Laboratory

 Rooms or enclosed spaces where scientific

experiments or procedures can be conducted
(using materials, equipment and/or substances
that may present a hazard to human or animal
health or to the environment).

 It also includes any rooms where biological

research can be conducted.
 Types of Laboratories
Laboratories can broadly be classified into;
1. Company laboratories; - may include research
laboratories, development laboratories, and test
laboratories.

2. Government laboratories an example of this is the Kenya

Bureau of Standards, or governments chemist laboratories.

3. Independent laboratories - undertake studies and

investigations on any subject within their competence for fees
negotiated with each customer;

they do not make profits, but they are required to be self-

supporting.
4) University laboratories - they investigate
anything that interests them.
They mainly focus their research effort on problems
with practical applications.

5) Research laboratories - These laboratories are

mainly concerned with the long-term problems of the
industries they serve, but they are occasionally called
in to help with immediate technical difficulties
beyond the powers of local staff.
The above laboratories can further be classified into
1. Biological Laboratories
2. Radiation Laboratories
3. Laser Controlled Laboratories
4. Magnetic Resonance Laboratories
Design of laboratories

Aim
 to provide a safe, accessible environment for
laboratory personnel to conduct their work.

 to allow for maximum flexibility for safe research

and teaching use.

Therefore, health and safety hazards should be carefully

evaluated so that protective measures can be incorporated
into the design wherever possible.
Any laboratory design should;
 Fit its intended purpose
 Be adaptable so as to accommodate future
changes
 Be capable of being disassembled at the end of
its useful life and the components reused or
recycled.

 Should provide information on the;

- range of activities that are expected to be done
within the laboratory
- types and numbers of equipment to be used
- estimated maximum occupancy of the lab
Building Design
 Noncombustible construction is preferred.
Offices should be separated from laboratories
The laboratory should be bound by four walls and
a roof -; ceiling.
Design for adjacent spaces for storage and
consumption of food and drink as needed.
 Design laboratory workstations to accommodate
the range of equipments to be used i.e
computer and microscopes
Workstations may require height-adjustable work
surfaces and chairs.
Laboratory using hazardous materials, whether
chemical, biological, or radioactive, should
contain a sink for hand washing.
All work surfaces (e.g., bench tops, counters, etc.)
should be impervious to the chemicals and materials
used in the laboratory.


 The laboratory should be designed so that it can be
easily cleaned.
 Bench tops should be of a seamless one-piece
design to prevent contamination.
 Penetrations for electrical, plumbing, and other
considerations should be completely and
permanently sealed.
 The walls should be non-porous and painted with
a durable, impervious finish to facilitate
decontamination and cleaning. High gloss paint is
recommended.
Hazardous Materials Design Issues
 Laboratory should be designed so that the use of a
respirator is not required for normal operations.

 There must be adequate in-laboratory storage

cabinets to store reagents and chemicals and to
provide segregation of incompatible materials.

 Storage design should be based on projected

quantities and waste management practices.
 The laboratory should have a means of securing
specifically regulated materials such as controlled
substances regulated by the Drug Enforcement
Administration and radioactive materials (i.e.,
lockable doors, lockable cabinets etc.), where
applicable.
 Entries, Exits, and Aisle Width
• Self-closing laboratory doors should be operable
with a minimum of effort to allow access and
egress for physically challenged individuals.

• A minimum of a 36-inch-wide door should be

provided to facilitate equipment movement.

• Laboratory benches, laboratory equipment and

other furniture or obstacles should not be placed
so that there is less than five feet of clear egress
within the laboratory.
• Laboratory doors that separate laboratory areas
from non-laboratory areas should be automatically
self-closing

• Corridors should not be less than 6 feet wide to

allow for movement of large equipment and allow
for circulation of materials on carts, etc.

