Amidst the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus and the rising demand for the development of innovative new treatments, the life sciences and healthcare markets are under increased scrutiny.

Both commercial and academic laboratories need to be working efficiently and safely, but this can be a challenge, particularly when labs already have stringent health and safety standards.

With skills shortages and the pandemic reducing the efficiency of scientific laboratories, it’s vital that any health and safety tools or procedures save time and are effective.

So, how can laboratory managers improve health and safety in their labs without slowing down the discovery and production of cutting-edge new treatments? We explore a selection of smart tips for modern scientific team leaders.

Use High-Tech Fume Extraction Systems

Getting rid of contaminants in the air is in focus right now, thanks to the pandemic. In most labs, clean air and fume cupboards are a vital requirement, but some older tech can require a lot of maintenance and doesn’t give the best results. Check out companies like TION, which specialise in fume extraction systems and are dedicated to creating safer labs with solutions that last. By exploring cutting-edge tech, you can make your lab safe for users and reduce the chances of airborne cross-contamination. It will also reduce downtime for your lab and ensure that your staff don’t have to spend as much time on maintenance and cleaning as they might with older, less efficient fume extraction tools.

Plan Regular Health And Safety Meetings

To ensure that health and safety are always at the front of everyone’s mind in your lab, you should consider conducting regular health and safety meetings. These could be quick, informal chats or more serious sit-down meetings. These meetings will help you to ensure that everyone is always aware of changes in the lab and how they will affect health and safety procedures. Regular meetings can also help you to stay on top of any incidents and get feedback from your team, which you can then use to inform your future policy amendments and changes to health and safety procedures. These meetings will also help you to reassure your team that you remain dedicated to keeping them safe while they go about their vital work.

Increase And Improve Labelling Across The Lab

Correct labelling and clear instructions are both vital for safety in any lab. Most experienced lab staff should be aware of common warning labels and signs in the lab. That being said, it could be useful to consider offering additional training for any new staff or non-clinical team members. You should also regularly check that warning labels are still clear and easily readable and replace any that are now unclear and worn. If you’re concerned that warning labels aren’t easily visible, then consider adding more or making them larger to ensure that everyone can clearly and quickly see them and act accordingly.

Safety is and always will be a key focus for any laboratory manager. While it’s impossible to eradicate accidents completely, you can prevent them by using tips such as these.