Safeness has always been a top priority in every workplace; but if there’s one profession that truly goes above and beyond to ensure safety, it’s that of a laboratory technician.
They’re well aware that 70% of known causes of laboratory accidents are often due to chemical exposure (Source: Chatham House, 2023), which could have been avoided.
These statistics only bear out the necessity of having the required safety equipment in place.
Also, in the instance, you are handling chemicals, operating a liquid handler, or such other scientific work, appropriate gear has to be there.
In this article, I’ll discuss the necessary safety equipment in any lab, in order to protect all personnel and conduct operations effectively within the laboratory.
Consideration of safety procedures is the first concern for any successful laboratory.
Therefore, having appropriate tools to prevent accidents is the single most significant step that you must take in caring for the safety and health of all those who are there.
Here are a few key reasons why it’s so vital:
In conclusion, making an effort to procure safety gear is not only for the purpose of compliance—to cut expenses—rather people’s lives are at risk, as well as how smoothly and effectively the work is done, and most importantly the spirit of safety culture within the lab.
Here are the most elementary items you need to ensure a safe environment for lab personnel:
This type of personal protective equipment or PPE has a standard design, but there are also numerous variations that have been developed for specific lab spaces.
Make it a rule that everyone in your laboratory should wear these coats at all times while working.
It can be worn over regular eyeglasses and is usually splash-resistant and flexible so that they would be comfortable to wear for long periods.
They come in different types suited for different applications or tasks, so make sure you know which ones are required for your particular usage.
As an example, water-based solutions would require you to wear powder-free latex gloves.
Such items are often made of wool fabric that’s been treated with a special fire retardant solution, and can also be used to contain or clean up chemical spills.
Just keep in mind that these are not reusable, so you need to stock up on several pieces in advance.
Make sure you have a few of these arranged in different areas of the lab and clearly mark them to let everyone know what kind of items are stored inside each one.
Some of the necessary items you need to keep in these kits include gloves, antiseptic, and bandages.
Place them in easily accessible locations and ensure that everyone is trained on how to use the items.
Inspect the extinguishers regularly, to make sure that they are working well.
You should also consider having stations for washing hands and eyes near work areas.
Thus, when the right safety measures and equipment are in use and high awareness is promoted, the level of injuries and accidents in labs is expected to be low and the health of the workers will be at risk.
Related Case
The Bhopal disaster, known as the “Hiroshima of the Chemical Industry,” was one such horrifying example of the carelessness of safety in the chemical industry.
The incident occurred on December 3, 1984, and took the lives of thousands of workers involving people living around.
To summarize, it is clear that the importance of lab safety is not merely a requirement but an obligation that touches on everyone working in the area.
The use of appropriate safety devices like hand gloves, goggle hardware, and adequate ventilation, among others, also helps in averting accidents and hazardous exposures.
Thus, be proactive, be safe, and make safety a rule in every scientific undertaking.
