When considering a laboratory, one might envision scientific apparatus or even the potential hazards often associated with lab work, such as chemical mishaps or fires.
Many individuals think that labs lack proper regulation or monitoring, or they envision scientists who are negligent about safety while striving for breakthroughs. However, such hazardous situations are not typical in most labs, especially those designed with safety as a priority.
Louis DiBerardinis, Director of Environment, Health, and Safety at MIT and Program Co-Director of Guidelines for Laboratory Design at Harvard, mentions a common belief that labs have become riskier due to recent disasters. However, he highlights a lack of data supporting this perception. He asserts that labs are highly dangerous is inaccurate; this is largely because labs are now designed with a strong focus on promoting the health and safety of those who use them.
In addition to ensuring the health and safety of lab users, well-designed labs contribute significantly to creating a highly productive work environment.
Ways in which effective design impacts health, safety, and productivity
Here are five ways in which effective design impacts health, safety, and productivity:
1. Meeting the needs of lab users
Effective lab design starts by understanding how the lab will be used, including the specific materials and processes involved, the number of people working there, their roles, and the required space.
This ensures that every aspect of the design serves a purpose in enhancing lab users’ productivity. By providing the necessary equipment and materials, workers can efficiently carry out their tasks.
Louis DiBerardinis emphasizes this approach, stating, “When initiating the design process, it’s essential to focus on what activities will be performed rather than directly asking for user preferences, as users may not always know what they truly need. Understanding their tasks is the fundamental step in creating a safe and efficient lab design.”
Janet Baum, an experienced Laboratory Architect and Program Co-Director of Guidelines for Laboratory Design, highlights the impact of accommodating diverse needs in lab design. She mentions the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its influence on designing labs to support individuals with disabilities. These accommodations, while crucial for disabled individuals, also benefit a wide range of workers, including those of different heights, aging workers, pregnant women, and those with various physical and sensory challenges, ultimately improving the usefulness and safety of lab environments for all.
2. Minimizing the likelihood of everyday accidents
While proper lab design cannot completely eliminate hazards—many accidents are caused by human error or luck—poor design significantly increases the risk of negative incidents.
These incidents not only pose risks to people’s safety but also result in decreased productivity by hindering researchers’ ability to work effectively.
Hazards in the lab can vary from fires and falls to eye injuries and more, all of which can harm lab users and disrupt or delay work. A lab designed for safety reduces the likelihood of these accidents.
For instance, adequate workspace and clear aisles prevent collisions between users, sprinkler systems can swiftly extinguish fires, and efficient containment of chemical spills and other hazards is possible with proper warning systems and readily available cleaning materials.
3. Tailoring the Lab Layout for Efficient Activities
The layout of a well-designed lab includes suitable storage, equipment, and workspaces.
For instance, while basic cabinets may suffice for electronics, chemicals often require more complex storage arrangements to ensure safety and efficiency.
This thoughtful approach minimizes the risk of wasted lab space and prevents hazards such as blocked exits due to improper storage practices.
It’s crucial to store potentially dangerous materials away from heavy traffic areas and ventilation sources that could disrupt airflow.
Janet Baum emphasizes the importance of adequate laboratory storage, noting that cutting costs in this area is short-sighted and can lead to inefficient use of space, including cluttered lab benches and aisles.
A well-designed lab layout also prioritizes ergonomic considerations to avoid hindering workflow. This means providing ample space for everyone to work comfortably and enabling researchers to carry out their tasks efficiently and in the correct sequence.
DiBerardinis highlights that an inefficient layout can reduce productivity by adding extra handling or travel time. The goal is to organize tasks like an assembly line, minimizing back-and-forth movement. This is crucial in labs like clinical or QA/QC setups where precise sequences are common.
Baum adds that good locations not only improve equipment performance but also enhance workers’ focus and efficiency.
4. Enhancing Task Focus
Users can concentrate on their tasks without worrying about emergencies. When designing a lab, it’s essential to incorporate critical safety elements like biosafety cabinets, fire protection and detection systems, and emergency showers and eye wash stations.
Knowing these features are readily accessible allows users to focus on their research with greater measure of security regarding health and safety, leading to improved productivity. Additionally, labs should have clearly marked exits that are easy to reach, ensuring quick and safe evacuation during emergencies or accidents.
To further enhance safety, designers should include ventilation systems tailored to users’ activities.
Every lab should have ventilation systems for temperature control and comfort, as studies indicate that optimal workplace temperatures can enhance productivity regardless of the environment.
Moreover, when handling hazardous materials, ventilation systems should be advanced, possibly incorporating features like chemical fume hoods to manage potential exposure and capture contaminants in the lab air.
5. Flexibility for Future Research
The lab’s design can be adjusted to meet future research requirements. It’s crucial to anticipate how research activities in the lab might evolve over time, even looking ahead five years or more.
Incorporating some degree of flexibility into the design allows for the inclusion of features that may not be currently needed but could be beneficial later, such as additional or movable workbenches and advanced ventilation systems for handling chemicals.
Louis DiBerardinis notes that while the nature of research conducted in the lab may change, it’s often factors like increased user numbers or the addition of new equipment that need to be considered.
A common concern raised by lab designers is the lack of sufficient outlets or storage space as projects expand.
Lab design encompasses more than just safety; it requires collaboration between safety experts, architects, engineers, and researchers to ensure the lab meets evolving needs.
Conclusion
Effective lab design requires collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including scientists, environmental health and safety personnel, facilities managers, architects, engineers, and construction managers. This collective effort aims to create a plan that prioritizes health, safety, and productivity within the laboratory.
According to DiBerardinis, lab design involves multiple disciplines beyond safety, necessitating cooperation with architects, engineers, and lab users. Successful collaboration depends on understanding each other’s perspectives, capabilities, and objectives to develop a functional and beneficial facility.
