A Safety Checklist For Laboratories

Laboratories, such as those used for quality control in a production environment and those in research and development, are an integral part of the chemical process industries (CPI). Everyday demands of business can easily overtake safety when it comes to setting priorities in the laboratory. Deadlines must be met. Samples must be analyzed. Questions must be answered — and quickly. But even for the most experienced chemists and laboratory workers, safety must remain at the forefront. This is especially true when new chemicals, employees or equipment are introduced. Changes such as these are part of life in the laboratory, yet change represents risk. And as such, it is an element that must be thoroughly incorporated into every CPI laboratory’s safety plan. Read on for nine best practices — from identifying hazards to communicating effectively — to ensure that your laboratory is as safe as possible amid inevitable and ongoing change.   1. Tackle change upfront As the old saying goes, “nothing is constant but change.” And that’s doubly true for work in the laboratory. In fact, change defines chemistry. So how do we plan for it? Take time upfront to carefully assess the impact that every…