ESD Lab Safety 

The ESD group is working with a large variety of harmful chemical matter and it is therefore required that all group members are aware of the risk and do react appropriate in case of an accident. The by far most dangerous matter we are regularily use is hydrofluoric acid or HF, which is for instance used to clean and solve Quartz in cosmogenic nuclide analyses and to disolve zircons in (U-Th)/He analyses. If you do know what HF is and how to react in case a colleague is asking you for help, please make yourself familiar and read the following instructions and product information. In addition the ESD group will organize every semester a theoretical/practical training for HF emergency actions that should be attended by all group members. For questions and comments on lab safety please contact: Martina Brenn, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Safety Video

Twice every year everyone in our group has to attend the lab safety meeting.

If you're new or you've missed it, you can watch the video here.

(The video contains meterial from the American Chemical Society.)

Documentation is provided here.

Non-HF users

Although you are not working with HF, you might be contacted by group members to help in an emergency case. Therefore it is mandatory to all group members to be familiar with some basic knowledge about HF and the required actions in case of an emergency. Please read the following material:

1. HF Working Instructions (German)

2. First Aid Instruction (Presentation from J. Starke - English)

3. Emergency Action Sheet for first responder (English, German)

HF users

 As a lab user working with HF in the ESD group you have to make yourself familiar with HF. Please read the following HF product information, working instructions and HF emergency actions:

1.HF Working Instructions (German)

2. First Aid Instruction (Presentation from J. Starke - English)

3. Video (German)

4. Emergency Action Sheet for patient (English, German)

5. Emergency Action Sheet for first responder (English, German)

6. Product Information (Prevor - German, English)

Additional Information

1. Working Instructions for Aceton, Ammonia, Beryllium Oxide, Ethanol, Diiodmethan, Hydrochloric Acid, Nitric Acid, Oxalic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrofluoric Acid, Phosphoric Acid.

2. HF First Aid Instruction (BASF):

3. HF Purchase List (German)