A sleek, modern and beautiful lab is every scientist’s dream. Thanks to modern lab construction Malaysia, the glistening marble counter tops, the clean, blank walls and the glossy wooden floorboards are a sight to behold. Not to mention all the shiny state-of-the-art lab technology. But beauty isn’t everything. It’s also important to ensure that your lab is a safe and functional place. Here is a checklist to figure out whether your lab is a safety hazard.
Poor Ventilation
Are you constantly choking on fumes and gas from the experiments you conduct? Are you forced to open your laboratory windows regularly to let out harmful vapors as the gas won’t leave any other way? That’s a sign that your lab has poor ventilation. This is extremely dangerous to the health and wellness of your team.
The best way to fix this problem is through installing fume hoods in your research facility. There are fume hoods containing special filters which serve to sift out toxic gas before flowing safe, filtered air back into the lab. Be sure to do your research on the best type of fume hoods for your laboratory before purchasing one!
Physical Hazards
Do injuries often happen to your laboratory personnel? Are accidents a common occurrence? Though some of the situations can be blamed on clumsiness or unfortunate coincidences, if they happen often enough, it might be worth investigating. Your laboratory could be rife with physical hazards such as improperly stored laboratory equipment.
In this event, you can place reminders on posters or fliers and paste them all over your lab. These reminders can include steps on proper lab equipment storage, proper handling of dangerous substances or just simple prompts to be more mindful. However, if the issue does not lie on the careful visitors of your lab, the culprit could be next in our checklist.
Not Enough Space
If your laboratory staff keeps getting injured or accidents keep occurring despite everyone’s best efforts, it might be time to take a look at your lab space as a whole. Figure out if the storage space you have is adequate for the amount of lab items you own. Is there anything that has to be left out of the cabinets as there is no more space to store it? Additionally, evaluate your working space. Is there enough room for everyone to conduct the experiments they are working on?
If the answers to these questions are less than satisfactory, then it might be time to rearrange or redesign your lab. Adequate storage and working space are extremely important elements in every research facility. Figure out a space that best accommodates everyone’s workflow. There can also never be too many cabinets! All your equipment must be stored, not left out where it can cause harm to others.
The work done in laboratories might change lives. Astounding scientific discoveries happen every day. It’s important that these groundbreaking events happen in a safe environment. Be sure to check that your laboratory isn’t a hazard to you and the people around you.