Protecting Your Lab Equipment
By: Len Weiss
Ever stop to think what it costs to build a modern, state-of-the-art school laboratory? One source, R5 Means Costworks, a leading construction industry estimating Web site, calculated the cost of building a 48,000-square-foot college laboratory at $158 per square foot, or over $7 million dollars.
Perhaps your laboratory may not have cost that much to build, but the point is that you still have a significant investment in furniture, fixtures, and equipment, as well as the need to protect not only the environment but also the people who use your laboratory.
When spills occur, and they will happen, containing them and making it safe for personnel and executing a complete environmentally safe cleanup are the most important considerations. But, also protecting your furniture and equipment is of prime concern for the future and wellbeing of your lab. One obvious, simple, and economical method of protecting your laboratory is to use spill containment and protection before the spill happens.
A first step is to identify problem areas where spills are most likely to occur in the laboratory. These include areas such as shelving, drawers, on countertops and sink areas, and in the transport of chemicals and materials.
Shelving
No one has to tell you what a hassle a chemical spill on a shelf, particularly a tall one, can be. These spills can result in corrosion, noxious fumes, and a messy cleanup. Left unchecked, chemical spills can damage and destroy the shelving itself, as well as walls, wiring, flooring, and anything else they might touch.
An inexpensive and popular method of helping to control shelf spills is the use of a shelf liner. Usually molded of translucent polyethylene, they are typically 3/16-inch-thick and available in nearly any size needed. They are usually secured with screws or bonded to the shelves themselves. Liners provide a buffer between the shelf and the spill and are easy to wipe clean.
An alternative method of spill containment on shelving is the use of a spill tray. Such trays are extremely useful in most areas of the laboratory environment and come in a variety of sizes, including all standard size-shelving units. Trays are usually square and come with a lip of anywhere from 1 to 3 inches for preventing chemicals from spilling over the edge of the tray, providing containment of the spill within the tray.
Added benefits of the tray include the ability to remove them from shelves for easy and safer transport of chemicals, as well as ease of cleaning. In addition, polyethylene trays are dishwasher safe.
Another alternative is the shelf tote. A shelf tote has a deeper lip, from 5 to 9 inches, and usually has a handle-type lip, which makes carrying heavier or bulky items easy for transport or storage.
Drawer Liners
When drawers are used for storage, drawer liners are an excellent choice for keeping expensive drawers free of damage from chemical spills. Similar in appearance to the tray, drawer liners are made to fit tightly in the drawer and are easily removable for cleaning in the case of a spill, as well as for cleaning at the end of each term so as to have a clean drawer for the next student.
Countertops
Many chemical spills occur on or at countertops or in transport to and from countertops. While most laboratory tops and sinks are manufactured from chemical-resistant materials, it is in this area where versatile lab trays truly shine, providing a high level of control and containment in the transport and holding of laboratory chemicals.
Other School Uses
Some schools find shelf liners, trays, tote trays, and drawer liners useful in art departments, where etching or other corrosive chemicals may be used. Obviously, wherever schools use shelving or drawers or have students transporting items, shelf liners, trays, totes, and drawer liners can be a useful addition to any classroom.
In short, it makes good business sense to protect your laboratory and valuable equipment from hazardous and expensive chemical spills. The products mentioned above are available from several manufacturers and are made from a variety of materials, including ABS, PVC, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
Particularly in the laboratory, I recommend polyethylene for its extremely high resistance to most laboratory chemicals, durability, and ease of cleaning, including being dishwasher safe, although I would say polypropylene would also be acceptable, as well.
When you add up the reasons (protection of equipment and furniture; protection of personnel; protection of the environment; ease of maintenance and cleanup, and durability), it is plain to see why using durable polyethylene protection products in your school laboratory makes good sense.
Len Weiss is national sales manager of Scientific Plastics Company, Inc., www.scientificplastics.com. He is also a board member of Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association, (SEFA), a trade group promoting excellence in the manufacture of laboratory equipment. Scientific Plastics Company manufactures plastics products used in acid waste handling and laboratory industries.
