What is a Fireproof Laboratory Cabinet?

If you are designing a new laboratory space, there are numerous decisions you must make in regard to design, furniture, and function, such as new laboratory cabinets and countertops. Information about fireproof lab cabinets will likely come up during your design research. If you are unsure if your lab needs this type of cabinetry and to learn more about fireproof laboratory cabinets keep reading.

What is a fireproof cabinet?

A fireproof cabinet is a cabinet constructed with materials that can withstand fire and heat, usually steel or stainless steel and not the same as metal lab cabinets. The materials inside of these cabinets are protected from the effects of the fire. For some purposes, fireproof lab cabinets are a requirement of specific building and lab safety codes.

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Cabinet Organization: Why Your Lab Needs Variety

Whether you are setting up a brand-new lab space or remodeling an existing lab cabinetry plays a vital role. Laboratories need quality cabinetry in place to house materials and tools used on a daily basis as well as chemicals and components that might be needed in the future. Having a variety of cabinetry in the space allows you to set up your lab for success. Learn more about cabinet options below and how you can integrate varying types to ensure your lab is ready to function effectively.

Cabinets with Built-in Filing Systems

One area that is often overlooked in a lab is paperwork. When you are working on an experiment, you need to take notes and have paperwork that is used daily. By installing cabinetry with built-in filing systems, you can easily keep your notes in one place in the lab. Many scientists opt to have their notes and papers either strewn about or in their office. This creates a time loss as you have to find what you need to get started instead of having your paperwork neatly filed away in the same area as your experiment.

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The Benefits of Mobile Lab Tables

For a laboratory to function correctly, certain aspects must be considered. The use of the laboratory, including research and experiments to be worked on, will determine what type of tools and components are needed. One lab furniture piece that is a must in most laboratories is a mobile lab table. With a mobile table, researchers have access to many benefits, one of which is mobility. Easily transport materials from one area of the lab to another with ease. Learn more about the benefits of mobile lab tables below. 

Mobility

Today’s laboratories are focusing on mobility as a desired feature for everyday needs. With mobile furniture such as lab tables, researchers are more flexible with their use of lab space as well as instrumentation. With mobility, researchers can easily move from one area to another without having to disconnect and then reconnect instruments used. 

Maintenance and service times are decreased as the entire unit can be moved instead of having to move each component being used. With mobile lab tables, the workplace will have better functionality. Tables can be customized in sizes and features to meet the demands of your lab. 

Form and Function

A standard table offers a simple form and function. A table without mobility will have to remain in one area unless physically moved with the help of others. When using a standard table in a laboratory setting, you must move the components on the table to a new area of the lab in order to continue with your work. With a mobile table, you have more form and function capabilities. You can simply move the table to the area of the lab you need to move to. This take seconds instead of many minutes fooling with moving components and materials. 

The day to day operations is streamlined as you can simply move your workspace rather than move components to a new work area. This makes for much higher productivity levels in the lab, leading to more discoveries and less interruption within the workday. 

Storage

Mobile tables also offer a component for storage as well as mobility benefits. You can easily store materials used within the mobile table. When you come back the next day, you have everything ready, in one place. You are able to get back to work and continue your experiments and research with everything at the ready. You can even leave the table in the area you were working and come back to what you were doing quickly. 

In a lab without mobile tables, you would most likely have to clean up your workspace before ending the day and this takes time. With mobile tables, you can have everything you were working on in one place, ready to use the next day. This creates a cleaner workspace as well as contains all components of your project within easy reach. 

If you are currently using traditional tables with no mobility, consider adding mobile tables to the lab. You will find that the simple addition of mobility adds a level of productivity to the lab space. Contact our company today to learn more about mobile tables and how you can order a few for your lab.

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Lab Cabinetry: Why the Material and Sizing Matters

Creating a productive lab takes time and effort. One of the major factors at play is storage. Cabinetry plays a large role in the productivity levels of a laboratory due to the fact that chemicals and other components need to be stored properly. With proper storage, researchers can find what they need, when they need it, in order to complete projects or experiments with ease. 

Durability 

Cabinetry needs to be durable and constructed in a way to provide long-term use. When setting up your lab, you do not want to have to continue to refurbish your space. You want to choose cabinetry that will last for many years, easily used in a variety of ways or moved when needed. For clean rooms, stainless steel cabinetry is best. The work surface will be easy to clean, and the material is strong, lasting for many years of service. 

