Laboratory safety is no joke.
With lab workers handling hazardous, toxic or sometimes even pyrophobic material, having the correct safety measures and equipment in place is paramount.
And after a study of approximately 2400 academic laboratory staff carried out by the University of California¹ found that 33.1% thought that safety in their lab could be improved, it reflects just how much work there is still to do.
17.4% of those questioned were aware of a major injury taking place in their lab setting (a major injury is defined as an incident where medical attention from a nurse, doctor, paramedic etc is required), whilst 25.3% reported personally receiving an injury once themselves and 20.6% more than once (needle sticks, and chemical or thermal burns were the most common form of injury). That’s a staggering number of injuries, however minor. It’s hard to imagine any other setting where a quarter of the workforce face being injured at work as a matter of course.
And as 42.5% of those questioned believed that the work carried out in their laboratory carried a moderate risk, it’s clear that there’s still a way to go when it comes to overall lab safety, which is why TEL is committed to ensuring its products do all they can to keep their users safe.
TEL’s Top Safety Measures
- Our Airflow Monitors (CAV) feature unique airflow sensors to measure face velocities or duct velocities accurately, as well as real time graphs of face velocity/pressure for safety management to prevent exhausting hazardous gases or vapours.
- Our Airflow Controllers (CAV) protects laboratory users from potentially hazardous fumes and substances, and with no inherent drift, the sensor will provide stable readings for however long it is in use. If there ever is a breach,the highly visual and audible alarm will ensure the user and the other laboratory staff are informed immediately.
- Our integrated Auto Sash controllers use a passive infra-red sensor (PIR) to continually monitor the work area in front of a fume cupboard to increase the safety of operators. It automatically closes the sash when the fume cupboard operator is no longer present and reopens when they return. It also recognises when an obstacle is in the way and prevents the sash from closing on it.
- The set-back mode of the AFA5000 Room Space Controller has the ability to be easily overridden by the detection of a user in the laboratory space.
- Our LEV Monitors are built with a highly accurate pressure cell which is used to measure the differential pressure from the measuring point to the room. And should it be required, highly audible and visual alarms will warn users of low air flow.
