Choosing PPE for Teaching Laboratories

Teaching laboratories handle smaller inventories than production units, yet splash and glass hazards remain real. Cedarfield issues chemical splash goggles—not visitors’ glasses—for every session involving heated solvents or corrosive reagents.

Coat fabric matters. We use cotton or cotton-rich coats that cover wrists when sleeves are buttoned. Synthetic coats that melt under a flame are not used in open-flame distillation practicals.

Gloves are task-specific. Nitrile suits aqueous acids and bases for most student work; solvent-heavy tasks get a different selection after the risk assessment. One glove material for every job is a false economy.

Footwear is non-negotiable: closed toe, closed heel, and a sole that will not skate on a damp epoxy floor. We keep spare shoe covers only for short escorted visits, never as a substitute for proper shoes during practicals.

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