The Essential Lab Safety Equipment Every Scientist Needs

The Essential Lab Safety Equipment Every Scientist Needs

Overview

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  • Source: Microbioz India

  • Date: 13 Sep,2023

Laboratory safety equipment is essential for ensuring the well-being of both the researchers and the experiments.

Below are some common pieces of safety equipment found in most labs and their uses:

PPE, or personal protective equipment

  1. Safety goggles: shield the eyes from harmful items including flying debris and chemical splashes.
  2. The lab coat acts as a barrier between the skin and clothing and dangerous substances.
  3. Gloves: shield hands from corrosive substances, foreign objects, or sharp edges. Nitrile, latex, or specialist gloves for particular chemicals are just a few examples of the various sorts.
  4. In especially while performing procedures that produce splashes or sprays, the face shield provides additional protection for the face and eyes.
  5. Masks or respirators: Filter the air of dangerous gases, particles, or biological agents.

Also read

Lab Safety Rules in Pharmaceuticals : All you need to know

Fire Protection

  1. To swiftly extinguish tiny fires, use a fire extinguisher. For several classes of fires (A, B, C, D, and K), various types are available.
  2. Fire blanket: Used to cover a person whose clothing is on fire or to put out small fires.
  3. Alerts staff members in the event of a fire emergency.

Biological Safety

  1. Hazardous fumes, gases, and dust are vented away from the user through a fume hood.
  2. Eyewash Station: This station is used to clean the eyes if they become contaminated with dangerous substances.
  3. When someone has been exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals, a safety shower is used to decontaminate them right away.
  4. Kits for cleaning up chemical, biological, or radioactive accidents safely are included in spill kits.
  5. Safely store dangerous chemicals in chemical storage cabinets, which are frequently ventilated or built with corrosion resistance in mind.

Electrical Security

  1. Circuit breakers: When there is an overload or fault, they automatically cut off the electricity.
  2. When a problem is detected, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) turns off the power to prevent electric shock.

Chemical Protection

  1. Pathogens and other biological samples can be handled in a sterile atmosphere with the help of a biosafety cabinet.
  2. Autoclave: Eliminates germs, viruses, and other diseases by sterilizing tools and other objects.
  3. Sharps Container: To prevent contamination and injury, dispose of needles, knives, and other sharp objects in this container.

Mechanical Protection

  1. Machine guards: Shield users from harm by covering moving machine parts.
  2. Ear protection: lowers noise levels in laboratories with active loud machines.
  3. Safety mats: In situations where people stand for extended periods of time, they offer padding and slide resistance.

Typical Tools

  1. First Aid Kit: Equipped with everything needed to heal minor wounds.
  2. Emergency exits, dangers, and other safety information are indicated on signs referred to as safety signage.
  3. Emergency lighting: Offers illumination during blackouts or other dire situations.

Depending on the kinds of studies being done, each laboratory environment could need a particular set of safety equipment. To make sure the proper safety precautions are in place, always speak with safety officers or regulations.

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