Storage Capabilities

Steel cabinetry has long been the go-to option for laboratories around the world. With steel, you have a durable material that can provide quality storage for all sorts of materials. Storing components in a lab must be done with care. Steel lab cabinets can be installed in a variety of shapes and sizes to tend to your particular lab needs. Cabinets are needed to cut down on clutter and provide an organization within the workspace. With a good cabinet installation, you can easily keep track of materials, ordering more when needed, based on good organization. 

Safety is also an aspect to consider. Any chemicals need to be stored below shoulder height. Smaller cabinets will need to be used so that the chemicals can be accessed with ease without the threat of dropping or spilling due to height restrictions. 

Overall, steel cabinets are a great choice for a lab environment. With many sizes and configurations to choose from, you can easily create a lab that will work well for your everyday needs. Contact us today to see how we can configure a proper cabinet setting for your workspace.

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How to Choose a Laboratory Fume Hood

Lab furniture, fume hood construction essentially involves four components, individually is decreased ark and good, mesa and extra assistance. To before the selection and acquisition are to require in these four components, the Details of the have to select to match oneself experimentation with fume hood:

First of all, how to choose the laboratory fume hood low ark:

A: The stock is inexpensive, gas, electricity, water and other risky.

B. In case utilized from the experiments of volatile medication, you want to decide to have air-conditioning function.

C. Material prison isn't powerful, may fire, can withstand the lab of chemical erosion;

The second plan how to choose the laboratory fume hood:

Inside a fume hood, and that among the most ordinary has three versions: floor type, desktop, standard type, when choosing a strategy to consider:

A. See picking epoxy resin plate or immunity to Bert to get fume hood lining stuff;

B. Should select adaptive control system and variable air volume or fixed air volume;

C. The hood opening place isn't acceptable for lab space;

D. Wind speed cannot fulfill the requirements.

Third how to choose the right air-counter:

A. Is there a hole for a reservoir and a cup;

B. Terminal design cannot accommodate to the situation in our laboratory;

C. Table of components can meet test specifications for material;

D. Is designed to restrict leakage of liquid dish-shaped protecting side

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Trends Found in Modern Labs

Today’s modern lab is quite different from the labs of yesterday. These modern labs obviously have newer equipment, but it goes beyond that. The layout and design of the modern lab have evolved to meet the needs of today’s teams. Here are a few things you might find in modern labs that you should consider including in your own workspace if you’re planning a renovation.

Work Has Shifted to be more Team-Based

Many different industries have seen a shift to more team-based work over the years, including the lab. Today’s scientific experiments, research, and testing are more social tasks than they once were. Scientists often work together on these projects, sharing research and ideas. Having a social space where that’s possible or labs large enough to accommodate these teams is becoming more of a necessity. These spaces allow people to collaborate on projects more easily, bringing their expertise together.

Open labs have become more common, too. These labs do more than just bring teams into the same space - they can save a considerable amount of money, too. They allow your scientists to share equipment, staff, and lab workbench space. Because space is shared, it’s inherently more flexible and customizable. This lets you more easily adapt the space to future projects that have different needs.

They’re Green

Modern labs have incorporated more energy-efficient equipment. This helps you save money on operating costs, plus this equipment is often cheaper or no more expensive than other options. This sustainable equipment can also help make your lab safer. One example of this type of more energy-efficient technology can be found in the laboratory fume hood. Newer hoods can be turned off when not in use to save on electricity.

Even the flooring can be made more environmentally friendly. Instead of epoxy flooring, more and more labs are using synthetic rubber combined with bio-based flooring. This flooring is incredibly durable, resistant to spills, and is ecologically better than epoxy.

If you’re in need of new lab furniture for your modern office, we’re here to help. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.

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Renovating Your Lab

Does your lab need a makeover? After years of use (or if you’ve purchased an old lab), it might be time for a renovation. Like renovating your home, renovating your lab does require some thought and planning before the hammers start to swing. If you’re thinking about a renovation, here are a few tips.

