Designing a laboratory is no simple process. There are countless things to consider. These things range from the basic flow of the workspace to the major containment systems necessary for safety and production.
It’s a task no single person can undertake alone as even the smallest thing can equal massive changes in the capability of the lab and the quality of the product or research.
Planning and careful consideration are the keys to designing a lab that can perform all of the required functions safely and effectively.
Involve Everyone In The Design Process
Everyone has got to get involved. This also removes the sole liability from the designer. Shareholders, scientists, engineers, lab workers, government officials, and even the cleaners should be heard before committing to a final design and breaking ground.
Start With The Shareholders
The shareholders are footing the bill and they are the ones that have expectations. Make sure they are involved to avoid some major headaches down the road and protect your career from expensive mistakes.
Shareholders are the ones that will be complaining should the lab not be up to snuff after completion. They are the ones with the expectations and the authority to affect your future.
Involving shareholders means that any shortsightedness on their part won’t end up being your fault.
They have no room to complain when issues pop up if they were involved in every step along the way.
Scientists and Engineers
The technical professionals are the ones that will be using the lab to produce outcomes. They know the space more intimately than everyone else except maybe the lab assistants. These professionals should be responsible for providing the list of required materials and control mechanisms.
Depending on what the lab is producing, the technical and safety needs can vary wildly. That’s why it’s so important to listen to your technical staff to produce a lab that can produce the results that you’re looking for.
Some of the things that they will need to consider are:
- Biohazard containment
- Air filtration needs
- Air circulation requirements
- Necessary sterile working environments
- PCR cabinets requirements
- Material capabilities
- Production flow
- Production output capability
These concerns are the meat and potatoes of the lab. They’ll need to check out the available technology at http://topairsystems.com to get an idea of what’s possible.
The laboratory equipment purchased will determine the capabilities of the lab (if you know you're going to need freeze dryers, you could check this out to see what's available). This includes which processes can be performed, the costs, and the outcome quality.
Lab Workers Are The Grunts Of The Lab
And the grunts do all the hard work. They are the ones that actually do the procedures. They are the ones familiar with production bottlenecks and inefficient layouts.
Workflow efficiency is the difference between a smooth-running lab with an excellent accident-free record and a hazard-prone lab with chemists bumping into each other at every turn.
As basic as it sounds, even a misplaced trashcan can potentially slow your production by significant amounts.
Quality lab performance is based on the layout as much as it is based on workers. Having the right amount of equipment in the right place is the number one thing you can do to improve output.
For example, knowing how much distilled water you have in the lab is important, as it's used so frequently. If you are to find you're low, this can be easily fixed by purchasing more Golyath distilled battery water (see here), or distilled water from another online source, and then your lab can function as normal.
Ergonomic and well-thought-out compartmentalized workspaces are the road to minimal workplace accidents.
For instance, any flammable liquids should be stored in specially designed cabinets, not only for easy access but to prevent any chemical spills or leaks. Correspondingly, you can learn more about some of the different types of storage solutions for dangerous chemicals here.
Even though Lab techs may not command the highest level of respect, they are the ones doing the actual work. They have the most intimate understanding of what’s actually going to happen in space.
So be sure to get their input before committing to a design. Especially when it comes to layout and seemingly minor details, like the number and location of handwashing sinks or trash cans.
Government Officers
The laboratory will need to pass certification before it can go into production. That’s why it’s important to discuss the important legal details with code officers before you get too far into the design process.
Invite them early in the process. Their word is the law and if you don’t have them review your plans, you’ll likely be doing costly 11th-hour redesigns to alleviate health and safety violations you didn’t even know existed.
Discuss The Major Requirements
Make sure you have a good idea of exactly what processes will be performed in the lab and the space required. You may need separate spaces for hazard containment reasons.
You’ll likely have many microenvironments inside the working space. And each of those microenvironments has special abilities and considerations.
The most common microenvironments used in a lab are containment enclosures and clean working fields. Containment enclosures are intended to keep harmful fumes or pathogens from being released into the general working space.
While clean working fields are designed to purify the air from particulate matter and organic contamination. An example of a clean working environment would be a PCR cabinet used to perform ultra-sensitive procedures.
Efficient Spaces And Control Measures Are Essential
Providing a smooth flowing workspace increases production and reduces risk. All of this equals better outcomes and more profit if that is the goal.
Inefficient workspaces are a particularly important thing to consider. That’s because improving efficiency is normally a cost-free endeavor and is based primarily on careful consideration of the layout.
Considering efficient layouts is free, but utilizing a poorly designed lab costs big money.
Worker safety is an obvious area of concern as well and needs to be made the primary concern in the workplace. Government agencies and insurance companies will be breathing down your neck in a short time if proper planning isn’t done.
Not to mention the well-being of the workers and their families.
Control measures, such as a clean bench or HEPA filtration system, vary greatly in purpose and capability. They also each have a maintenance cost that needs to be considered. Careful planning and consideration of the necessary control measures can make or break a lab.
Careful discussion with every member of the team is the first step to success. Following up with a carefully designed workspace will keep downtime to a minimum while maintaining the highest level of employee safety.