Safe Laboratory Stainless Steel Glove Boxes Recommended Practices

Maintaining the instruments and equipments in the laboratory in their best condition, and operating them with full knowledge is the best you can do.This ensures that you use them for a long time, use their full worth, enjoy your investment on them, and also yield the most out of the lab. For this, you must learn the best practices of using equipments. And you must be specially careful towards those lab instruments, which are expensive and difficult to operate units.

Why learn to operate the stainless steel glove box carefully

The stainless steel made glove boxes are also expensive cleanroom instruments which must be operated with lots of care to maintain their shape and functionality intact for a long time. Any carelessness while handling them can result in the damage of the instrument, damage of items which are being used inside the box, and failure of the experiment or process that was being carried out inside it, and also injury to the lab staff handling it. Overall, any serious mishandling may result in explosion of the instrument too due to air pressure differences, which may cause serious damage to life and property in the lab. That is why, a stainless steel glove box demands responsible handling by staffs who are well educated and trained to handle it.

Recommended practices to handle a stainless steel glove box

Some of the recommended practices to handle it are as follows:

• Be careful while opening the antechamber of the glove box. You cannot afford to create air pressure differences.
• The gloves must be handled with care sweat from hands also can damage the rubber of the gloves. Hence to avoid it, you must wear a set of absorbent gloves in hands first, and then enter hands in the glove box gloves. This will keep the rubber in best condition and avoid tears in it.
• Be careful while handling sharp objects and pointed things while wearing the gloves. The gloves may tear or leak from them, and this may result in change in air pressure inside the box. If the maintained air pressure gets altered, then the experiment would fail, and also there may be an explosion.
• Be very careful with the chemicals that you use inside the glove box. Some of the chemical are capable of changing the potency and effectiveness of the catalyst bed used inside the box. If the catalyst bed potency and working changes then the box would not be of any use.
• The catalyst bed would have to be changed in every 3 to 6 months and regenerated. Missing to track these changes would lead to inferior efficiency of the glove box.

Concluding it

Simply adhering to these tips can help one use the Laboratory Glove Box well while using the full efficiency of the instrument. The expensive instrument is an asset of the lab, and must be therefore looked after and handled carefully. This would help you get accurate results of work and experiments done inside the glove box.

Source: http://cleatech.bcz.com/2019/05/10/safe-laboratory-stainless-steel-glove-boxes-recommended-practices/

The role of a pass through desiccator is very important in cleanrooms and labs. In fact in any laboratory where humidity and air pressure matters in production and environment control, there pass through desiccators must be used.

And they are common too. Two commonly used makes of pass-through desiccators are PVC made and Stainless Steel Desiccator Cabinets made.

Before you go for testing the performance of pass-through desiccators

Time to time testing of pass-through desiccators is important. If the instruments channelizing transfers between two rooms or compartments in a cleanroom does not gets tested for their ideal conditions, then items transferred may have altered humidity, or air leaking with them may alter environment of the compartment in cleanroom. To test the pass-throughs, you must first therefore know what exactly the instruments is supposed to help you at.

Why test pass-through desiccators

The role of the pass through Plastic Desiccator Cabinets is to give passage or channel between two different rooms or chambers, so that the air pressure, hygiene, and humidity levels of the controlled room stays the same and does not get altered due to multiple numbers of transfer of items inside and outside the room. There are two doors on either side of the instrument. When one door is opened to place an item inside the shelves of the storage box, then another door stay auto shut and can’t be opened. And when this door is closed, then only the door on the other side can be opened to take out the item. This functionality ensures total control in retaining the controlled settings of the cleanroom.
Therefore, if the pass-through desiccators has to be tested for right performance, then:

• The humidity of the item being transferred must be checked after transfer, and the humidity of the air inside the pass-through storage box must be checked.
• The doors must not open together. Hence the door lock must be checked. When one door stays open another should stay auto locked. No force should be able to open the another closed door in any way.
• There are gaskets on the doors to seal the doors air tight. From time to time these gaskets also need to be checked for their tightness.
• The SDPVC coating or portion of the door panels must be checked that they are intact. These panels reduce the threat and chances of electrostatic
• Look for any signs of corrosion or rust in a stainless steel pass-through desiccator.