What You’re Planning Is Wrong

Okay, so your designs aren’t wrong for now, but they may not be what you need later on down the road. In as little as a few years, you may be working on a project that has different requirements, and your renovated lab just isn’t right for it. To help counter this, design your renovation to include flexible workspace. Make everything as modular as possible so it can be reconfigured as needed. Some things, such as a laboratory fume hood, may be permanently in place, but you can plan everything else around them.

More Isn’t Always More

One of the mistakes many people make in renovating a space (any space, not necessarily a lab) is that they try to fit more into a smaller area. For lab workers, this often means that their lab workstation space shrinks. This might allow you to fit more equipment in, but it also means your workers are now more confined. They may not be as productive or as efficient as a result. Always make sure everyone has the space they need, even if it means you can’t fit something new into the area.

Ask Your Lab Workers about their Needs

Another common mistake some lab owners or upper management teams make is that they don’t ask the people in the lab what they need. These are the individuals who should have the most input into your renovation plans, not the least. They’re working in the space every day, and they know what’s working and what isn’t. Make sure to include them in any discussion about renovation.

Need some new lab furniture for your renovated space? Contact us today and we’ll help you with all of your furniture needs.

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Building a Lab from Scratch

If you’re building a lab in your home or if you’re in charge of putting together a new lab for a brand new company, you’re in for both a challenge and a rewarding experience. It’s a challenge because you have to plan out the lab, make sure you get all of the necessary equipment without going over-budget, and then actually put the lab together. On the other hand, you can build a lab that fits all of your needs. You don’t have to deal with cramped spaces or a lack of lab wall cabinets since you get to design it all to your liking. If you’re building your lab from scratch, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Finding the Right Space

One of the first things you have to do before you can start putting the lab together is to find the right space. In some cases, the business might already have a building. In other cases, you may get to help select the real estate. If you’re starting your own business or have joined a startup before it’s launched, you can have input on the space leased or purchased for your lab. Don’t just look at the size of the space, either. Make sure you ask about the plumbing and the fire safety system. Also take a look at the lights. You want your lab to be brightly lit.

Also take into account the financing. Some states offer small business incubation funding that will help you secure lab space, although you do have to meet certain requirements.

Location Is Important

Any real estate agent will tell you that the biggest factor in selling a home is its location. Even if a property meets every other item on a buyer’s must-have list, if it’s not in the right location, they won’t buy. Location is also vital in building a new lab. You want to find a property that meets all of your needs but is also located in an area where you can recruit strong candidates who are experts in the areas you need.

This is why some labs find locations near research-oriented universities. The lab assists the university by offering internships for upperclassmen. These internships often translate into full-time jobs once students graduate, giving the lab a source of new personnel. The two facilities can also collaborate on research projects, sharing expertise and even equipment.

Designing the Lab

Finally, once you have a location, you can start on the design. This is where you need to carefully consider what lab furniture you want, if you can arrange it like you’d like to, and how comfortable your lab will be to work in. Many people make use of software that lets them create different layouts of their lab tables, sinks, and other furniture. You enter the dimensions of each piece of furniture and then can move the pieces around with just a few clicks of the mouse. That makes it very easy to rearrange things until you’ve got the perfect lab layout.

Need some help purchasing your metal lab cabinets and other items once you’ve got the layout finalized? Contact us today to learn how we can help you with all of your lab furniture needs.

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Things to Think About When Picking a Lab Furniture Manufacturer

When it comes time to decide on new lab furniture, you need to make sure you pick the best manufacturer around. Not only does the company need to have the lab furniture you need, but they need to make a type and style that works for your specific setting. Here are some of the most important considerations you should make prior to picking the right manufacturer for you.

How Does Their Price Compare With Others?

Typically, you never want to go with the highest or the lowest prices. You want to stick somewhere in the middle. This means they know what the product costs, know how to make it in that price range, and are still trying to be competitive. These are all good things for you.

Can You Compare Their Safety Standards?

This should be a more important factor than the price. Safety standards are slightly different in different technological and research areas, so you want to compare what type of standards are met by the companies you are considering. Make sure all of your required safety standards are met by the lab furniture you are considering. If not, move on!

Quality and Materials Are Also Important

You need to also think about what type of quality you get for the price. When you have your lab furniture manufacturers narrowed down to the ones that will meet safety specs, you then need to consider what you get for your buck. You want the best quality product, and the longest-lasting materials you can get. Even if you pay a little more now, if that product lasts twice as long, it is still a better deal.

