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Laboratory guides hub

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Interfocus Laboratory Guides Hub

Running a cost-effective, well-organised lab that complies with health and safety regulations can be a tall order without the right advice and knowledge to back you up. At InterFocus, we pride ourselves on offering the very best laboratory consultation, design, build and furniture services. Our decades of experience in the industry means we’re well-placed to provide all types of labs with the best quality advice, knowledge and information.

Below, our expert collections of guides are just waiting to be discovered. From boosting lab efficiency to management support, our guide hub is here to help labs from any sector regardless of the scale of your operations.

Designing and Building Your Own Lab

Whether your current lab suite isn’t quite fit for purpose or you’re looking for planning advice, don’t get stuck in a whirlwind of what to do with your lab design and build. Instead, simplify the processes involved in creating your perfect laboratory with our great selection of dedicated guides and how-to blogs below.

Choosing Laboratory Materials & furniture

The materials and furniture you choose should work well with your lab’s design and layout, alongside working well for the intended use. Whether your lab is in an educational or scientific setting, our advice guides below can help you make the right decisions based on your lab’s requirements.

WHICH MATERIAL SHOULD YOU USE FOR LABORATORY SURFACES?

In this article, we're exploring the best work surfaces for use in a variety of laboratories.

materials

Different laboratory flooring types explained

Discover the various types of laboratory flooring available, their top properties and their benefits and drawbacks.

Flooring

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT OFFICE FURNITURE

To help you with your decisions, run through the crucial considerations you should weigh up before you begin furnishing your office.

furniture

CHOOSING THE CORRECT LIGHTING FOR YOUR LABORATORY

Discover the most common types of laboratory lighting, and what to consider when kitting out your own lab.

Lighting

Working in a Laboratory Efficiently

Striving for efficiency is often an ongoing goal for any business. And with ever-changing advice on eco-friendly measures to take and best practices for sustainability, it can be difficult to keep track of it all. Our guides to lab efficiency are regularly updated with the most relevant and recent information available, so you can always make sure you’re keeping up.

A QUICK GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR LAB ORGANISED

Here, we’ll run through some tips you can use to help keep your lab’s tools, materials and paperwork organised.

Efficiency tips

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WORKPLACE: HOW TO REDUCE THE USE OF PLASTIC

Create a more sustainable lab environment and cut down your plastic use with our advice.

sustainability

A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING AN ECO-FRIENDLY LAB CULTURE

Here are our practical tips on how to make your laboratory a little friendlier to the environment.

Sustainability

OUR EXPERT GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

We're guiding you through the best methods guaranteed to strengthen your team's communication in the lab.

TEAMWORK

GUIDE TO CLOUD COMPUTING IN A LABORATORY

In this guide, we’re looking to shed a little light on cloud computing in the laboratory and how it can be effectively and securely implemented.

Technology

9 TIPS FOR MANAGING NOISE IN LABORATORIES

Our nine tips will guide you through the process of identifying and reducing noise that has reached an untenable level.

Efficiency tips

WORKING ALONE IN A LABORATORY: YOUR SAFETY GUIDE

Our safety guide is here to show you what steps you can take to improve workplace safety.

Safety

HOW TO AVOID ERGONOMIC INJURIES WHEN WORKING IN A LAB

Here are the best ways to avoid lab-based ergonomic injuries and remain comfortable at work.

Safety

Tips for managers

Managing a laboratory can be incredibly rewarding, but sometimes it can be tough to make a call on what direction to take the business in. Costing, hiring, organising teams and keeping track of projects can all become overwhelming without the right tools. To ensure you’re fulfilling your potential and making the most of the resources at your disposal, check out our guides below tailored to lab management.

DEALING WITH CONFLICTS IN THE TEAM: A GUIDE FOR LAB MANAGERS

We've put together this guide to dealing with conflicts in the team, providing five practicable tips.

Managers

THE MANAGER'S GUIDE TO HIRING LABORATORY STAFF

For those in charge of labs, we’ve devised a handy guide to hiring laboratory staff, including finding the right fit and dealing with obstacles.

Hiring

HOW TO CUT COSTS IN A LABORATORY

This guide contains advice on how lab managers can cut costs by making a few little changes to how the lab is run.

Managing costs

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT: A COMPLETE GUIDE

Here we present a complete guide to construction project management (CPM).

Projects

Keeping safe in your lab

Anybody that’s ever worked in or for a laboratory will understand the importance of upholding and maintaining safety standards. From the current regulations in place to best practices, we’ve collated all the top tips and advice for keeping safe around hazardous chemicals, fragile materials and everything in between.

HOW TO KEEP SAFE DURING A LAB RENOVATION PROJECT

Here are some of the most vital factors to consider when approaching renovation work in your lab.

Safety

A GUIDE TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN THE LAB

Take a closer look at electrical safety in the lab so that you and your colleagues can remain safe and compliant.

Electrical

HOW TO WRITE A SAFETY POLICY FOR YOUR LABORATORY

Developing a safety policy for your lab is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your team - here's how to write yours.

Policy

A GUIDE TO BIOSAFETY IN THE LAB

Check that you're armed with all the information required to protect your staff, the environment, and the local community with our guide.

Safety

USING RIDDOR: A GUIDE FOR LABORATORIES

Here's a quick overview of RIDDOR, including who should report incidents and what types of incidents are relevant.

Regulations

A GUIDE TO AUTOCLAVING PLASTICS AND GLASS

In this guide, we discuss what autoclaving entails, its benefits and its repercussions.

Safety

VISUAL GUIDE TO SCIENCE SAFETY SYMBOLS IN A LABORATORY

Test your knowledge of the typical signs and symbols you'll see in a laboratory environment.

Safety signs

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO LABORATORY HYGIENE

From cleaning glassware and hotplates to wiping down surfaces correctly, you’ll find a complete guide to laboratory hygiene here.

Hygiene

Understanding and working with different materials & Chemicals

As is the nature of working in a lab, many different materials and chemicals will come into contact with one another. From safe chemical storage to cleaning up chemical spills, the advice guides below can help you maintain lab safety, longevity and sustainability.