When you check these things you actually check for the performance of the pass-through desiccator. However, you may need professional assistance in making all these checks.

Getting professional help

If you believe, you would need professional assistance to test the performance of any kind of pass-through desiccator you have, then you may call for testing professionals. They would come to the lab, test it, and give detailed report and certify it for being okay, or suggest needed repairs or replacements. This way also you may pass on the responsibility of testing to experts and stay sure that you are maintaining the optimum conditions in your cleanroom.

Source: https://cleatech.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-role-of-pass-through-desiccator-is.html

How To Use Stainless Steel Glove Boxes

Stainless steel glove boxes are basically the same in working as a normal vacuum glove box. The only difference between the two is that, ina plastic made vacuum glove box, the material is transparent all over so that visibility inside the box is maximum. In case of stainless steel built glove boxes, this factor of all round visibility is compromised for better structural strength and durability of the equipment.

The special built

Stainless steel is a strong non-reactive metal alloy. That is why stainless steel has found application in all sorts of laboratory instruments and equipment. And this is the reason they are also used for making of glove boxes, where the pressure and atmosphere inside the box is maintained with extreme caution, care and accuracy. The presence of a structurally strong metal, that is non-reactive and easy to purge and sanitize,is a big plus point of stainless steel. That is why glove boxes made of stainless steel are of high utility.

Definitely, being made of an opaque metal, the box has not all sides made from transparent wall. Rather most of the sides are visually blocked. But the main front portion, which needs to have the viewing window for clear viewing is open, and gives enough surface to view and work. In fact the strong structural strength of stainless steel makes it saferto conduct experiment sunder very low atmospheric pressure and even in vacuum. Chances of explosions or leaks are minimized when you are using a stainless steel glove box.

The basic working

The basic working of the stainless steel gloves box revolves around giving a controlled environment inside the box for handling of chemicals and things with extreme care for special experiments and work. There is a chamber for working with things insidethe box, which has all walls made of stainless steel, and a viewing window made of glass. Two gloves are there in the box, in which hands are to be inserted from the outside, to hold things of interest inside the box. The pressure and humidity inside the box is controlled through controllers. Catalysis bed inside the box prevents oxygen and moisture from releasing or staying inside the box.

The catalyst bed is made from copper. And to retain the potency of the catalyst, certain compounds are not permitted inside the glove box. Certain reactive compounds which can make the catalyst non-reactive are not allowed. Also the catalyst needs a regeneration and change after each 3 to 6 months period. The catalyst is then taken out and made to pass through a process where the oxidized form of copper gets converted to metallic copper, and the catalyst again gets rejuvenated to work as earlier.

Finally

One who would be handling the stainless steel glove box will have to go through professional and formal training to understand the core working and operations of the box. This will enable the person to troubleshoot small issues, and also take care of the Economical Glove Boxes in day to day lab operations in the best way for durability.

How To Maintain Laboratory Vacuum Glove Boxes

Right after you buy a laboratory instrument, you must learn all about its maintenance so that you can maintain it at the best condition, reap the most out of it, and also use it through its highest possible life span. Here are the maintenance tips for vacuum glove boxes, which you will have to maintain while abiding by many strict rules and restrictions.
General tips to handle a vacuum gloves box

• Water or air should not enter the box.
• No solvents should be evacuated into the pump.
• The gloves must not be sucked into the box.
• The outer and inner antechamber doors must not be opened together.
• Sharp items must not be used as they can puncture the gloves.
• While locking the antechamber door, the locking device must lock without the exertion of much force. The door must not be made too tight or it will break. The door must not be left loose or the box would leak.
• If you have any doubt about the air or gas pressure in the antechamber, you must pump out before opening the door from inside.
• While handling sharps, solvents and powders, you must use nitrile gloves above the glove box gloves.
• Dispose off all used sharps in the container for sharp disposal.
• You must remove from the box all non-hazardous
• Used lithium must be sent to used lithium container where it’s not deemed hazardous. Once the used lithium box is full you must fill it up with mineral oil and mark it as hazardous and dispose it off.
• For un-used lithium closed containers which ae distinctly labelled must be used.
• Dirtied utensils must be cleaned.
• Solvents like acetonitrile must not be used inside the gloves box. They can react with lithium by destroying the catalyst.
• All assigned bins and samples must be properly labelled. The unlabeled items may get removed from the glove box common area, and may get disposed too.
• You must keep the work area inside the glove box clutter free and clean.

