Laboratory safety

This study aims at providing general characteristics of safety problems and current mitigation plans in academic laboratories in Thailand. This empirical study utilizes the “Enhancement of Safety Practice in Research Laboratory in Thailand” (ESPReL) checklists to identify safety problems focusing on three aspects: the chemical management system; the waste disposal system; and laboratories, equipment, and tools. The experiment gathers safety evaluation reports from 17 educational buildings with laboratories located on a university campus. The methodology includes various procedures, including walk-through observations, documentation, user interview, specialist evaluation, and stakeholders’ data verification. Finally, all the analyzed data identified common safety problems and reviewed existing mitigation plans.
The finding shows common laboratory safety problems in laboratories, equipment, and tool components, where both specialists’ and laboratory users’ assessments indicate significant concerns that indicate the need for urgent improvement. In addition, the difference in results between the two parties’ evaluation occurs in some aspects, suggesting the enhancement in
integrating the laboratory safety rules and guidelines into safer user habits. In conclusion, the study highlights the necessity to improve laboratories’ physical attributes and facility design, as well as refurbish the building engineering systems and safety equipment to the current building standards. Moreover, the safety awareness gap is another issue that should not be overlooked. Further study suggests investigating facility management or user-behavior effects to narrow down the gaps to improve safety in academic laboratories.

Objective: Biosafety is an important element of quality management systems in laboratory practice as it is a
measuring tool for compliance with accreditation and certification standards. Our aim was to assess the practices of
laboratory personnel towards biosafety measures in their respective laboratories.
Methods: The study design was a quantitative and qualitative cross sectional prospective one obtained with the
use of a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done with Epi Info version 3.4.1 and was presented using
frequency tables with chi square calculated for different variables with the significant p value set at ≤ 0.05.
Results: There were 63 respondents in the study. Private laboratories fared better in an assessment of their
biosafety practices. Comparative variables identified as unsafe biosafety practices between public and private
laboratories were non availability of Hepatitis B virus antibody testing, p value 0.01, odds ratio 5.4, consuming food
in the laboratory, p value 0.00, odds ratio 0.2., non-use of N95 masks p value 0.04, O.R 3.9 and biosafety cabinet
use p value 0.05, O.R 2.8.
Discussion: Biosafety practices in Nigeria need to be streamlined in accordance with good laboratory practices
in order to forestall workplace accidents and promote a safe environment for testing of clinical human samples.
Conclusion: The absence of appropriate biosafety policies and practices is one of the challenges facing health
care workers in sub Saharan Africa. There is the need for biosafety to be placed in the front burner of issues in
laboratory practice in our respective facilities.

Batavialab dikelola oleh PT. MITRA JAGAD INTI Jl. H Tekel No.25 RT.02 RW.04 Jatiluhur Jatiasih Kota Bekasi 17425 Jawa Barat Telp.: (021) 8242 3951 Batavialab Telp.: (021) 8242 3951 Fax: (021) 8273 2995 HP: 0878 8545 8787 Email: sales1@batavialab.com website: www.batavialab.com Lemari Asam: Pertanyaan dan Jawaban 1. Kapan saya harus menggunakan Lemari Asam?  Ketika menggunakan bahan kimia tingkat 3 atau 4  Saat menggunakan bahan beracun yang mudah menguap (kloroform & formaldehid)  Saat menggunakan bahan kimia yang mudah terbakar  Saat menggunakan bahan yang bersifat karsinogen  Saat membuat aerosol dari bahan yang beracun  Saat menangani bahan reaktif atau bahan kimia peledak/mudah meledak  Saat menangani bahan yang berbau, baik berbahaya ataupun tidak berbahaya 2. Mengapa saya harus menjaga agar sash tetap tertutup? Sash atau penutup lemari asam adalah pelindung user dari kemungkinan ledakan, dan memberikan pertahanan utama dari adanya kebakaran yang timbul dari dalam lemari asam. Sash harus ditutup jika Anda tidak bekerja menggunakan lemari asam. Hanya beberapa tahun lalu, ledakan besar terjadi pada lemari asam dengan sash yang tidak ditutup. Pecahan kaca, puing-puing, dan bahan kimia tersebar ke seluruh laboratorium. 3. Mengapa saya harus menjaga agar sash hanya terbuka sedikit ketika lemari asam sedang digunakan? Sash atau jendela dorong pada lemari asam menentukan aliran udara dari lemari asam. Meskipun sash tidak mengontrol volume udara yang melewati lemari asam, kerapatan terbukanya sash menentukan kecepatan udara yang melewati lemari asam dan hal tersebut merupakan salah satu faktor yang mempengeruhi penguapan bahan kimia ke luar. Paling penting dalam hal ini yaitu mengendalikan ketinggian terbukanya sash. Menjaga jendela sash tetap terbuka sedikit saat bekerja dengan lemari asam adalah praktik yang baik. 4. Apa saja yang bisa saya simpan/letakkan di dalam lemari asam? Secara umum semua pekerjaan dengan bahan kimi seharusnya dilakukan di dalam lemari asam. Jika Anda harus menyimpan peralatan lainnya pastikan bahwa semua yang dilatakkan tidak menghalangi semua yang akan dikerjakan. Jaga peralatan dari dinding lemari asam dan jauhi dari kontaminan serta peralatan tidak menghalangi sash saat akan ditutup. 5. Apakah aman menggunakan bahan kimia yang mudah terbakar di dalam lemari asam yang di dalamnya terdapat lampu penerangan? Lampu dalam lemari asam dilapisi dengan segel yang menjaga agar uap yang mudah terbakar tidak memapar lampu tersebut dan agar tetap menjauh dari lampu. Semua komponen listrik dalam lemari asam aman sehingga tidak mudah menimbulkan bahaya kebakaran. Namun, jika Anda menggunakan peralatan listrik lainnya yang tidak sesuai dapat memicu terjadinya kebakaran. Selain itu, Anda harus memonitor kualitas komponen-komponen kelistrikan dalam lemari asam secara berkala dan membersihkannya.

The focus of this systematic literature analysis is to provide a comprehensive review of earlier research on the utilisation of 3D printers in chemistry education. The objective is to offer research-based knowledge for developing chemistry education through following research questions: what kind of work has been done in the field of 3D printing in chemistry education; what kind of design strategies have been implemented; how 3D printing has been used in chemistry education research. The data consists of 47 peer-reviewed articles which were analysed via qualitative content analysis using a technological pedagogical content knowledge framework. Theoretical framework was selected because integrating 3D printing in chemistry education requires knowledge of chemistry, technology, and most importantly, pedagogy. Our research indicates that integrating 3D printing begins by analysing current challenges which are reasoned via pedagogical or technological content knowledge-based arguments. 3D printing was used for producing solutions (e.g. physical models) that support working with found challenges. In chemistry education research, 3D printing has mainly been used for printing research instruments; few studies have investigated its effect on learning or students' perceptions towards it. There is a great need for comprehensive student-centred pedagogical models for the use of 3D printing in chemistry education.