The document provides comprehensive guidelines for laboratory inspections and maintenance, emphasizing safety and compliance with regulations. It outlines essential procedures for evaluating various lab areas, including housekeeping, equipment, chemical storage, and personal protective equipment, while highlighting the importance of regular maintenance and inspection. Key maintenance tips for laboratory equipment such as microscopes, analytical balances, and water distillers are also included to ensure optimal functioning and safety.

1. Laboratory Inspection And Maintenance

2. Laboratory inspection
Introduction
Laboratory inspection is the safety audit of the conditions and
operations that occur on a daily basis in a specific laboratory.
Laboratory inspections are conducted at least annually to
ensure safety and compliance with all applicable lab safety
regulations and guidelines.

3. These inspections are intended to provide a formal opportunity
for laboratory personnel to ask questions regarding any aspect
of lab safety in order to improve overall compliance. The lab
inspector needs a higher level of laboratory safety training to
be able to recognize problem areas and be able to ask questions
and eliminate the hazards.

4. Importance of laboratory inspection
 Help to ensure compliance with regulations, standard safety
procedures and practices.
 raise safety awareness
 help to ensure Health and safety check of laboratory facilities
 Control costs
 Improve productivity

5. Personnel practice on lab inspection
During a lab inspection, laboratory personnel must have a checklist, A
notepad and pen, Permanent marker, multi-tool (screwdrivers, wire
cutters) and Digital camera which is useful for documentation and
taking pictures. To perform internal laboratory inspection, laboratory
personnel can use laboratory inspection checklist for guidance as well as
the information provided here.

6. Lab inspection area includes the following;
 housekeeping
Lab personnel start the inspection by evaluating the labs
housekeeping and accessibility. Determine the overall
cleanliness of the lab. The lab should appear clean, organized
and professional.

7. Ensure the walkways are clear and free from tripping hazards. Confirm
that people can walk safely through the lab and can easily reach critical
equipment such as safety showers, eye wash stations, fire extinguishers,
first aid kits, fire blankets, spill kits and emergency exit.

8.  Engineering controls used in the lab
Next Lab personnel inspect the engineering controls used in the lab. These
includes fume hoods and biological safety cabinets (BSC). The fume hood
and or BSC should be within a year of the last certification. Check to see that
the correct sash height is indicated for proper usage. The performance and
effectiveness of the fume hood or BSC is greatly reduced if operated outside
of approved conditions. Inspect to check that no broken bottles or empty
bottle stored in the fume hood or BSC.

9.  Benches
Lab personnel inspect benches to check if the space between
and under benches are accessible for cleaning, no chemicals
are stored on the top of the benches, Storage cabinets are fixed
under the bench and benches are in good condition.

10.  Refrigerator
Refrigerator and freezer should require attention by checking
its inside and out, paying special attention to any areas
corresponding to indications of damage. Look carefully for
dents and scratches on both the interior and exterior of the
refrigerator.

11. Open and close the refrigerator and freezer doors to check their
operation, refrigerator interior temperature should be kept at the proper
temperature. The refrigerator should be kept at or below 40° F (4° C).
The freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C). Also, lab personnel
will inspect if no food stored in chemical refrigerators. Chemical
refrigerators should be labeled as “Chemicals Only, No Food. If
refrigerator and freezer are not in good condition must be labelled “Not
in operation”.

12.  Sink
Students have a tendency to throw solid and liquid waste into the sinks
despite repeated reminders to stop the bad practice. Porcelain sinks are
easily stained by chemicals. Stain marks are readily removed by rubbing
with cleansing powder. A persistent stain however can only be removed
by treatment with a mixture of equal volume of concentrated nitric and
hydrochloric acids.

13. Naturally care should be taken especially with fumes. Sink
traps need periodic cleaning out, this reduces untimely choking
up of sinks during laboratory lessons. Also, inspection should
be done to check if minimal glassware stored in the sink

14.  Lighting
Lighting in laboratory are very importance. Inspection of lamps should
be done to check if it is damaged or fault. In most cases the faults are
due to ‘fused’ bulbs, fluorescent tubes or spoilt starters. A stock of these
items must be kept to meet emergency. If the inspected light bulbs and
discharges tubes are not work properly should be replaced.

