Numerous considerations go into the establishment of a start-up laboratory. Starting from funds to permissions, documentation to equipment installation, marketing and promotion, you need to take care of a lot of things to get your lab up and running. You also need to take safety precautions to reduce the chances of accidents and unnecessary hazards that may stall operations for days.
Let’s now give you an idea to develop a laboratory in 5 key steps:
Step 1: Developing the idea
First of all, you need to have a clear idea about the purpose of the lab. Will you be using it for teaching and training or manufacturing products? If you want to develop a research lab, you’ll have to invest in additional equipment like freezers, incubators along with proper sanitizing options.
Step 2: Financing
Arrangement of funds is the next vital step to take. While the seed funding will take care of the lab rent and related costs, you may have to consider taking a loan for the equipment and setting up high-end research facilities (if you don’t have the capital).
Step 3: Documentation
You need to manage heaps of paperwork while setting up a start-up laboratory. You can consult someone, who is senior to you in the field or have been in the business for quite some time, to get an idea about the protocols and approval processes.
Step 4: Design and layout
You should design a layout, keeping in mind the potential hazards and the researches you’re going to conduct in the laboratory. The final layout should be convenient and safe concerning biohazards, accidents involving chemicals and equipment malfunction. You should also provide emergency exists in the laboratory to enable fast evacuation.
Step 5: Equipment installation
This is one of the primary considerations of developing a lab. You should consult with seniors and mentors to create a list of necessary equipment for your researches and find a dealer like LeDab Canada to buy most of them under a single roof. Read the reviews online and shortlist a few companies before finalizing anything.
Step 6: Safety precautions
The last, and probably the most important step, is enabling high standards of safety for the lab workers as well as the environment. It’s advisable to provide safety training to all your workers before they step into the lab to ensure maximum protection against potential hazards.
Developing a start-up lab on your own is an important step in your career, and you shouldn’t leave any stone unturned to maximize effectiveness. Careful analyzing, proper planning, consulting and taking the right decisions at the right time should help you embark on your scientific career without any hassle.
