Laboratory safety is one of the most critical areas when it comes to workplace safety. The lab environment poses many hidden and salient work hazards which can result in serious injuries and even fatalities.
In this article, we explore a few key issues that lab users should take note of, namely storage, spillage, splash prevention and suppression of fire.
Storage
Laboratories have one of the highest concentrations of flammable and corrosive chemicals that are used on a daily basis. Accidental mixing or even exposure to heat can have disastrous consequences. It is thus essential that flammable chemicals are stored in special flammable cabinets. This also applies to acid which must be stored in corrosive chemicals cabinets.
Flammable cabinets are yellow in colour and comes in various sizes and shelving requirements. They minimally have a fire rating of 10 minutes with higher specifications available for special hazards. Corrosive cabinets are blue in colour and is used to store acid.
There are also special storage cabinets for Lithium-ion batteries which comes with its own detectors as well as suppression system within the cabinets for extinguishing of lithium-based fires. Cabinets can even be customized to accommodate charging facilities.
In this article, we explore a few key issues that lab users should take note of, namely storage, spillage, splash prevention and suppression of fire.
Storage
Laboratories have one of the highest concentrations of flammable and corrosive chemicals that are used on a daily basis. Accidental mixing or even exposure to heat can have disastrous consequences. It is thus essential that flammable chemicals are stored in special flammable cabinets. This also applies to acid which must be stored in corrosive chemicals cabinets.
Flammable cabinets are yellow in colour and comes in various sizes and shelving requirements. They minimally have a fire rating of 10 minutes with higher specifications available for special hazards. Corrosive cabinets are blue in colour and is used to store acid.
There are also special storage cabinets for Lithium-ion batteries which comes with its own detectors as well as suppression system within the cabinets for extinguishing of lithium-based fires. Cabinets can even be customized to accommodate charging facilities.
Spillage
It is also necessary for laboratories to have correct spill containment kits for clean-up of accidental spillages. One should never use conventional method (such as mopping etc) to clean up chemical or biological spills. There are specific spill kits for individual applications. Some different spill kits include Biohazard, Cytotoxic, Formalin, Peracetic Acid and Alkali just to name a few.
It is also necessary for laboratories to have correct spill containment kits for clean-up of accidental spillages. One should never use conventional method (such as mopping etc) to clean up chemical or biological spills. There are specific spill kits for individual applications. Some different spill kits include Biohazard, Cytotoxic, Formalin, Peracetic Acid and Alkali just to name a few.
Splash prevention
Chemical splash is extremely common in a lab setting. It is thus essential that lab occupants be fully equipment with the correct PPE when they enter the lab. This includes putting on lab coats, protective gloves, safety goggles, ear plugs and face respirators when working in the laboratory.
Should an unfortunate incident occur when the chemical splashes into the eyes of the individual, labs should be equipped at least with a portable eye wash so that the chemicals can be rinsed from the eyes. An eye wash station or even an emergency shower may also be equipped within the lab should there be huge volumes of chemicals being handled and there is a risk of extensive exposure.
Chemical splash is extremely common in a lab setting. It is thus essential that lab occupants be fully equipment with the correct PPE when they enter the lab. This includes putting on lab coats, protective gloves, safety goggles, ear plugs and face respirators when working in the laboratory.
Should an unfortunate incident occur when the chemical splashes into the eyes of the individual, labs should be equipped at least with a portable eye wash so that the chemicals can be rinsed from the eyes. An eye wash station or even an emergency shower may also be equipped within the lab should there be huge volumes of chemicals being handled and there is a risk of extensive exposure.
Suppression of fire
Lastly, fire incidents are a common occurrence in lab settings. Not only is it necessary to have the usual dry powder fire extinguishers in place, it is also important to find out if there are special material within the lab (such as metal powder or litium ion batteries). Those material will require special types of extinguishers that are not common in the market place.
Moreover, it is good to install fire blankets in the lab setting in the event the individual’s clothes catches fire. The fire blanket can be wrapped around the individual and smother the fire without having to douse the individual with water.
Lastly, fire incidents are a common occurrence in lab settings. Not only is it necessary to have the usual dry powder fire extinguishers in place, it is also important to find out if there are special material within the lab (such as metal powder or litium ion batteries). Those material will require special types of extinguishers that are not common in the market place.
Moreover, it is good to install fire blankets in the lab setting in the event the individual’s clothes catches fire. The fire blanket can be wrapped around the individual and smother the fire without having to douse the individual with water.
In conclusion, lab safety is a serious matter and the correct safety equipment and PPE should be used to minimize injuries and deaths. Other items that we recommend to have includes first aid boxes as well as automatic external defibrillators (AED).
For more information on lab safety products, feel free to email us at [email protected] or whatsapp us at 96550256.
Stay safe.
For more information on lab safety products, feel free to email us at [email protected] or whatsapp us at 96550256.
Stay safe.