15.  Gas taps
The gas taps should also be inspected to test for leaks as they
tend to loosen with constant use. If they appear deteriorated
taking the necessary remedial action.

16.  Drainage system
Channels and traps should receive particular attention, for neglecting of
these may cause untold damage by flooding. Cleaning powder must be
used properly to prevent silting in the drainage channels.

17.  Personal protective equipment
Laboratory personnel should inspect the personal protective equipment
or PPE used in the lab. This includes items such as lab coats, safety
goggles, and gloves. PPE should be in sufficient quantity, in good
condition, available to all personnel, and appropriate for the designated
task.

18.  Safety apparatus
The conscientious checking of fire fitting and other safety equipment
should leave nothing to chance. Fire extinguisher must be regularly
tested, and in some cases even though they have not been used, should
have their contents renewed. The date of the last refilling should be
written on the cylinder. The cylinder itself should be checked for signs
of corrosion.

19.  Signage
Inspection also includes checking of hazard symbol such as laser, high
voltage, corrosive etc., are posted outside or inside their doors? All labs
are responsible for keeping the information up to date on the lab hazard
caution signs.

20. These caution signs can be updated and printed using the "caution sign".
Also, lab personnel must investigate that all lab hazard symbol are in are
in good condition that is are not worn or damaged. Emergency contacts
should be posted. Other records the lab should maintain include SOPs,
internal lab safety training, chemical inventory, and SDSs.

21.  Electrical safety
All electrical equipment should be tested, tagged and in date during inspection. All
power leads, outlets and switches should be investigated to check if in good
condition (not broken). Conduit should be checked for sign of corrosion and
electrical loads of the various instruments must be kept in good repair as short
circuits, due to the fraying of the leads are common cause of blown fuses. The
pieces of equipment mainly affected are water baths, hot plates, etc. in which rapid
deterioration in the condition of the electric leads is caused by heat.

22.  Chemical storage
Chemical storage should require attention by inspecting if chemicals
stored by compatibility and hazard class to prevent unwanted chemical
reactions. Hazardous chemicals should be stored below eye level and off
the floor.

23. All Flammable and combustible liquids should be investigated to check
if storage in a flammable storage cabinet and never stored in a
refrigerator or freezer unless it meets NFPA guidelines for safe
flammable storage. Chemical storage on bench tops or on the floors
should be avoided. All chemical container must be inspected if labelled
according to what they contain. Deface old labels that do not accurately
describe contents of chemical containers.

24.  Gas cylinder
All gas cylinder used in lab must be inspected to see if secured upright at all
times, its contents are appropriately identified, all cylinders are at least 3m
away from ignition sources, combustible material and are stored according to
dangerous goods class with compatible gases. Also, empty cylinders are
separated from full cylinders and clearly labelled, Cylinders, pipes and valves
are protected from mechanical damage.

25.  Hazardous waste
A vigorous inspection is necessary to make sure that all hazardous waste
generated in lab are stored in hazard waste container which must be
labeled with the words “Hazardous Waste” and with words identifying
the contents. All hazardous waste containers must be kept closed and
must be in good condition.

26. Laboratory Maintenance
Is the work of keeping equipment used in the lab in proper
condition, care or upkeep including taking steps to avoid
something breaking down (preventative maintenance) and bringing
something back to working order (corrective maintenance). The
maintenance of the equipment and apparatus in laboratory and
workshops is the key to ensure that experiments run effectively and
without a problem.

27. Basic tips for laboratory maintenance
The following are the four basic tips for laboratory
maintenance
 Cleaning
Naturally, keeping lab clean is the first principle of lab maintenance.
Firstly, make sure to wipe down equipment at the end of the day.
Decontamination services should regularly be used for equipment like
biosafety cabinets, incubators and centrifuges.

28. When it comes to your equipment, always consult the manual or
manufacturer specifications for cleaning recommendations. For
example, certain instruments, like microscopes, require regular,
thorough cleaning. By using a 70/30 mixture of ether and alcohol, you
can sanitize your microscopes and prevent the spreading of harmful
bacteria.

