Many companies have to ensure that their work environments are clean. However, the emphasis on cleanliness is especially great among organisations that are involved in researching and testing. In such settings, even small levels of contamination can cause major problems, so there is no room for complacency.

Fortunately, there are now a host of products available that can help firms to keep their lab environments clean. For example, organisations can take advantage of the clean air and laminar flow equipment offered by specialist suppliers such as Contained Air Solutions. These products can be used in a variety of environments, from research to defence, education and pharmaceutical settings, and they can play a major role in preventing contamination.

Keeping researchers safe

One of the major reasons why organisations involved in research and testing must take the issue of cleanliness seriously is because even a slight lapse in standards can jeopardise the health and wellbeing of personnel. In their day to day activities, workers may be dealing with anything from dangerous microbes to carcinogens, corrosives, toxins, irritants and an array of other potentially hazardous substances and materials. Exposure to these things could result in injury, illness or even death.

In order to minimise the risk of such problems arising, personnel must make proper use of all the relevant safety gear. As well as lab equipment like clean air systems, this includes personal protective wear such as lab aprons or coats. These people must also ensure they clear up any spills immediately and allot sufficient time to thoroughly clean work areas. Also, all materials should be labelled accurately and stored and handled correctly.

If safety precautions like these are not adhered to, problems can quickly arise. Meanwhile, if organisations are seen to be flouting basic cleanliness rules and therefore putting personnel at unnecessary risk, they can find themselves in legal trouble.

Getting accurate results

Of course, maintaining clean environments is not only important in terms of safety. It is also crucial when it comes to obtaining accurate results. Often, many thousands or even millions of pounds are spent on research projects. When the stakes are so high, it is vital that the results are not compromised by simple housekeeping failings. If such problems do arise, entire experiments may have to be re-run, at potentially vast cost.

Given the importance of cleanliness for both safety and accuracy, it is no surprise that organisations take this issue so seriously.