Setting up any lab is quite a stressful task, but the most important thing you need to do is make sure that all the safety precautions are taken care of. There is nothing that will run your lab better than following these ten safety rules.
1. Always Follow OSHA Standards
The first and most important thing that every lab needs to follow is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines, better known as OSHA.
2. You Must Focus on Training
There is nothing that will make a lab run safely and efficiently than having employees that are trained to do their jobs. The best precaution to take is training your staff. Usually, the head of the lab will be in charge of lab training.
3. The organization is The Priority.
Lack of organization is the main cause of safety issues. Therefore, all the workspaces and aisles need to be clean at all times, and the emergency exit route needs to be marked. The organization is one of the most important things in the lab. Keeping things tidy will reduce risks.
4. Encourage Cooperation
The key to running a safe and efficient working lab is making sure that your employees work together. Even though that is not always an option because you can’t force people to interact with their whole workday, having a second pair of eyes will prevent some major mistakes from happening.
5. Familiarize Yourself with the Workspace
About this might sound obvious, but knowing what is around you at all times will keep many disasters from happening. Knowing where all the fire alarms and extinguishers are and first and first aid kits can save lives. Familiarization of the workspace is a necessary step in training programs.
6. Never Skimp on the First Aid Station
There are some rules and regulations you will need to pay attention to when setting up first-aid stations. You must be equipped with items that you apply to accidents that could result from the type of work done in your lab. First aid kits and items should be easily accessible at all times as well as marked.
7. Know All the Emergency Procedures
There is nothing that will help save lives than knowing all emergency procedures. Being trained to know how to respond in all different life-threatening scenarios and knowing how to use all the safety equipment. All the employees need to know the evacuation protocols as well as knowing basic first aid maneuvers.
8. Be Mindful with Chemical Substances
When you are running a lab, you will come in contact with chemical substances. All the chemicals will need to be stored in designated areas that are marked. Usually, substances are sorted by reactive classes like acids, bases, etc. Having proper lab equipment is a must when you are starting up a lab.
9. Wear Personal Protective Equipment
What type of personal protective equipment needs to be worn by the employees all depends on the job’s risk hazards. Wearing things like gloves, face shields, or goggles are meant to protect you from getting hurt. It is also important to have dress codes if uniforms are not required, like not wearing jewellery scarves or opened toe shoes.
10. Report Safety Hazards Immediately
Another thing that can save lives is training your staff to report any safety hazards like substance sills or machine malfunctions. You must let your employees know that even if they cause a spill or malfunction, it is better to report it than putting lives in danger. Any malfunction should never be ignored; even if it’s the smallest problem in the world, it would be looked at.
There is nothing that can cause you more costly problems than a safety accident. Therefore you need to take all the percussion and measures to create a safe yet functional workspace for your employees.
Author bio:
Ayla Anderson is an avid reader and an enthusiastic blogger who writes articles on home improvement, business, Family, and beauty. She is also an MBA student who spends much of her time advising new small businesses on how to grow their businesses. You can follow me on Twitter.