29.  Calibration
Failure to regularly calibrate equipment can lead to a lack of accuracy with
your data, an oversight which could end up bringing entire experiments to a
halt. Calibration of equipment is done by comparing your readings against
reading of the standard units of measurement to verify the accuracy and make
adjustments where necessary. Calibration can be done regularly because
measurement biases can develop over time and generate invalid data.

30. Calibration of equipment performed when:
• The manufacturer’s recommended time elapses
• The equipment is dropped, hit, or sustains any type of force
 You notice abnormal sounds, vibrations, or patterns during use
 Measurements are significantly outside the normal range
 The data to be measured is of high importance relating to your experiment

31.  Repair
From time to time, lab items will damage out and stop working. But
rather than immediately disposing of faulty equipment, take the time to
see if parts could be replaced or items can be repaired instead.
Particularly with larger items, repairing and replacing parts can be an
effective way to increase lifespan and keep down costs.

32. Due to the nature of the items, some parts will wear quicker than others
but, when adequately managed, these can be replaced in time to prevent
problems or burnout. Consider centrifuges, filtration systems and
microscope lenses: each of these can be simply replaced without the
need to dispose of the entire machine.

33. Refurbishment
For faulty equipment, repairing can be invaluable but if items still work
(just not as smoothly as before) refurbishment could hold the key. In
order to refurbish older items of equipment, then consider carrying out
the following process:
• Take the entire piece of equipment apart

34.  Fully clean each component
 Polish components where necessary
 Re-lubricate any moving parts
 If part is showing signs of wear and tear, consider replacing them at
this preventative stage
 Put the equipment back together

35. Maintenance of analytical balance
Balance is an instrument which measures the mass of a body or
substance using the gravity force which acts on that body. Analytical
balance functions by comparing known weight masses with that of a
substance of unknown weight.

36. Maintenance of analytical balance can be done as follows:
 Carefully remove the balance pan, clean and replace it. Cleaning is done by
using a piece of clean cloth which may be dampened with distilled water. If
there is a stain, a mild detergent can be applied.
 Mop up any spilt liquids and brush any spilt chemicals from the weighing
chamber. a paintbrush with soft bristles can be used to remove particles of
chemicals or dust deposited on the weight plate.

37.  Clean the glass doors (inside and out), using a soft cloth and
80% v/v ethanol
Remove dust from the exterior of the cabinet and clean up
any spilt chemicals from the balance bench area.

38. Maintenance of microscope
A microscope is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too
small to be seen by the naked eye. Routine optical and mechanical
maintenance of compound microscopes can ensure that your microscope
works well for years. Compound microscopes should generally be serviced
after about 200 hours of use. For most schools, this would be about every
three years, possibly more frequent if the microscope is used multiple times
each day.

39. To maintain microscope in perfect condition the following maintenance
should be observed:
 Inspect the microscope for damage or malfunction. This can be done by
checking all parts of microscope are in good condition and/or testing if
working properly
 Clean the parts of the microscope with a clean cloth. Never clean lenses
with ordinary tissues, cleaning paper, toilet paper, cotton wool or hand
towels, which will scratch the lens surface.

40.  Cleaning of eye piece. Eye piece can be cleaned as follows:
 Blow to remove dust before wiping lens. The rubber bulb used to blow streams of
air onto the lenses’ surface to ensure that these are free from dust. camel hair
brush can be used to remove dust particles around the eye piece surfaces. Do not
use mouth to blow air.
 Clean the eyepieces with a cotton swab moistened with lens cleaning solution.
 Clean in a circular motion inside out.
 Wipe the eyepieces dry with lens paper. Repeat cleaning and drying if required

41.  Cleaning of objectives lenses. Objective lenses can cleaned as follows:
 Moisten the lens paper with the cleaning solution
 Wipe gently the objective in circular motion from inside out
 Wipe with dry tissue or lens cleaning paper
 Objectives should never be removed from the nosepiece.

