No punching the Chinese Post-Doc.

[opabinia]

Yesterday, I replaced the benchtop paper. Takes a while, because I have to move everything off the bench, reorganize stuff, clean up while I'm at it, and so on. Then I left for half an hour to get some slides photographed. I came back to find a large spill on the new paper. Whatever. That's what it's there for, even if this is a poorly-timed pain in the ass.

This morning I come in, and I notice the spill hasn't evaporated. This is a concern.

Me: Was that just water?
Post-doc: No. With DMSO.
Me: How much DMSO?
Post-doc: Um... Fifty percent.
pause
Me: Let's get rid of this.

We remove the paper. A puddle of DMSO has soaked through overnight, and is sitting on the benchtop.

Post-doc gets paper towel, begins to soak up the spill with her bare hands.

Me: Use gloves.

Post-doc dons gloves.

We replace the benchtop paper. I show the post-doc where we keep our Material Safety Data Sheets, and gently advise her to consult them next time she's using, and especially next time she's spilling, a chemical she is not thoroughly familiar with. I make up a labeled DMSO disposal bottle and give it to her.

Post-doc: I need to use acetone with the cell counter. How do I dispose of it?
Me: Put it in a glass bottle, label it, and keep it in the satellite collection area -- just like the DMSO.
Post-doc: Oh..

Post-doc leads me to regular trash can, points gingerly.

Me: How much?
Post-doc: 80 milliliters.
Me: It has evaporated by now. Next time, you should set up a disposal bottle.

That has been my morning. Now it's time to do work.