For more tips on how to pick out the right lab furniture manufacturer, contact us. We will help you with any part of the process you would like.

Questions to Ask Yourself to Keep Up with Lab Workstation Safety

Making sure that your lab workstation is always safe is an incredibly important task. If you do not keep the area safe, it could hurt you or someone else. When you want to look around and see if your area is clean, there are a few questions you should ask. Here are some of the most important questions to ask to ensure workplace, particularly lab workstation, safety.

Keep These Questions In Your Mind When Examining Lab Workstation Safety

First, you should always look at the lab workstation and the area around it. Do you see any materials that could hurt you or anyone around you that should not be there? This can include things on the floor, spilled chemicals, or even papers that could obscure your view. If any of these exist, remedy them before starting anything else.

Next, you need to look and see if the area is lit well enough. Can you clearly see everything on and around your workstation? This is for your safety, and the safety of anyone working near your lab workstation. Lighting is crucial when it comes to performing any type of research safely. If you want to be sure your results are accurate, make sure your lighting is as bright as possible.

Then, you need to find out where everything is located. Do you know where the emergency exits, eyewash stations, and safety showers are located? Can you get to those locations easily, so if you do experience any type of an accident, you will not fall on the way there? The safety features of the room must be known before any type of research should begin. If you cannot see any of the prominent safety features, then you should not be doing any type of research in that room.

Finally, do you see any issues within the room that make you feel as though your workstation is not safe? If so, then those issues must be dealt with before proceeding. This should include electrical concerns, like not having the right types of electrical outlets and cords. This should also include distractions. If the room is too warm, too loud, or there are too many people shuffling in and out, this could lead to distractions. Those are not safe for you, or anyone around you.

Always Focus on Lab Workstation Safety

There are a lot of components that become a part of lab workstation safety, and they do not always sit right there on your workstation. Make sure to look around your immediate area first, and then surrounding area next for anything that could cause problems. You want to always make sure you know where all safety equipment is located, and make sure that you follow all safety procedures, such as wearing the right clothing, shoes, and eye protection. For more help on ensuring lab workstation safety, contact us here. We can help make sure that you have everything set up to be as safe as possible.

Understanding Your Lab’s IEQ Problems.

Your lab’s indoor environmental quality or IEQ score shows how safe and user-friendly your workspace is. One way you can tell if your IEQ is fairly low is if your lab workers have complaints about the space. Everything from safety issues to noise can lower your IEQ, which is why you need to carefully consider your lab layout, furniture, equipment, and overall quality control. With all of the chemicals and potentially hazardous activities taking place in the lab on a regular basis, it’s vital that you keep your air quality, safety, and even employee comfort in mind. By fully exploring any IEQ problems your lab has, you can improve your overall quality and make your employees much happier.

The Ventilation System

Ventilation is incredibly important to your lab, especially when using chemicals. Laboratory fume hoods must be in place to pull away any dangerous fumes up and out of the lab. Even if you’re not using any potentially dangerous chemicals, you still need to cycle the air through the area regularly. Make certain fume hoods are installed and used correctly. Also consider the pressure in the lab verses the pressure in surrounding areas. If the lab is slightly less pressurized than the areas around it, chemical smells and fumes will not spread into the halls, offices, or other areas near the lab. This can be done by making certain that the amount of air leaving the lab is slightly greater than the amount being pumped into the space. Your HVAC specialists can create this pressure and should do so for every lab space.

The HVAC System as a Whole

Overall, your HVAC system plays a large part in your lab’s environmental quality. These systems have become more and more complex over the years, and today, they include many different sensors and other monitors. The location of your thermostat can play a large part in the IEQ of each lab. Because thermostats are typically installed before your lab furniture and storage solutions are, you need to take it into account when arranging your lab. If you know a lab workstation is going to be used to heat chemicals, that workstation should not be placed near the thermostat. Otherwise, the heat may interfere with the thermostat’s sensors, causing it to run unnecessarily.

You also want to make sure your employees understand how the thermostat works. Employees should be able to adjust the temperature in each lab as needed, but the controls need to be easily understood. Any lab rules such as a minimum or maximum temperature also need to be clearly posted near the thermostat.