42.  Cleaning oil immersion lens
• If immersion oil residues are detected on the lens surface, remove using
lens paper or medicinal type cotton. Cleaning can be done as follows:
 carefully wipe the oil from all glass surfaces using a piece of lens cleaning
paper.
 Use a second piece of lens paper moistened with a small amount of alcohol
(ethyl or isopropyl) or lens cleaning solution, wiping all glass surfaces
again to remove any remaining oil.

43.  Once oil is removed wipe surfaces again. Failing to remove immersion oil
from lenses will result in hardened oil on lenses that will affect future
clarity.
 if immersion oil was not cleaned off an objective after use and has
hardened on the objective, moisten a piece of lens paper with a small
amount of distilled water and hold it against the lens for a few seconds to
dissolve the oil.

44.  Cleaning microscope stage
 Wipe the microscope stage using the cleaning solution on a soft cloth
 Thoroughly dry the stage
 Repeat above steps, if required.

45.  Cleaning microscope body
 Unplug the microscope from power source
 Moisten the cotton pad with a mild cleaning agent
 Wipe the microscope body to remove dust, dirt, and oil

46.  Cleaning condenser
 Unplug the microscope from power source
 Clean the condenser lens and auxiliary lens using lint-free cotton swabs
moistened with lens cleaning solution
 Wipe with dry swabs

47.  Replacing microscope bulb
 Unplug the microscope from power source
 Find location of bulb
 Use tissue paper or an appropriate device to remove the bulb from the
microscope Check the model number on the bulb to ensure the use of correct
replacement bulb.
 Replace the bulb by holding it with lens paper or an appropriate device. Never
touch the bulb with your fingers.

48. Maintenance of water distiller
A water distiller is a machine that purifies water by removing more than
99.9% of contaminants, including chemicals, heavy metals, microorganisms
and sediment. Water distiller used in laboratory to produce distilled water.

49. Regular maintenance is key to extending the life of water distiller. Proper and
regular cleaning, known as descaling, will help to prevent a water distiller
from having mold growth and other ill effects that can be avoided. It is
important to be consistent and proactive to make cleaning that much easier.
Distillers should be cleaned approximately every 3 to 4 months.

50. Maintenance of Water distiller can be done as follows:
 Turn off the power and remove the lid from the distiller boiling chamber.
 Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of either Sulfamic Acid or white vinegar to the
boiling chamber. Vinegar is milder than Sulfamic Acid to work with.
 Agitate the solution by swirling the chamber for approximately 10 to 15
seconds.

51.  Leave the solution sitting in the chamber overnight to allow it to continue cleaning
on its own.
 Empty the descaling solution from the boiling chamber the next morning.
 Fill the chamber with clean water, swirling it around to rinse it out, then emptying
it. Repeat to ensure all descaling residue has been removed.
 Wipe the interior of the boiling chamber with a cloth to remove any last traces of
solution residue then turn the power back on and watch to be sure the chamber
fills and everything appears to be working properly.

52. Maintenance of hot air oven
Laboratory oven is an electrical device used for sterilizing or drying
glassware and metal materials used for examinations or tests performed in the
laboratory. Dry heat sterilization of clean material is conducted at 180 °C for
two hours in the oven. Upon being heated by high temperature dry air,
humidity is evaporated from glassware and thus the possibility of any
remaining biological activity is eliminated.

53. The maintenance required by a drying oven is simple and no complex
routine maintenance is necessary. Before carrying out any maintenance
routine on the oven, verify that it is at room temperature and disconnected
from the electrical feed outlet. General maintenance routines to carry as
necessary are described as follows:
 Switch off the hot air oven
 Switch off the mains to which the equipment is plugged

54.  Disconnect the plug of the equipment
 Allow the equipment to cool if temperature is high
 Take out the materials available in the equipment and place it in tray
disinfected
 Take out the trays from the equipment and place it in a safe place
 Take a lint free cloth and dip it in disinfectant solution

55.  Squeeze the cloth and use
 Clean internal surface of the equipment
 Clean trays as per above procedure
 Mop the surface with a dry lint free cloth

56.  Place the trays in their original position and place the material within the
equipment as per the requirement
 Connect the plug of the equipment
 Switch on the mains and operate if required