Laboratory environments provide some safety risks due to the numerous potentially hazardous chemicals and pieces of equipment present.
Burns, chemical irritation, and inhalation are common lab injuries; it is crucial for lab personnel and researchers to follow basic lab safety precautions and safety gadgets such as safety goggles, protective gloves, freezing spray, etc., to avoid these types of accidents.
Safety Goggles
Your eyes are one of the most delicate organs in your body, making them particularly prone to damage when handling dangerous substances. Therefore, it's crucial to wear appropriate eye protection at all times.
Safety goggles are the best type of lab eye protection since they cover both sides of your face and stop substances from getting into your eyes. It is important to choose the right safety goggles. Some eyewear also offers protection from UV or laser light risks.
Protective Gloves
Your hands are frequently most at risk of coming into contact with dangerous substances when working in a lab. Wearing the proper protective gloves will lower your chance of being hurt. The two major materials used to make disposable gloves are latex and nitrile.
However, working with more potent chemicals or heat, you could want additional lab safety equipment protection. Chemical and heat-resistant gloves offer greater protection.
Fire Extinguishers
A fire extinguisher is an imperative item of lab safety equipment since fires can start whenever electrical equipment and flammable materials are handled.
It should be available at all times, and all lab staff members should be trained to utilize it. By the anticipated emergency, it's critical to equip your lab with the appropriate type of fire extinguisher.
Safety Showers
It is crucial to have a technique to remove harmful chemicals from your skin as soon as possible if they come into touch with it. Therefore, a safety shower should be present in every laboratory.
After taking off any contaminated attire, the infected person can enter the shower and pull an overhead handle to fill it with water. Doing this can help avoid severe injuries brought on by extended chemical exposure.
Freezing Spray
During sectioning, the moisture-free freezing spray is used to either "flash freeze" tissue samples in the cryostat or harden tissue that is difficult to cut.
The capillary nozzle and variable pressure trigger allow for accurate chilling or freezing of tissue while preventing over-cooling of the specimen.
Lab Coats
Lab coats are appropriate laboratory safety equipment, so they are not only used to make a fashion statement. These lengthy white coats shield your skin from potentially harmful liquids and particles in the case of a chemical spill.
Lab coats should always be buttoned up for the best protection. However, as the jackets are frequently constructed of absorbent materials, they should be removed immediately after a spill. By doing this, you can stop chemicals from penetrating your skin.
First Aid Kits
Although a first aid bag may seem simple, its significance should not be understated. Several first aid kits should be kept on hand in every lab in an emergency. It's crucial to fully sterilize and cover the exposed region, even if the injury is relatively slight, to stop potentially harmful chemicals from entering the wound.
Bandages, sterile dressings, gauze, antiseptic cream, scissors, and eye dressings should all be included in first aid kits. Ensure the first aid supplies are regularly refilled and kept in places that are simple to get to.
Therefore, a few necessary pieces of equipment must be present in your laboratory to protect you from any harmful case.
