health and safety is so important that it has become part of legislation. The aim of this chapter is to give you a basic introduction to some of the common dos and don’ts that all scientists should be aware of, such as what to do in the event of a fire, how to handle general chemicals and how to fill certain forms (namely Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and risk assessment). Overall, the chapter deals with generic practical guidelines and thus will not deal with specific situations or circumstances, such as how to handle lasers, gases, ionising radiation, biological substances, etc.

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Tantra, R. (2019). Health and Safety. In: A Survival Guide for Research Scientists. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05435-9_4

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