• Common corridors should not be programmed for

laboratory operations.
 Laboratory Decommissioning
• Prior to a lab being decommissioned or renovated,
laboratory staff must leave the laboratory in a
clean and safe condition for construction crews.
• Prior to vacating a laboratory, laboratory staff
must remove all chemical, biological and
radiological materials and they must
decontaminate all work surfaces.
• They must also remove all equipments and any
garbage or other items that will not be wanted by
the new occupants or need to be out of the way of
renovation.
CHEMICAL SAFETY GUIDELINES
Always follow these guidelines when working with
chemicals:
• Assume that any unfamiliar chemical is hazardous
and treat it as such.
• Know all the hazards of the chemicals with which
you work with. For example,
• Perchloric acid is corrosive, an oxidizer, and
reactive.
• Benzene is irritant, flammable, toxic, and
carcinogenic.
• Never under estimate the potential hazard of any
chemical or combination of chemicals.
• Consider any mixture or reaction product to be
hazardous
• Never use any substance that is not properly
labeled. It may not be what you think it is!
• Date all chemicals when they are received and
again when they are opened.
• Follow all chemical safety instructions, such as
those listed in Material Safety Data Sheets or on
chemical container labels, precisely.
• Minimize your exposure to any chemical,
regardless of its hazard rating, and avoid repeated
exposure.
• Use personal protective equipment, as appropriate
for that chemical.
• Don’t work in the laboratory alone when working
with hazardous chemicals.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS
 Before using any chemical, read the appropriate
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
 A MSDS is a document that gives information
about chemicals and along with the container label
and is a good source of information for chemical
safety.
 It provides the following information:
Identity of the chemical
The manufacturer’s name and address
Hazardous ingredients
Exposure limits
 Physical characteristics, such as: boiling point,
vapor pressure
Chemical hazards, including the following:
flammability , explosiveness , reactivity
Health hazards, including chemicals that are:
 toxins
 carcinogens
 reproductive toxins
 teratogens
 mutagens
 neurotoxins
 irritants
 Routes of entry
 Emergency and first-aid procedures
 Proper storage and handling procedures
Types of Chemical Hazards
Corrosives This chemicals destroy or damage living
tissue by direct contact. Some acids, bases,
dehydrating agents, oxidizing agents, and
organics are corrosives.
Health Consequences
Extreme caution should be taken when handling
corrosive chemicals, or severe injury may result.
• Concentrated acids can cause painful and
sometimes severe burns.
• Inorganic hydroxides can cause serious damage to
skin tissues
• Dilute solution of Na or KOH can attack skin by
reacting with the fat tissues and forming a soapy,
slick film.
• Skin contact with phenol may not be painful, but
the exposed area may turn white due to the severe
burn.
• Systemic poisoning may also result from dermal
exposure.
• Higher concentrations of HF (50% or greater) can
cause immediate, painful damage to tissues.
 Safe Handling for Corrosives
For safe handling of corrosives, the following
procedures should be followed:
• Always store corrosives properly. Segregate acids
from bases and inorganics from organics.
• Always wear a laboratory coat, gloves and
chemical splash goggles when working with
corrosives. Wear other personal protective
equipment, as appropriate.
• To dilute acids, carefully add the acid to the water,
not the water to the acid. This will minimize any
reaction.
• Corrosives, especially inorganic bases (e.g.,
NaOH), may be very slippery; handle
these chemicals with care and clean any spills,
leaks, or splashes immediately.
• Work in a chemical fume hood when handling
fuming acids or volatile irritants (e.g., NH 4OH).
• Eye wash station should be in every work area
where corrosives are present.
• An emergency shower should also be within 55
feet of the area.
 Laboratory Safety
The goal is to prevent injuries and diseases from occurring
among scientists, laboratory staff, non-laboratory staff
and the community.
Laboratory Accidents
• Slips, trips, falls and repetitive strains injuries are the
most frequent causes of injuries
• Chemical, electrical, heat and ultraviolet radiation burns
to the skin are also common.
• Eye irritation and more severe damage from chemicals
and radiation occur from splashes and contact with
airborne materials.
• All of these are preventable!
Causes of Laboratory Accidents
The design and operation of the laboratory room,
suite or building prevents many accidents but not all.
The most common causes of laboratory accidents
are:
• Incomplete planning of the experiment: needs to
include knowledge of the potential hazards of
all equipment and materials used in the
experiment.
• Misunderstanding of the potential hazards and
therefore the need for the use of control measures
at all time
• Haste to complete a procedure or process:
deadlines to meet.
• Use of damaged equipment or unlabelled or
mislabeled chemicals.
• Unattended operations: assuming that nothing can
go wrong.
• Working alone.
Basic Laboratory Safety Rules
• Unauthorized personnel should not be unescorted
in laboratories.
• Do not block access to emergency showers and
eyewashes or other emergency equipment, or to
escape routes, including exit doors and corridors.
Furniture, equipment, etc. may not be stored in
corridors, aisles, walking areas, etc.

• Restricted or designated areas must be posted with

warning signs.
• All chemical containers, including hazardous
waste containers must be labeled with the identity
of the contents and the hazards they may present.
• Do not remove the original labels on containers.
• Keep work areas, especially laboratory benches,
clean and clear of clutter.
• Floors and walkways should be kept clean, dry
and free of clutter and debris.
• Chemicals must be not be stored with
incompatible chemicals: e.g. acid and cyanide or
acid and organic solvent.
• Chemicals should only be removed from storage
when they are being used and returned when
finished.
• Self-inspections of laboratories should be
conducted regularly. All changes and
improvements required must be made.
• Report unsafe working conditions to relevant
authorities
Examples of unsafe conditions include:
An emergency exit that does not open or close
properly
defective stair
water leak or wet floors
an unlighted exit sign
heating or ventilation problems
clean up all spills promptly
Personal Practices
Safety Precautions
• All personnel should know the operating, handling
and emergency procedures designed for their
particular work area.
• All personnel should know the locations of safety
equipment, i.e telephones, safety showers and
eyewash stations, fire blankets, fire extinguishers
and fire alarms and the locations of restricted or
designated areas.
• They should also know the locations of and
procedures for obtaining safety information and
MSDSs.
• All new personnel entering a lab for the first time
must be instructed in basic safety procedures
before beginning work.
• When working with hazardous, biohazardous or
radioactive materials, the following precautions
must be taken.
 Loose clothing and long hair should be confined.
 Shoes should be worn at all times. Open-toed,
perforated shoes and sandals are prohibited.
 Lab personnel should not wear contact lenses
while handling chemicals or while in areas where
chemicals are present.
• Safety glasses or goggles, shall be worn at all
times.
• Laboratory coats and other protective apparel
must be worn
• Gloves appropriate to the specific work must be
used. And must be inspected before each use.
• Disposable gloves should be discarded after
contact with infectious agents, toxic chemicals,
and radioactive materials.
• Hearing protection must be used when excessively
noisy equipment, such as ultra-sonicators and
homogenizers, is in use.
• Legs must be covered with pants or knee-length
laboratory coat. Shorts are prohibited.
• There shall be no eating, drinking, smoking,
chewing of gum or tobacco, application of
cosmetics, taking of medication or storage of food
in any laboratory area.
• Mouth pipetting is prohibited under all
circumstances.
• All workstations should be cleaned thoroughly.
• All exposed areas of skin should be washed.
• When handling dangerous equipment and
chemicals. It is important to be familiar with the
potential hazards of a procedure before starting.
• Needles must never be left lying about; discard
promptly after use in a sharps container. Do not
recap needles.