Different Ways of Taking Care of Equipment in a Lab

Laboratory equipment can be sensitive, prone to breakages, malfunction, and produce inaccurate readings when operators don’;t practice adequate maintenance. Knowing the different ways of taking care of equipment in a lab will significantly reduce the risk of breakdowns and ensure that instruments remain calibrated properly. It is not just a problem of maintaining lab tools, but it is also a risk of disrupting work.

Clean Your Equipment After Use

Being in a lab has you working with multiple different materials, many of which can corrode or degrade your tools if you fail to clean them properly. You need to make it a part of the lab procedure to clean off everything after use to wipe away harmful substances. Your equipment may not deteriorate overnight, but the buildup of material will eventually take its toll.

Be Careful Not To Damage Anything Yourself

Some tools in the lab are sensitive to stimulus and can be easily damaged, such as microscopes. With equipment such as this, you need to know the proper way to clean and store them to eliminate the chances of harm.

Frequent Inspections

Cleaning can’;t always eliminate damage; there will be occasions when you need to take an active approach to maintenance. The best way to identify developing problems is to establish an inspection routine, looking over equipment and noting any issues. These inspections can result in you taking immediate action and correcting problems before they irreparably damage your instruments.

Record Usage

To keep everyone accountable, it helps to have everyone check-in and check-out equipment when they use it. This will ensure that you trace the history of damage and find out if anyone is not following proper equipment handling procedures. Identifying any issues lab personnel have allows you to correct their behavior because the damage they cause most likely is not intentional. 

Don’;t Use Anything You’;re Unfamiliar With

People should never use equipment that they don’;t know how to use properly or don’;t have training in. Lab tools are highly specialized items, and the incorrect usage of them can result in them breaking. Always prohibit the use of equipment by those without the knowledge to handle them; a lot of instruments end up broken because of misuse.

Enforce Strict Handling Procedures

Implementing different ways to preserve lab equipment is useless if you do not enforce the rules. Ensure everyone abides by the handling processes and keep everyone responsible for their actions; a minor slip-up can ruin valuable tools. Allowing lab personnel to go too long without repercussion for the destruction or mishandling of equipment will only engender a culture of neglect and irresponsibility. Keep everyone honest, accountable, and don’;t hesitate to teach others how to properly handle lab materials.

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