The hospital lab design implies paying close attention to organizing the work processes efficiently, adhering to health regulations, selecting long-lasting materials, and making the space ergonomic so that it is comfortable for everyone’s use. Every element serves a purpose while you are designing a lab. Therefore, getting it right takes a lot more than just ticking off boxes – time, planning, and effort.
Let’s take a closer look and shed some light on what you should keep in mind when creating a hospital lab.
Understanding Hospital Lab Regulations and Standards
All three organizations, OSHA, FDA, and CDC, have strict rules for establishing safety and hygiene in a hospital lab. The installation of appropriate airflow systems, biological safety cabinets, and sterilization stations is necessary to prevent contamination. Your lab should also have wide doorways, ramps for people with mobility issues, adjustable workstations, and clear signage. The hospital lab should also comprise proper:
- Lighting: Ensure that the labs are equipped with adjustable lighting so that they can conduct experiments with high levels of accuracy.
- Ventilation: Proper ventilation facilities must be provided in the laboratories so as to eliminate dangerous chemicals, fumes, or pathogens from the air at once.
When you follow such standards in your design, you will be assured that your lab will comply with all the required regulations. Failure to comply with even one regulation may result in fines, delays, or, even worse, a major safety violation.
Designing for Efficiency and Workflow Optimization
Hospital labs involve urgent testing, sample processing, and diagnostic activities. Therefore, it is important to optimize the lab workflows efficiently and tailor them to fit the unique needs of the labs. Each lab should aim to minimize foot traffic, unnecessary movements, and bottlenecks in processes. You should start the lab design by mapping out the workflow, like what should be done in each area of the lab, such as:
- Make Different Zones in Lab: Organize the lab into different zones based on tasks and risk levels. Keep sample storage areas separated from the specimen processing areas so there’s less back and forth and reduced contamination risks in the labs.
- Keep Equipment in Proximity: Group related zones and equipment together in the lab. Try placing equipment like a microscope in the sample preparation zone for a more streamlined process. Also, place fume hoods, autoclaves, and refrigerators strategically to minimize the risk of exposure to hazardous fumes.
- Design Workstation to Suit Specific Tasks: Arrange working stations for labs for specific functions, such that the labs undertaking pipetting or weighing should have adequate counter spaces and height-adjustable tables. The space should also be flexible in achieving layout changes to suit the lab’s needs as it grows older.
Selecting Durable and Easy-to-Clean Materials
Hospital labs are subjected to the exposure and use of harsh chemicals and biological materials. Therefore, choosing the right material while designing your lab will ensure that labs are sterile and safe at all times.
Some of the materials to consider when designing your lab countertops, flooring, walls, ceilings, cabinets, and storage include:
- Countertops: Select a material for countertops that is both durable and easy to clean. The countertop material should resist chemical damage and prevent bacterial buildup. Epoxy resin and stainless steel countertops are often the best choice for countertops due to their exceptional durability, ease of cleaning, and chemical resistance.
- Flooring: Consider flooring materials that are non-porous, slip-resistant, easy to disinfect, and properly sealed so that there is no moisture absorption and mold or bacterial growth. Vinyl, Linoleum, Resin/Epoxy Concrete, and ceramic flooring are considered best for hospital laboratories.
- Walls and Ceilings: Use fiberglass-reinforced plastic or stainless steel panels for their walls and ceilings. These are durable, resistant to harsh chemicals, wear and tear, and easy to wipe down.
- Cabinets and Storage: Opt for stainless steel or high-quality laminate materials for cabinetry and storage units. Stainless steel and laminated material are resistant to corrosion and easy to clean.
Incorporating Ergonomic Design Principles
Lab technicians, physicians, and other health professionals spend the majority of their time working in laboratories. Thus, the inclusion of ergonomics in design will eliminate burnout, strain, and injuries. The ergonomic principles to consider while designing your hospital laboratory are:
- Adjustable Furniture: Install height-adjustable chairs and tables for employees. In addition, configure the workstations to fit the task and body requirements of the user.
- Appropriate Lighting: Use task lighting and ambient lighting in the hospital laboratories to eliminate glare and minimize the effort of eyes. Also, include adjustable lighting to enable experts to work comfortably under the right intensity of light.
- Equipment Location: Store items, tools, and equipment used often at your arm’s length so that you can conveniently access them and avoid bending, stretching, and straining.
- Footrests and Mats: Provide ergonomic footrests and mats in the labs so that no standing worker should feel uncomfortable standing for long hours. This would come with the advantages of relieving strain on the back and legs during extended working hours.
Ensuring Flexibility for Future Needs
The healthcare landscape is continually changing. Therefore, hospital labs must be capable of adjusting to emerging technologies without having to transform the space completely. To future-proof hospital labs, you should opt for:
- Modular Design: Use modular furniture and movable partitions for easy reconfiguration with the labs’ changing needs.
- Expandable Systems: Design the lab in a way that additional equipment or systems can be added as technology advances or new procedures are introduced.
- Pre-wiring for Technology: Incorporate extra outlets, data cables, and network connections. It is easy to upgrade new technologies in the lab without causing any major disruptions in the existing systems.
The Hospital Lab You Really Want!
Creating a hospital lab that meets compliance, efficiency, durability, and ergonomics requires planning, time, and effort. A hospital lab that is well-designed works as a workflow system and keeps teams safe. Thus, it is necessary to follow strict restrictions in order to create a lab for today’s and tomorrow’s needs. Think about the principles of ergonomics, use durable materials, and create designs that will leave room for flexibility in the future in order to create a supportive environment for healthcare professionals.
Unsure about your hospital lab’s compliance? Try our Free Lab Audit Services today!
