Identifying equipment that can circumvent these kinds of issues can result in safer and more efficient operations and less downtime from injuries or unnecessary inconveniences, such as getting a garment stuck on an edge. And lighter-weight doors and shelves can reduce physical stress and injuries while also enabling faster movement of samples.Д¬onsider the impact of rough corners or edges on equipment, or the repetitive operations performed by scientists. Add an indicator light when the equipment is off, and a scientist is both safe and efficient. For example, some new lab equipment has lids and latches that do not open while a machine is in use, providing a safe environment for both the samples and lab personnel. As new equipment is developed based on the observed pain points within laboratories, then maintaining reliable uptimes will naturally be achieved while providing a safer working environment. But safety should not be at the expense of productivity. Often, having a fresh set of eyes - perhaps from a different department or an outside partner or manufacturer - focused just on increasing productivity and implementing smarter working practices can prove valuable during this lab environment evaluation.ДЄny lab manager will cite safety as their top priority, and rightly so. Space constraints within the lab also mean that location and size of equipment on the bench are considerations the lab manager needs to acknowledge when making purchasing decisions. Features such as these will save valuable minutes to the scientist this time adds up each day.

Challenges can then be addressed through equipment that incorporates design elements such as a simple, one-touch lid opening for a centrifuge, or a highly visible green light indicating a correct temperature for an incubator. In doing so, the manufacturers better understand the scientistsвЂ™ pain points.

Lab managers and bench workers have, therefore, been working more closely with equipment manufacturers, allowing them to observe such daily practices. Examples such as these are often perceived as minor, but they are, in fact, extremely important to enhancing productivity. For example, the location of on/off switches or the height of handles can affect efficiencies lab personnel have been observed retrieving a step stool or fashioning a homemade tool to reach a вЂњhiddenвЂќ switch. Upon reviewing lab processes, it will likely come to light that bench scientists often face inefficiencies that they have adapted to and learned to work around. When faced with these kinds of challenges, a complete process view of how the lab equipment is utilized, including staffing levels and space constraints, can be extremely beneficial. Lab managers are now more frequently looking for faster equipment, better storage capacity, and the ability of bench scientists to work on multiple instruments without having to stand in front of each one. These pressures have created an increased focus on identifying potential areas of lab productivity improvement.

TodayвЂ™s laboratory managers are facing significant budget cuts while simultaneously being challenged to obtain faster results. By Bill McMahon, president, laboratory equipment, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Labmanager equipment interface