Filters

Just as you would do with your own home HVAC filters, the filters in each lab need to be changed regularly. These filters catch dirt, pollen, and other debris, but the more this debris collects, the harder it is for clean air to be pushed through the filter. The maintenance team for the lab needs to make certain these filters are regularly cleaned. All air returns and other filter locations also need to be left uncovered and unblocked by lab wall cabinets and other furniture.

Ready to improve your lab’s IEQ score? We can help you with finding lab furniture, including fume hoods. Contact us today for more information.

Building a Green Lab

Many laboratories focus on being environmentally friendly with their chemical disposal techniques and research methods, but you can also go green with your lab design and layout. By choosing the right lab furniture, controlling the utility usage, and looking at how you dispose of waste, you can create a lab that saves energy and uses sustainable practices on a daily basis. In the end, you’ll find that going green helps reduce your overall utility costs plus gives your organization something to take pride in.

Close the Fume Hood Sash

Fume hoods are vital to the safety of a lab, especially when employees are using dangerous chemicals. This piece of lab furniture pulls dangerous fumes up and out of the area when needed while fresh air is pumped back in via the building’s HVAC system. While many labs require the air to be fully cycled a minimum of six times every hour, if you leave the fume hood sash open when it’s not in use, that number increases. That’s because air is being pulled up through the hood whether there are chemicals in use or not. By instructing your employees to always close the hood’s sash when it’s not in use, you’ll greatly reduce your overall utility usage.

This reduction can be very significant. Experts estimate it’s possible to save as much as $3,000 a year simply by closing the sash on a single laboratory fume hood. If you have multiple labs with multiple fume hoods in each, the savings can quickly add up.

Understand Your Lab

People outside your lab, including administrators, may believe you can simply shut down all of your equipment when everyone leaves for the day, but you probably know that’s impossible. While you can turn off things such as vacuum pumps, drying ovens, and water baths, there may be some tools and equipment that needs to remain running overnight. That’s why it’s useful to designate one person in the lab as the point person for implementing environmentally-friendly ideas. This person should be familiar with all of the equipment in use and know what can and cannot be shut down regularly.

Create an Inventory System

While it may not necessarily reduce your overall utility costs, knowing what chemicals you have on hand will help decrease the amount of waste you create. It will also help reduce what you spend, too. Know what you have stored in your lab cabinets so that you don’t re-order something you already have on hand. This will help you reduce the amount of the chemical that is wasted because it goes unused. Installing cabinets with glass doors can help with this, but you also need to create a full inventory system that makes it each to know when chemicals have been depleted.

Go Green from the Start

With more companies becoming more environmentally aware, many manufacturers have started offering equipment that is designed to be energy-efficient. You can look for these products, tools, and other items to help make your lab as green as possible right from the start.

Another way of making your lab more environmentally friendly is by installing the right fume hoods, cabinets, and other furniture early on. Contact us to learn more about building a green lab.

Comfortable Seating for Your Lab Staff

When looking at laboratory fume hood, many people forget to take into account the differences in office chairs. Not all desk chairs are the same. In fact, two chairs that look very similar may actually have very different designs and ratings. Some task chairs are designed only for a few hours of use, while some more ergonomic office chairs are rated for six hours of continuous use or more. Unfortunately, many people sit for much longer periods of time than they should, which can in turn lead to many different health issues.

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Why Ergonomic Chairs Are Important for Lab Staff

Sitting at a lab workstation all day can lead to neck and back pain. In fact, it’s been documented that research labs need to be just as concerned with ergonomics as any other office job. While sitting and doing lab work for hours may not seem like it would cause as much damage to the body, it does often lead employees to siting in awkward positions or making repetitive motions.

Carpal tunnel, for example, is very common among those who use computers, and it can actually be impacted by the chair the person uses. Chairs that aren’t at the right height or that don’t provide the correct support can affect how the person holds their arms, which in turn can advance carpal tunnel.

Determining the Right Type of Chair

There are a number of different ergonomic chairs available, and determining the one that works best for your staff may take some time. You do need to take into consideration the height of your lab workbench to make sure that the chair allows for ease of reach. Also make sure that the seat is wide enough for comfort and that the backrest offers lumbar support. If possible, find chairs that are rated for four hours of continual use or more.

If you’re interested in learning more about furnishing your lab, including finding the right lab tables and other items, contact us today.