Maintaining lab equipment is of the utmost importance.
One of the worst things that could really happen in the lab is taking fresh samples that were just prepared to a lab instrument and discovering that it has broken. Reagents, specimens, and time are all wasted, which leaves no one – from lab managers, students, and supervisors – happy. As such, correctly maintaining laboratory equipment is of the utmost importance. Read on for a few handy steps for correct lab equipment care and maintenance!
Read the Equipment Manual
Before you use any piece of lab equipment, make sure you read the manual. Although these manuals might not be immediately accessible in the laboratory – an old centrifuge isn’t likely to be kept with its manual intact – and it is worth looking online or getting in touch with the manufacturer to obtain one. Putting together a list of these manuals is crucial for troubleshooting while something goes wrong and training people to use the machinery or equipment. Briefly reading the manual is a smart way to assess how to use it correctly and possibly discover options that you didn’t know were available.
Train Up on It
A usual source of damaged equipment is scientists from outside the lab performing an experiment without the right training. In academic labs, where equipment is usually shared without usual borders, this type of thing can happen on a regular basis to balances, centrifuges, microscopes, and other types of high-end imaging or detection systems. Therefore, it is a wise investment to train not just your lab’s personnel, but also to identify and train those who might want to use the lab equipment in the future. This can help avoid any disagreements and infighting later by preventing the improper and unauthorized use of the instrument by personnel working outside of the lab.
Clean After Each Use
Although a common-sense tactic is keeping your things in excellent condition, cleaning up after oneself is usually overlooked in the lab. For lab equipment, cleaning is important, as it prevents the build-up of any dangerous powders or liquids from clogging up your instrumentation. Also, simply performing a routine lab cleanup could limit the accumulation of dust, which might cause issues if left coalescing in or around your lab equipment over extended periods.
Calibrate the Equipment
Calibrate the lab instruments and perform regular preventative maintenance to keep the unit in proper working condition. But for instruments like pipettes, it is worth getting them calibrated every three to six months. This is necessary for accuracy during testing. Do not hesitate to come to the Lab People for our calibration services too!
FOR ALL ISO 17025 CALIBRATION SERVICES, CONTACT LAB PEOPLE TODAY
The Lab People Inc. is a trusted provider of laboratory equipment, services, supplies, and rental equipment for you and your laboratory. As an ISO 17025 accredited service organization, we stand behind our services with 100% satisfaction guaranteed for all of our customers. We offer on-site and off-site calibration services for balances, pipettes, moisture analyzers, force measurement, test weights and more. Services include preventative maintenance, SQ-Min, IQOQ, repairs, legal for trace/placed in service, verification and more.
For more information about how we can assist you, visit our website, email us, or give us a call at 1-800-296-2001!
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