1. www.jst.umn.edu Oil Bath Safety

2. www.jst.umn.edu Oil Bath Use Safety first  Always wear protective eye-wear and gloves.  Do not set the oil-bath temperature set point above 130°C.  Make certain the temperature probe is in the bath before turning on heat.  Turn heat off when not in use, turn stirring off when oil has cooled to room temp.  Make sure electrical connections are tight, and cables are not in excessive tension.  Use a lab jack to position the oil bath under the reaction. This allows the hot oil to be removed quickly in case of an emergency. 2 Temp. probe Label your reaction

3. www.jst.umn.edu Keep it clean  Prevent condensation from the condenser jackets from dripping into the oil.  Prevent your reaction mixture from spilling into the oil. If your reaction mixture gets into the oil, immediately replace the oil.  Make sure the outside of your reaction vessel is clean. Do not label your vessels with tape, which could fall into the oil.  The oil will get dirty with normal use over a period of time. If you notice this, replace the oil (available at the chemistry stock room).

4. www.jst.umn.edu Keep the hood clean  When retrieving bottles from the oil bath, make sure there is no more oil dripping.  Do not use oily hands to touch/adjust anything. Change gloves if necessary.  Close the hood sashes during your reaction.  Do not let the oil baths overflow by submerging an oversized vessel.  If you need more oil than there is, remove the excess oil you added after your reaction is complete.