Tech Column | Key Points of On-Site Surveys and Special Considerations for Different Types of Laboratories

Release time:

2025-10-13 15:06

A preliminary on-site survey of the laboratory is essential to ensure that, once completed, the facility will be fully functional, safely compliant, and efficiently operational. Different types of laboratories have vastly different core areas of focus.

The following outlines the core aspects of laboratory site inspections and highlights the specific concerns related to several key types of laboratory safety regulations.

All laboratory survey cores must focus on

1. Architectural structural parameters:

Floor height and clear height under beams determine whether large ventilation ducts and equipment ceilings can be installed, as well as whether the space feels cramped or open.

Column spacing and bay dimensions: These influence the flexibility of laboratory furniture layouts and equipment placement.

Floor Load: It is essential to clearly determine the load-bearing capacity of the existing floor, especially in areas equipped with large instruments (such as centrifuges, freezer clusters), heavy-duty equipment (like biosafety cabinets, fume hoods), or a significant number of liquid nitrogen tanks.

2. Infrastructure Interface:

Voltage: Location of the main distribution box, capacity (kW), and existing circuit routing. Is 380V power supply required? Are an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) or emergency power source needed?

Plumbing and drainage points: Locations, pipe diameters, and materials of the water supply and sewage pipes. Are the purified water, wastewater, and rainwater systems separate?

Ventilation shafts: The current location, dimensions, and materials of existing ventilation shafts, and whether they can be utilized.

3. Environmental factors:

Orientation and Sunlight Exposure: Certain instruments and equipment—such as electron microscopes and spectrometers—are sensitive to temperature fluctuations and should be shielded from direct western sunlight.

Vibration and Electromagnetic Interference: Are there any major sources of vibration or interference—such as elevators, fans, pumps, subway systems, or busy highways—near the balance room?

Floor location: Top floor (susceptible to temperature fluctuations and leakage risks), ground floor (prone to dampness and pest infestations), basement (challenges with ventilation, drainage, and emergency exits).

Special focus points for safety regulations in various types of laboratories

1. Chemistry Laboratory

Explosion and Fire Prevention: Assess the fire resistance rating of existing buildings.

Key focus areas: Whether to design explosion-proof zones (for areas using flammable and explosive reagents), explosion-proof electrical equipment, and venting openings.

Emergency eyewash and shower stations: Location requirements (must be accessible within 10 seconds from the hazard source).

Waste liquid collection and temporary storage: A separate, corrosion-resistant waste liquid storage room must be planned, and the floor must be treated to prevent leakage.

Ventilation System Safety: Assessment of requirements for exhaust duct materials, fan explosion-proof specifications, and waste gas treatment methods (including activated carbon adsorption, water scrubbing, and dry chemical filters).

Safe Storage: Placement of safety cabinets (explosion-proof cabinets, ventilated safety cabinets) for chemicals that are easy to use in the manufacture of drugs or explosives.

2. Biological laboratories (especially BSL-2/3)

Pressure gradient: an absolute priority. It must be ensured that air flows directionally from the clean zone → the semi-contaminated zone → the contaminated zone. During site assessments, evaluate whether this pressure difference can be achieved and maintained.

Sealing and Disinfection: Biosafety laboratories require walls, floors, and ceilings to be tightly sealed, enabling comprehensive gas fumigation disinfection and other similar processes.

HEPA Filter Replacement: Safe and convenient space and access routes must be planned for replacing the exhaust HEPA filters.

Wastewater Sterilization: Wastewater from BSL-2/3 laboratories must undergo sterilization treatment—such as high-temperature autoclaving—before being discharged into the municipal sewage system. Adequate space and interfaces for the necessary equipment should be reserved.

Emergency Power Supply: Ensure that critical equipment (biosafety cabinets, ultra-low-temperature freezers, and ventilation systems) can continue operating during power outages.

3. Research and Development Laboratory (Multidisciplinary)

Flexibility/Versatility: This is the biggest feature. It incorporates modular furniture and movable partitions.

Balancing General and Dedicated Spaces: Designating an open, shared area for general-purpose equipment and a closed, specialized zone for conducting unique experiments.

Informationization and Intelligentization: Pre-install ample conduits for network and power cables, with预留 interfaces for the intelligent management system.

Compatibility and safety standards: Given the potential for simultaneous chemical, biological, and physical experiments, safety standards must be set at the highest possible level—ensuring compliance with the most stringent safety requirements for all conceivable activities.

In advancing laboratory construction, it is essential to first clarify the specific type and corresponding level of the lab, then systematically carry out measurement, documentation, and imaging procedures, focusing on the key concerns previously identified. As the service provider for laboratory construction, we must also engage in thorough and in-depth communication with property management and building owners. Our primary goal is to obtain relevant architectural drawings, enabling us to precisely understand the project's stringent constraints—such as building structural loads, existing fire protection system configurations, and total electrical and water capacities—thereby laying a solid foundation for ensuring compliance and feasibility throughout the subsequent construction process.

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