Improving laboratory safety has a range of benefits. To start with, it can ensure the health and safety of your team, preventing injuries, illnesses and incidents.
Laboratory safety can also prevent contamination and protect the infrastructure, laboratory equipment and supplies. This preserves the integrity and quality of your scientific research and allows you to meet deadlines on time.
In addition, having health and safety protocols in place ensures that your laboratory and your team meet the legal health and safety requirements whilst helping you maintain your accreditations and licenses.
Aside from general health and safety in the workplace laws and legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, laboratory technicians, employers and team members must also adhere to industry-specific legislation, regulations and guidelines.
This includes the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), The Good Laboratory Practice Regulations 1997 and several HSE guidelines, such as ‘Safe working and the prevention of infection in clinical laboratories and similar facilities’.
New team members should be trained on all laboratory safety protocols, including equipment usage, emergency procedures, incident reporting, safe storage and disposal and the use of PPE.
Existing staff members should also have regular safety briefings and training refresher courses to ensure they remain up to date with all protocols.
Personal protective equipment, including lab coats, goggles, gloves, aprons and face shields are laboratory essentials. They control risks and protect your team whilst preventing contamination.
Ensure PPE is always readily available and ensure stock is monitored closely. Appropriate PPE should be used and ideally, should be fitted to each team member.
Every laboratory should have a break room or staff room where the team member can take efficient breaks and enjoy their lunch or a quick coffee.
Although it may be tempting to allow drinks into the laboratory, it is much safer to keep food and drink away from laboratory equipment and supplies.
Food and drink spillages and mess can increase the risk of contamination and damage to the equipment. If you choose to allow drinks in the laboratory, ensure they are in secure containers, such as a screw-top water bottle.
All chemicals, reagents, and substances should be clearly labelled with all necessary information, including hazard classifications. They should also be stored according to their safety data sheets (SDS).
Where necessary storage facilities should have correct ventilation and secure locks. In addition, flammable chemicals, solvents and aerosols should be securely stored in fireproof cabinets.
As well an improving safety, having appropriate storage for your laboratory equipment and supplies helps to keep the lab clean and organized whilst making it easier to manage stock levels.
Having clear pathways for incident reporting will encourage team members to correctly report any accidents, injuries, near-misses and safety hazards. Ensure that spaces are clear of hazards and well-lit with the appropriate lighting (high-quality LED lighting is usually most recommended for labs).
Where necessary, improvements can then be made to prevent the same incident from happening again. Conducting a regular safety audit can also help you identify and mitigate recurring risks.
Pro-Lab Diagnostics is a leading manufacturer and distributor of laboratory equipment for use in microbiology and immunodiagnostics. We specialise in in-vitro diagnostic kits and reagents and have been a trusted and reliable supporter of the hidden health service for decades.
Our product range is continuously evolving and is used in laboratories across the globe. If you are looking for a laboratory partner that supplies high-quality products and innovative equipment, get in touch with Pro-Lab Diagnostics.
You can call us on +44 (0)151 353 1613 or email us at uksupport@pro-lab.com.
