Do you have concerns about your lab’s overall safety? Are your employees respecting your official protocol and precautions when it comes to potential hazards? Do you keep them up-to-date on the possible safety issues within the lab? 

Working in a lab presents a lot of risks that employees need thorough training on to maintain safety standards. And when you’re looking to develop workable solutions for your lab, it’s critical to consider safety first. There are a few ways to make sure that you’re encouraging proper health and safety practices in your lab.

1. Create & Enforce Lists

Of course, the goal is to be completely effective and safe for clients, staff or patients. Therefore, labs must strictly enforce each step of their cleaning routines. This guarantees that all of the physical and digital equipment receives sanitizing and disinfection between uses. 

As a result, this inhibits any potential transmission of bacteria or viruses.  Every staff member must follow every step specifically to maintain fully effective cleaning practices in your lab.

2. Make Your Practices Visible

Many labs need to openly show that they sanitize their devices in between each customer. Also, they must visibly sanitize their hands and wear appropriate PPE each time they switch tasks. Additionally, it’s advisable to hang signs in windows or on walls to show their new procedures.  This shows others that they’re following the rules. As a result, it provides clients and staff with firm assurance and confidence when they’re in their facility.

worker in coverall gown cleaning a biosafety cabinet for decontamination services

3. Invest In Cleaning Equipment & Services

Many facilities invest in sterilizing and disinfecting equipment that helps to make the job easier.  UV lamps and other sanitization devices have made enormous contributions when it comes to cleaning equipment between uses. As you learn more about what your company needs, you’re able to adhere to the evolving demands to keep everything fully sanitary.  When you invest in the right equipment, you can save the time it would otherwise take to clean everything individually by hand. These devices can streamline the process while also ensuring that the facility, supplies, and materials are effectively sterile. 

Furthermore, when you’re not feeling confident in your ability to properly disinfect, it’s essential to enlist the services of a professional. Lab decontamination services (like SEPS) can make sure your facility is cleaner, and more sterile, than ever. Using state-of-the-art techniques, professionals can decontaminate in a way that no do-it-yourself equipment can. As a result, your lab will reach the very highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation.

4. Hang Safety Signs & Apply Labels

An excellent way to ensure that your technicians and employees are working properly is to hang safety signs in your lab. When you’re designing your lab and selecting equipment, it’s imperative to keep safety as your highest priority. Therefore, you should be practical when you’re setting up equipment and technology that’s particularly dangerous. 

Make sure your hazardous materials and toxic chemicals are clearly labeled. By having safety signs in your lab, they provide consistent reminders to keep your employees informed and updated on any protocols that must be followed.

5. Report Mishandling Issues

Should you notice a particular issue, be sure to take the time to immediately report it. Whether it’s improperly-labeled chemicals, mishandling issues or spills, all of these incidents need to be recorded. Then, management can make any necessary changes. Your employees should never feel concern over being in danger when they’re at work. Additionally, you want to make yourself available in the event of any issues or concerns.

Conclusion

These are a few of the methods to take into consideration in order to enforce rigorous health and safety guidelines within your lab. By enforcing respectable protocol, you’ll keep your employees, facility, experiments and products safe from any hazards, mishandling or toxins. As a professional lab decontamination provider, we can assist you with any custom laboratory services and solutions that can help maintain the strictest safety standards in your workplace.

Chemist wearing safety glasses and using tablet pc in lab, Testing for Coronavirus Covid19 vaccine