Lab Cleanup Points

In the organic chemistry teaching labs you are expected to take care of the equipment and lab space that you use. Each lab period, each individual has five possible points for lab clean-up. Those points are awarded to the whole class as a group. If the lab is left in disarray after your lab, you and everyone else in your section just lost points for lab clean-up. The following is a list of things that are expected of you:

1. Lab stools put back on the counter top, right side up.
2. Balances and weighing benches are clean.
3. Rotovaps and rotovap pumps are clean and turned off, bump traps are empty, and solvent traps have been emptied into organic waste.
4. Fume hoods are properly tidied up:
   1. Sashes lowered (this should be done whenever you are not actively using hood).
   2. Lights turned off.
   3. All solvent/reagent/waste bottles capped and stored properly in tubs.
   4. All reaction equipment (ring stands, labjacks, hotplates, and heating blocks) stored in cabinets below hoods. If hotplates and heating blocks are still hot they may be left in fume hood, at a safe distance from shelves in back of hood, with cord wrapped neatly.
   5. UV lamp and DigiMelt stored in/on plastic shelves in hood, with cords wrapped up by velcro tie.
   6. Hood work surface wiped clean.
5. All waste handled properly:
   1. Liquid organic waste - organic waste bottle in each hood. If bottle is full, it must be emptied into main organic waste carboy.
   2. Liquid aqueous waste - aqueous waste bottle in each hood. If bottle is full, it must be emptied into main aqueous waste carboy.
   3. Used rinse acetone - acetone recycling bottle in each hood. Note: ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER ORGANIC SOLVENTS may go in this container. Only acetone, water, and small amounts of solids. If bottle is full, it must be emptied into main acetone recycling carboy.
   4. Solid chemical waste, filter/weigh papers, microcaps, and heavily contaminated paper towels/gloves - solid waste bins in each hood (NOT IN THE TRASH). If solid waste bin is full, its bag must be taken to the central collection point and replaced with a new one. Overflowing solid waste bins will get points docked for your lab.
   5. Broken glass - Tall blue and white "Broken Glass" disposal box near TA desk (ABSOLUTELY NOT IN THE TRASH).
   6. All other paper towels, gloves, and empty boxes - trashcan.
   7. Any experiment-specific wastes - recovery jar, as directed by lab manual.

If you follow these simple guidelines the labs will be in clean and organized for the benefit of everyone. Each significant violation of these rules will result in one point being docked from the cleanup points for your lab section, or two to three points for a serious violation.

Check-Out Cleanup Points

In addition to the normal cleanup duties, there are additional points for cleanup during checkout which vary depending on what time your lab meets during the week. If your lab meets twice per week, you should do the tasks for both times. For most of the "wipe down" tasks you should only need a wet paper towel followed by a dry one to dislodge any dirt. The used paper towels can go into the regular trash, unless heavily contamined with chemicals. For cleanup items inside fume hoods: Rather than checking every hood, the Lab Director will choose three hoods at random from each room and check how well each item in them has been cleaned.

• Tuesday 10 am: In every fume hood in your lab, pull out Tub 1, empty it and wipe it out. If the tub has any holes, bring it to the stockroom for an exchange. Wipe down all the contents and put them back, replacing any empty solvent bottles. Make sure the contents and layout of this tub exactly matches the "Fume Hood Layout" poster in each hood.
• Tuesday 1:30 pm: In every fume hood in your lab, pull out Tub 2, empty it and wipe it out. If the tub has any holes, bring it to the stockroom for an exchange. Wipe down all the contents and put them back, replacing any full waste bottles (you do not need to empty the solid waste bin). Make sure the contents and layout of this tub exactly matches the "Fume Hood Layout" poster in each hood.
• Wednesday 10 am: In every fume hood in your lab, pull out Tub 3, empty it and wipe it out. If the tub has any holes, bring it to the stockroom for an exchange. Wipe down all the contents and put them back, replacing any empty solvent bottles. Make sure the contents and layout of this tub exactly matches the "Fume Hood Layout" poster in each hood.
• Wednesday 1:30 pm: Wipe down equipment for every fume hood in your lab: ring stands, heating blocks, stirring hotplates, and labjacks. Put into cabinets under fume hood sinks. Bundle up power cords for stirring hotplates, UV lamps, and Digimelts, and secure with attached Velcro cable tie (or get ties from your TA if they are missing).
• Thursday 10 am: Brush everything off the scales and wipe down all interior and exterior surfaces of scales, plus the bench they're on.
• Thursday 1:30 pm: Wipe down the rotovaps and chillers, plus the benches they're on. Empty any solvents in the solvent trap and rinse the bump trap and adapter with water, then acetone. Scrub out water baths.
• Friday 10 am: Empty solid waste bins from fume hoods into main collection area. Check that all items in fume hood tubs are laid out according to "Fume Hood Layout" poster in each hood. Wipe down the walls and work surface of the small fume hood. If any of the glove or Kimwipe dispensers around the lab are empty, replace the boxes.
• Friday 1:30 pm: In every fume hood in your lab, pull everything out of the hood and wipe down the walls and work surface. Wipe down the metal shelving then put everything back. Wipe down the external faces of the glassware drawers in front of each student hood.

3321 - OChem I lab: Mouse over a score in the table below to see an explanation.

3341 - OChem II lab: Mouse over a score in the table below to see an explanation.

3361 - OChem I Majors lab: Mouse over a score in the table below to see an explanation.