Consideration When Designing Your Laboratory Workbenches

Workspace design is incredibly important. This is doubly true when the work being done is highly technical, potentially hazardous, or requires specialized equipment. The space made available to a worker or a technician on lab benches must be clean, easily navigated and close enough to storage and fixtures, so it is not necessary to strain to reach tools and supplies.

It may not seem like a big deal that an often-used piece of equipment is just a bit too high to reach easily. However, it becomes an issue when that equipment has to be retrieved and replaced several times a day. Not only does this increase the potential for damage to the equipment, but it also puts the safety of the workers in jeopardy and makes the workbench itself less efficient.

This is why laboratory workspace and workbench design is so important. Each workspace should fit into an overall lab design, and should adequately accommodate its function.

Work Performance

The tasks being conducted at a workbench will necessitate several decisions, not the least of which is the material that makes up the surface and fixtures. A metal table, for example, is likely not the best option if the workbench is meant to be installed in an electronics lab. At the same time, a wooden surface is probably not the best choice for a chemistry lab.

Knowing what the lab benches are designed to do and understanding the various tasks likeliest to be performed at them will also inform their size and orientation. Standing desks, for example, are not only becoming more popular but are also more suitable for certain kinds of laboratory work. On the other hand, if the workbench is designed for seated users, the arrangement of storage spaces will almost always have to be adjusted.

Workflow

Do the tasks being performed at a certain kind of workbench requires a series of related steps? If so, the basic assembly line workflow might be appropriate, and any workbench being used for that workflow should be constructed to make the best use of the process. A bench that has a large square surface is probably not as well suited for a process-type workflow as a bench with a more rectangular surface that is easily reached from both of the longer sides.

These kinds of questions are sometimes left unanswered until it is far too late. At the very least, choosing the wrong arrangement of workbenches, making them the wrong shape or the wrong height will have a continuous effect on the work going on in that lab.

Storage

The fastest way to reduce work quality and speed is to create clutter. Insufficient storage means there will be things in the lab without a place, and that neatly works against the entire concept of making the right decision on workbenches in the first place. Laboratories are valuable facilities, and the tools inside them are even more valuable. It should be a lab designer’s top priority to make sure workbenches have adequate and easily reached storage.

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Effective Ways to Design Your Laboratory for Productivity and Safety

The image far too many people have when discussing laboratories is popular culture’s “lair of the mad scientist.” In the real world, laboratory facilities are home to all manner of productive enterprise, and the tools they employ are not limited to 1960s era chemistry set accessories. There are ways to design a laboratory to maximize safety and productivity simultaneously. Here are some things to consider.
The Users

Almost all facilities managers will agree that capacity and attendance are the first two considerations when ordering equipment from a laboratory supplies company and designing a laboratory space. How many people can fit in the room matters to the fire marshal, but how many people can effectively use the facility matters to the lab designer. If the room is too crowded, safety becomes an issue because crowds lead to collisions. When safety is an issue, the users can’t make good use of the lab in the first place.

Labs should be designed with an effective or practical capacity in mind. That will reduce the probability of accidents due to crowding.

Fire Hazards

Crowded rooms are fire hazards. This is true even if the room is only crowded with lab furniture. Sprinkler systems and fire retardant delivery mechanisms can’t work to their full potential if there are pieces of furniture and fixtures blocking access to the fire.

In most circumstances, labs should be designed with two major principles in mind:

Open Space

There should be plenty of open space, so if there is a fire, the early detection and response systems can be utilized to their full effect. Open space should also be oriented to take advantage of the environmental systems.

Airflow

Airflow is vital in a room that might contain dangerous chemicals. Also, utility bills will be much lower if the air conditioning and heating systems don’t have to work so hard to affect the inside air.

Storage Solutions

The primary uses of the lab will dictate decisions like how much and what kind of storage should be provided. Chemicals, for example, require different storage mechanisms than microscopes.

A good lab design will make accommodations for both storage capacity and easy access. This prevents situations where difficult navigation creates hazards like chemical spills or electrical system interruptions. As the lab becomes more efficient, it also becomes safer, since an efficient lab is one that is less likely to cause accidents.

Making safety a priority very often leads to decisions that create efficiencies and opportunities. If a lab design is optimized for safety, then it becomes much easier for the users to find ways to make better use of it. Good equipment, adequate storage, and a properly ventilated and climate-controlled interior will also make work easier and more productive.

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source https://labtechsupplyco.com/effective-ways-to-design-your-laboratory-for-productivity-and-safety/