4 Laboratory Safety Tips

Now is the best time for evaluating safety features in your lab. This can be a challenging task in larger facilities, but still necessary. Our experts on dermatopathology recommend the following laboratory safety tips.

No drinks or food in the lab area

This is one of the most challenging bad habits to control in nearly every lab. Everyone enjoys a cool drink of water or a great cup of coffee during work hours. But prohibiting drinks and food in the lab has various benefits. First, it helps eliminate distractions. Any distraction is hazardous when completing critical tasks. Remove every distraction possible to help reduce losses and injuries. Next, food waste can make a mess. Messy lab spaces promote the risk of contamination and decrease lab efficiency. Finally, it is a best practice for lab safety. Many hazardous materials in the lab could affect employee health and safety when ingested.

Partner up

It is not always possible to perform duties, tests, or experiments with a partner. But, working in teams where possible should be encouraged. Two sets of hands and eyes doubles the potential to catch slip-ups or mistakes before they become big problems. Human error is natural, and everyone makes mistakes. You can help keep each other safe by working in teams to ensure a quicker response if someone gets injured.

Utilize warning signs

Anything in the lab area that poses a specific threat should be labeled and clearly visible. The importance of this cannot be understated. Place them in apparent locations with bold lettering and bright colors. Solutions and chemicals are required to be labeled by OSHA ordinances. In addition, there is an abundance of electricity used in any lab where instruments and equipment are utilized. Therefore, you should have clear signage for circuit breakers, trip hazards, and high-decibel noise areas. Safety success in the lab relies on appropriate markings and warning labels.

Budget for laboratory safety equipment

Operating on a strict budget is essential for lab success. Ensure adequate funds are set aside for safety equipment when revising your current spending or drafting a new budget. Safety items include fire extinguishers, lab coats, splash guards, earplugs, safety glasses and goggles, protective gloves, eyewash stations and solutions, and much more. It can be costly to buy and maintain adequate safety measures, but nothing is more valuable than the safety and wellbeing of lab personnel. Budgeting with safety in mind will eliminate funding concerns down the road and keep you from deciding between necessities in a pinch.

You should also consider additional funding for staff training. You may have some downtime in your production schedule to supply additional training to staff. Hourly wages, handouts, and props are all reasonable expenses. Planning for such costs will prevent unpleasant surprises down the road.

These are just a few lab safety tips you should keep in mind. Contact us today for assistance with dermatopathology in Pittsburgh, PA. We have the experience and expertise to handle all of your dermatopathology needs!