How good hygiene practices contribute to laboratory safety and quality of results?
Good hygiene adds reliability to your results
Hygiene is essential in all workplace environments. It assumes even
greater significance in laboratory as both safety and quality of results
are in direct relation to standards of personal hygiene. Laboratory safety measures
undoubtedly contribute to an accident free environment but good hygiene
practices supplement it with higher productivity and health of
laboratory workers.
Good Housekeeping
Good housekeeping and laboratory discipline go hand-in-hand to ensure
safe working laboratory environment. Good housekeeping cannot be over
looked if high safety standards are to be maintained and it includes:
- General cleanliness of laboratory areas such as workbenches, storage areas and utility areas.
- Cleanliness inside and around weighing balances
- Ample free space on workbenches through proper planning and execution of tasks
- Priority on cleaning of laboratory spills
- Adoption of recommended practices for disposal of laboratory waste and samples after analysis
- Alphabetical storage of chemicals is not a recommended practice but
instead always keep compatibility of chemicals in mind before storage.
- Laboratory safety wear should be washed regularly and separately from other garments to avoid cross – contamination
Laboratory Discipline
- Eating, drinking or smoking should be strictly prohibited in the laboratory
- Do not distract other laboratory workers by making disturbing comments or jokes
- Visitor entry should be restricted and permitted visitors should be made to wear required safety clothing and gear.
- Laboratory facilities should be used only for the intended purposes.
Laboratory glassware should never be used for making tea or coffee or
consuming cold drinks. This can lead to serious intake of harmful
substances
- Use of mobile phones for talking or taking selfies should be strictly prohibited
- Do not insert fingers, pens or other laboratory objects in your mouth, ears or nose
- Do not wear laboratory aprons or other protective clothing outside
laboratory areas such as canteens, toilets or common areas. Even
laboratory foot wear should be removed when visiting such areas
- Do not work in the laboratory when suffering from colds or other contagious illness.
- Cover all open wounds and abrasions with waterproof dressings
- If gloves are used wash hands first with gloves on and subsequently with water and soap after removal of gloves
- Do not wear shorts, short- sleeve shirts, loose fitting or flowing
clothing and jewellery inside the lab. Instead of open toe shoes or
sandals wear shoes with protective shoe covers as these serve to prevent
laboratory contamination from street dust and also provide safety from
hazardous and corrosive materials
- Laboratory refrigerators and ovens should not be used for storing edibles or drinks
- Do not use fume hoods for storage of general laboratory chemicals
As emphasized both laboratory safety and hygiene are inseparable and
recommendations often overlap but their objectives are common – to
promote laboratory safety, reduction of cross contamination and provide
greater reliability on laboratory data.
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