A Beginner’s Guide to Best Practices in a Lab

Risk Assessments Identify Hazards Before Work Begins

A laboratory risk assessment should identify the chemical, biological, physical, electrical, and other hazards associated with planned work before an experiment starts. The purpose is not to eliminate every possible risk—something no assessment can guarantee—but to understand hazards and select appropriate controls to reduce exposure and prevent incidents.

OSHA recommends evaluating hazards before laboratory work and choosing suitable engineering controls, administrative measures, and personal protective equipment based on the activity. Laboratories using hazardous chemicals may also require a written Chemical Hygiene Plan containing procedures, protective equipment requirements, training, and emergency measures.

PPE Should Match the Specific Laboratory Hazard

Laboratory coats, safety glasses or goggles, gloves, and suitable footwear can protect workers from different types of exposure, but PPE should be selected according to the hazards involved rather than applying identical equipment to every laboratory task.

For chemical laboratory work, appropriate protective clothing commonly includes closed-toe shoes and clothing that limits exposed skin, while long hair and loose items should be secured around equipment. Visitors should also follow the laboratory’s safety procedures and use any PPE required for the areas they enter.

PPE is also only one layer of protection. Fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, guards, ventilation, safe procedures, and proper training may provide equally important or greater protection depending on the work being performed.

Hand Hygiene Helps Prevent Contamination

Handwashing is an important laboratory hygiene practice, particularly after handling hazardous materials, after removing gloves, and before leaving the laboratory. Gloves should not be considered a substitute for washing because contamination can occur during use or removal.

CDC biosafety guidance recommends washing hands after working with potentially hazardous materials and before leaving the laboratory. Rather than assuming everyone must wash their hands every time they simply enter a laboratory, facilities should follow the hygiene requirements appropriate to their specific biological, chemical, or contamination risks.

Good Housekeeping Reduces Accidents and Contamination

Keeping benches, floors, walkways, and equipment areas organized is more than a matter of appearance. Clutter can create trip hazards, contribute to spills, interfere with emergency access, and increase the possibility that incompatible materials or contaminated equipment will be mixed accidentally.

NIH laboratory safety guidance specifically recommends keeping aisles clear and maintaining good housekeeping. Materials should therefore be returned to appropriate storage, waste disposed of through the correct route, and spills handled according to the laboratory’s established procedures rather than being left for later.

Distractions Can Increase Experimental Risk

Laboratory work often involves hot surfaces, flames, fragile glassware, rotating equipment, hazardous substances, or procedures that require precise timing. Unnecessary distractions can increase the chance of missing a critical step or reacting too slowly when something changes.

Phones and other personal devices should therefore be used according to laboratory policy and kept away from procedures where distraction or contamination could create a hazard. More importantly, active experiments involving heating or visible reactions should not simply be left unattended unless an approved procedure specifically permits it. NIH guidance emphasizes remaining alert and not leaving active heating or reacting experiments unattended.

Safety Training Matters as Much as Equipment

Protective equipment is most effective when laboratory users understand the hazards they are dealing with and know how to respond when something goes wrong. Training should cover relevant procedures, chemical or biological hazards, correct PPE use, waste handling, emergency actions, and the safe operation of specialized equipment.

For workplaces covered by OSHA’s Laboratory Standard, employees must receive information and training about hazardous chemicals, protective measures, emergency procedures, and applicable safety practices.

Know Emergency Procedures Before an Incident

A safe laboratory should also prepare users for fires, chemical exposures, spills, injuries, equipment failures, and other emergencies before they occur. Workers should know where exits and emergency equipment are located and understand whom to contact when an unsafe condition develops.

NIH guidance recommends knowing emergency procedures, the location of fire alarms, and multiple exit routes before laboratory work begins. This preparation is important because an emergency is not the ideal time to start learning how laboratory safety systems work.

Building Consistent Laboratory Safety Habits

Good laboratory practice depends on combining hazard assessment, appropriate PPE, hygiene, housekeeping, concentration, training, and emergency preparation. No single measure can make laboratory work completely risk-free.

The most effective approach is to assess each activity before starting, follow the laboratory’s established procedures, use controls that match the actual hazards, and report damaged equipment or unsafe conditions promptly. Making these practices routine helps protect personnel while also reducing contamination, damaged samples, interrupted experiments, and avoidable mistakes.