5 Reasons You Need to Keep a Clean Laboratory
Posted April 10th, 2020
If you work in a laboratory, cleanliness is vital. When a lab isn’t clean, a variety of issues can arise. In some cases, it creates challenges for you specifically. In others, it may hinder your coworkers.
By focusing on cleanliness, you are setting yourself and your colleagues for success. If you are wondering why keeping a clean laboratory is so critical, here are five reasons it’s a necessity.
1. Contamination Prevention
When your work area is dirty, there could be contaminants present that impact your results. An analysis could include inaccuracies based on the presence of material that should have been cleaned away. In some cases, it could even result in dangerous conditions, as combining certain substances could lead to reactions that put you and others at risk.
By keeping your workplace clean, you are taking active steps for contamination prevention. You reduce your odds of introducing substances into your work, ensuring your results are accurate while increasing safety.
2. Organization
A dirty workspace is usually a disorganized one. When your laboratory is unclean, tidiness becomes harder to manage. Items may end up misplaced, making you less efficient.
When you clean, it’s normal to put items back in their proper place. This makes your lab more organized, and that can boost productivity.
3. Slip/Fall Hazard Removal
Errant dust or spills can actually be safety hazards. A person may slip and fall if they encounter an unexpected puddle, for example. The same can happen if floors are covered in a layer of dust or debris.
When you clean, you eliminate these potential slip and fall hazards. As a result, your workplace is safer for everyone.
4. Cost Savings
An unclean lab can actually cost your employer more money. When you have to spend extra time looking for items that aren’t where they belong, that results in a productivity loss, and that has a price tag. Similarly, if your work gets contaminated, you may have to repeat it. Not only does this hinder productivity, but it also means using more supplies.
By keeping your laboratory clean, you are avoiding these additional costs. You are promoting better efficiency and ensuring no supplies are wasted, both of which help your employer’s bottom line.
5. Compliance
Most labs have to follow specific health and safety regulations. If your laboratory isn’t clean, there’s a strong chance it isn’t compliant, and that can come with serious penalties.
At times, a lack of compliance can result in fines, some of which could be quite high. A regulatory agency may even shut down all operations. When that happens, the financial costs are dramatic, both for the company and for the workers who may suddenly end up unemployed.
By keeping your workplace clean, you’re more likely to remain compliant. Your workplace will remain safe and operational, and that’s best for everyone.
Contact Us Today to Learn More!
If you’d like to learn more about the importance of lab cleanliness, the team at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us today and see how our workplace safety expertise can benefit you.