These are some of the general guidelines to be followed by any user of the gloves box in the cleanroom. Maintaining these things helps maintain the vacuum gloves box in its best health and working condition.
Finally
Maintenance is done in two ways. One way is how you maintain it by being particular with following the system, and knowing the general troubleshooting. This caters to the daily and day to day maintenance. Another is the quarterly or annual maintenance done by an expert. You can book such maintenance and check services so that your lab equipments stays in best condition and get checked for any problem at the earliest. For a gloves box also you must get such checking done periodically. And along with this, you must ensure all laboratory staff using the Laboratory Glove Box adheres to the general guidelines.
More tips are to be followed while fitting the gas cylinder to the gloves box, and for vacuum pumps, catalyst bed regeneration etc., which requires expertise in doing these things.

Useful Tips for Purchasing the New Tables and Chairs for the Laboratory

The key of running a laboratory successfully is to buy the right kind of equipment for the place. Your laboratory must be poised with all vital equipment, apparatus and ingredients that you need for various research or experiment purposes. However, focusing on these things does not mean you do not have to focus on purchasing the right furniture for the laboratory. What is the common furniture we find in laboratories? Well, we mostly find wooden furniture, like tables, chairs, cabinets, etc. Buying the furniture is not a simple thing. To make it simple for you, we have shared some useful tips in the following section.

Give Attention to the Appearance

Interior of the laboratory must be impressive for two basic reasons. The first reason is that good interior makes a laboratory well organized. Space management has to be done with precision. When these things happen, it becomes comfortable experience to work in such places. Nevertheless, proper space management is also important for safety of the laboratory. Another important thing is that appearance will make the laboratory a place where guests would find comfortable to visit. To enhance appearance, choosing the right tables and chairs is important. You can choose contemporary wooden or fiber chairs. You can also choose vintage wooden chairs and tables for the lab.

Low Maintenance Cost and Efforts

When it comes to where to buy laboratory tables and chairs, you would find plenty of furniture sellers which come with exclusive ranges of products for the laboratory. You need to choose products that require low maintenance. When it comes to tables and chairs, buying wooden items is always helpful. Wooden items last longer than other types of materials for tables and chairs. Nevertheless, wooden tables and chairs do not require regular maintenance. They should be cleaned occasionally to wipe off the dust. A dry piece of cloth is good enough for this purpose. Apart from wooden chairs, one can also go for the plastic or fiber chairs as they require low maintenance efforts. Glass made tables and chairs look good for the laboratory, though they can be damaged easily if heavy items fall on them accidentally.

Weight Limits for Tables and Chairs

When you buy table and chair for the laboratory, weight limit of these items are needed to be checked for the safety purpose. This is something that we do not generally do for buying chairs and tables for house or office. The case of laboratory is different from home or office. Safety is way more priority here and that is why you need to check weight limits of such items before you purchase them.

Comfort Is Imperative

When it comes to buying tables and chairs, comfort is an important factor. Comfort comes from the material of the items. Nevertheless, size and height of the furniture are considered as crucial factors for ensuring the best comfort level.

Following the tips mentioned above will help you to find the best laboratory chairs and tables for a. These basic tips are important for maintaining better safety level at the laboratories.

SEFA Laboratory Fume Hoods Recommended Practices

If you are someone who works in laboratories, then you will have seen fume hoods a lot. You must already know the function and essential features of fume hoods but it are crucial for you to know how you should operate these fume hoods in a safe and secured way. In this article, you will learn of some safe laboratory Benchtop Ductless Fume Hoods and Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods recommended practices.


