The purpose of laboratory design is to establish a laboratory with high efficiency, perfect function and comprehensive consideration.In laboratory design, factors affecting laboratory efficiency and safety, such as space, workbench, storage cabinet, ventilation facilities and lighting, should be fully considered.Special laboratories shall be designed according to relevant requirements of national standards.
There must be reasonable space in laboratory design
The design of the laboratory should be based on the needs of the experimental functional modules and equipment placement.And consider the rational allocation of space to determine the layout.At the same time, the size of laboratory space should be determined from the perspective of development.There are many factors affecting the design of laboratory space, such as the number of staff, analysis methods and the size of instruments.The laboratory should be flexible without space waste so that the staff can feel comfortable.
The size of the workspace should ensure that the maximum number of workers work at the same time.Effective space should be divided into clean areas ( offices, lounges, study rooms ), buffer areas ( storage areas, supply areas, corridors ) and contaminated areas ( work areas, washing areas, specimen storage areas ).
The basic principles of laboratory design: the flow of people, objects and air should be smooth; Clean area, buffer area and contaminated area should be separated.
In the designated experimental area, the number of staff and transportation personnel should be controlled.At the same time of controlling laboratory access, some preparation areas should be set up, such as receiving samples or specimens, allowing access to laboratory personnel and visitors.The samples or specimens are transported by personnel, automatic transmission, wind power system or other automated systems.The internal communication system and alarm should also be fully considered for notification or alarm ( such as disaster, fire alarm, sample arrival, or part of the laboratory seeking help, etc. ).We should also consider the need for expansion of laboratory space and design the laboratory to be expandable or mobile to meet the need for expansion of laboratory space for future development.Transportation and computer network systems are used for sample or specimen transportation and information exchange within laboratories and between laboratories and departments.National laws and regulations ( including national standards and industry standards, etc. ) affect the laboratory design to a large extent. Architects should put forward the requirements of relevant laws and regulations in the whole laboratory design.
Before drawing up the space allocation plan, we should make a comprehensive analysis of the factors such as equipment, number of staff, working hours and experimental methods, evaluate the requirements of the space standard, and calculate the net area and gross area of the area.The allocated space for the area of special function shall be determined by its function and activity.
II. Layout design of the laboratory
The layout of laboratories should consider the following points: because of the different nature of each laboratory's work, it is impossible to establish a unified design scheme for laboratories.However, two principles and flexibility should be considered.
1. Sample transfer and personnel flow: When allocating laboratory areas, the work flow, sample transfer and flow, biosafety factors, etc. should be considered first.
2. Flexibility: Whether laboratory design can meet the needs of future development and change is extremely important.
3. Safety: Safety should be considered in the design and size of laboratories to meet the building rules of emergency clearance and evacuation exit, and safety equipment should be provided for each laboratory.Within 30 meters from the hazardous chemical reagent, there should be an emergency eye wash and shower room.All laboratories and places in direct contact with pollutants shall be equipped with hand-washing basins, and the hand-washing basins shall be located at the Exit.The sink should be independent and dedicated and should not be mixed with pollutant treatment and experiments.
4. Set up smoke hood and safety facilities: Any safety hood should be placed as far away as possible from the exit to comply with the principle of keeping harmful experiments away from the main passage.
5. Design and layout of special laboratories: Special laboratories here mainly refer to microbiological and molecular biology laboratories, and their design should be generally in accordance with the requirements of the General Guidelines for Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories.Gene amplification laboratories should have sufficient space and their design and layout shall be in line with the standard requirements to avoid laboratory pollution.According to the harmful microorganisms contacted in microbiology laboratories, such laboratories are usually divided into clean areas, semi-polluted areas and polluted areas.Biosafety cabinets should be used in polluted areas to protect the health of workers.Modern microbiology laboratories must also have air conditioning and filtration equipment.
III. Laboratory ventilation design
In order to ensure the safety of the laboratory, a central air treatment system must be equipped if conditions allow to avoid the spread of infectious diseases in the microbiological laboratory caused by fan blowing.In particular, the use of electric fans in microbiological and biomedical laboratories should be strictly prohibited.Proper ventilation not only removes harmful odor and toxic gas from the laboratory, but also ensures the normal operation of the equipment.Air exchange is currently advocated in general laboratories, where steam and biochemical hazardous agents are used, air exchange is conducted 12 times per hour.Air exchange in the area engaged in microbiological examination reached 16 times per hour.
IV. Power Supply and Communication Design
The power supply layout should fully consider and analyze the power supply required by the laboratory, noting the following points:
1. The quantity of electricity required for all instruments in the laboratory and the number of electrical sockets required are reasonable in layout, safe and convenient to use.
2. The electrical outlet is three-pin or two-pin types.
3. Electrical outlets are distributed in various places to ensure safe and convenient use.
4. Voltage ( 220 v or 380 v ) and electricity required by the instruments.
5. We should give full consideration to the computer socket.
6. The number of lighting devices required by the laboratory is determined by the type of work, the color of the worktop, the color of the ceiling and walls of the work room, the distance between the fixed lighting and the worktop, and the size of the space required for lighting.
7. Location of lighting equipment installation: Lighting equipment should be installed vertically or diagonally to the worktable to eliminate shadow caused by object shielding.
8. Special lighting equipment: If the laboratory is used to separate microbial and molecular biology experimental areas, it should be able to effectively protect workers and specimens from pollution.Ultraviolet light is the most commonly used disinfection equipment.The distance between the fixed ultraviolet lamp and the ground should not exceed 2.1 meters, and the number of ultraviolet lamps should be determined according to the laboratory space.When using ultraviolet lighting equipment, it is necessary to be sure that the surface of the object ( e.g. wall surface coating, worktop. ) can withstand the bleaching action of ultraviolet light.
9. In designing the power supply, we should not only consider that it has met the current use needs, but also consider that if it has enough expansion to meet the needs of the laboratory.
10. The realization of informatization and networking of communication in the laboratory will greatly improve the management quality and work efficiency of the laboratory. Communication lines should be carefully designed in the laboratory design, and in addition to fully meeting the current needs, additional capacity should be provided to adapt to the increase and movement of instruments.