TM 10-6640-215-13 1-8.  SAFETY, CARE, AND HANDLING - continued. Check fire fighting equipment periodically to make certain it is properly serviced and ready for use.  This is done by checking seals, tags, pressure gages, and hoses. c.  Extinguishing Fires.  Be familiar with the nature of petroleum fires; with procedures for fighting fires.  and with the fire extinguishing  equipment  in  the  laboratory.    Do  not  use  water  for  extinguishing  oil  fires  because  it  will  spread  the  fire. Water is a conductor of electricity and should not be used on electrical fires. d.     Handling   Chemicals.      The   following   safety   precautions   need   to   be   observed   by   all   personnel   while   handling chemicals. Store heavy and large containers of chemicals on or as near the floor as possible. Never fill a container with material other than that indicated on the label.  Make sure that every container is properly labeled. Never place bottles continuing acids or alkalis on high shelves or on top of equipment. Always wear goggles when breaking up solid chemicals which might chip, or when handling quantities of corrosive liquids such as strong acids and strong bases. When opening new bottles of acid, always wear goggles. When  pouring  a  sample  from  a  container,  hold  the  container  cap  or  stopper  in  the  hand.    Never  place  the  cap  or stopper on a counter where it may come in contact with a contaminating agent. Always wipe up any acid that spills or splashes on benches, tables, or floors. If any chemical is spilled or splashed on the body, immediately wash the contaminated area thoroughly with water. Keep all sample containers that are in use capped or stoppered at all times except when pouring out test portions. Always replace the same cap or stopper in the container from which it was removed. Never  handle  mercury  with  bare  hands;  never  heat  mercury  in  an  open  container;  and  never  shake  more  than  20 milliliters of mercury in a glass container. Never taste laboratory chemicals.  Smell a chemical only when necessary and then only by wafting a small amount of vapor with the hand toward the nose. Dispose of all unlabeled chemicals. e.    Controlling  Pressure  and  Vacuum.    The  following  safety  precautions  should  be  observed  by  all  personnel  while operating the air/vacuum systems. Do not use faulty copper, plastic, or rubber tubing when performing operations requiring pressure or vacuum. 1-4