New construction or renovation, founding a company or an already established laboratory, what is the location, is there customer traffic – before planning a laboratory facility, some fundamental questions are of crucial importance. Only then does it really make sense to think about the sometimes heavily used terms, such as a feel-good atmosphere at the workplace and work-life balance. And what about the hygiene measures that have had a major impact on our (work) life and to some extent also on the direct work environment this year?
Of course, the subject of hygiene and thus also the health-oriented working conditions in the laboratory have always played a major role. Efficient workplace extraction is a matter of course so that fine dusts that are hazardous to health, such as those that can arise when sanding plaster of paris, or vapors are consistently reduced. What is new, however, is the topic of infection protection in the workplace. Hygiene stations for disinfecting hands, glove dispensers and virus barriers made of EGS safety glass in public areas suddenly play an important role in the planning of facilities. In some cases this can even lead to considerations being made to strictly separate the routes for staff and patients.
When it comes to implementation, such considerations depend heavily on the structural requirements. The solid walls are literally the supporting pillars around which planning has to be made.
One point that is important to us in laboratory planning and especially in implementation is the issue of quality. Some would call it sustainability, we’re talking about longevity. This point is important for our actions and thoughts – and has been for generations. We manufacture technically and technically high-quality facilities that are functionally flawless even after years and decades. A technical update, for example with a new suction system, does not mean a lot of effort. Such long-term thinking naturally also has a certain influence on the design of the facility: We do not focus on fashionable and therefore visually rather short-lived facilities. Bright colors or extroverted shapes tend to have a faster optical expiration date. A solid design, which can be refined with accents, is a basis for the furnishings to look appealing even after years. And this can often also serve as the basis for partial renewals or extensions. And so it is no wonder, and we are very pleased that there are so many laboratories that appreciate this type of durability and have relied on our facilities for decades.
Editorial ZWL 5/2020 (October 2020)
