Saturday, June 14, 2008

Personal Safety Gear

Since I'm conducting experiments to produce a flammable gas that requires the use of a caustic electrolyte I needed to take some safety precautions.

The first problem involves the caustic Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) which will heavily damage skin and flesh if it comes in contact with it. I'm also planning to conduct experiments with a number of compounds that are not safe to handle without gloves.

The second problem is the possibility of a violent explosion resulting in shrapnel.

Additionally, the safety gear can be divided into two groups, Personal Safety Gear and Shop Safety Gear. The difference is the personal safety gear is worn while the shop safety gear is not.

Personal Safety Gear List




  • Eye Goggles with side splash guards
  • Heavy Duty Rubber Gloves
  • Hearing Protectors
  • Rain Jacket






Far and away the most important item is the eye goggles since the electrolyte would cause considerable damage to an eye. The gloves and rain jacket likewise prevent caustic burns should an accident or explosion occur. The hearing protectors would muffle the sound of an explosion should one occur.

Flying shrapnel is still a concern and will be addressed further in a Shop Safety Gear article.

Safety Info Articles


Next: Shop Safety Gear
Previous: What On Earth am I Doing?

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