1. Understand your fume hood: The laboratory fume hoods are essential instruments that are used in laboratories. They are crucial accessories that ensure safety so that no one is exposed to hazardous or dangerous fumes. Earlier on these hoods were made from wood however as advancements were made, the designs and tech used in these hoods evolved a lot. These days’ hoods are coated with epoxy and are made from steel. Style and construction of the hoods underwent a lot of changes to ensure that they become safer to operate in laboratories. It is important to install the hoods in a proper way so that they can be utilized in the correct way. This will ensure the health and safety of the people who work in the labs.

2. Not store utility: You should remember that your lab workers must not use the hoods for storing anything. It needs to be understood that these hoods are not storage spaces. Thus, no one should keep any chemicals or equipments on the hoods. That can result in blocking airflow. Thus, you should ensure that tools, equipments or chemicals are not placed on the hoods. This is one of the most major safety recommendations when it comes to using laboratory fume hoods.

3. Some minor tips which you should try to enforce in your lab to ensure more safety are:
· If it becomes necessary then you should try to work with materials which are not hazardous.
· You need to ensure that all the exhaust fans on the hoods are working properly.
· You must ensure that no one places their head inside the hoods when it is working.
· The hood’s sash needs to be enclosed so as to help in conserving energy
· The doors of the laboratory must be closed all the time.
· The hoods should not ever be used for disposing any item.

4. Educate the lab workers on operating fume hoods: In order to be sure that the hoods are working properly in the laboratories, it will be important for the owner or the management of the lab to see to it that there are training programs initiated to educate workers about the hazards of working with fume hoods.

5. You should ensure that general contaminants are all effectively stored away and disposed of.
It is important to use the laboratory Benchtop Ductless Fume Hoods properly so that it can help in performing its duty in a safe and secured manner. The workers will have to ensure that the laboratory fume hoods are operated on properly. Hopefully, the information mentioned in this article will have helped you.

Top Specification of laboratory Gowning Room Furniture

When you are planning to get new furniture for your laboratory gowning room, then it is important for you to look into the detailed specifications of both the furniture and your laboratory. This will ensure maximum utilisation of space can take place. In this article, you will learn about these aspects like specifications of the laboratory gowning room furniture which you should be wary of.

1. Safety first: When you are buying new furniture your laboratory, you will have to ensure that you choose only furniture of those specific designs which will be in consonance with the mandatory safety measures and that they go along with the safety measures of the specific lab room too. Also you must ensure that the designs are following all the essential safety and health stipulations in accordance with the legal requirements. Also protective measures should be incorporated in the designs too.

2. Maximum usability is essential: You will have to set your lab up by taking advice from chemists and lab technicians. The size of your lab should accommodate all your needs and help you achieve what you want to get. You will have to assess the space that you have because storage will be an issue. Also you will not be able to keep corrosive and inflammable substances in regular cabinets and you will need to have flammable cabinets for this purpose. You will require lab sinks too.  So utilize your wall spaces.

3. Desk utilization: Desks will give your chemists the chance to write and do their work, and take important notes from their lab work. You can keep a few desks in your lab, but these desks must be of smaller dimensions so that they do not take large spaces. But it will all depend on the type of work that is done in your lab, so depending on that you should get the desks.

4. Fume hoods: If the experiments which you are working on involve a lot of fumes coming out from beakers then you should have portable fume hoods for ventilating your lab as the poisonous fumes need to be taken out from the lab where people are working. You can place these fume hoods in certain specific places like on flammable cabinets. You should set the lab up and get other equipments around the fume hood.

Countertops: Based on the type of work which you do, you will have to choose counter tops that can be used specifically for your lab and ensure maximum efficiency and usability.  Counter tops will be required if your work has flammable and corrosive substances which would require heating.

There are several other essential specifications about furniture which you should consider for your laboratory. The materials used must be all durable, long lasting and fire resistant. They must have safety measures in their designs. They should also be light weight. These lab furniture would have to be rust and dust resistant and they should be flexible.

This will ensure that your lab space is utilized properly. Hopefully, the information mentioned in this article will have helped you.