Characteristics of Laboratory Safety Problems in Academic Laboratory Facilities in a Thai University

Abstract

This study aims at providing general characteristics of safety problems and current mitigation plans in academic laboratories in Thailand. This empirical study utilizes the “Enhancement of Safety Practice in Research Laboratory in Thailand” (ESPReL) checklists to identify safety problems focusing on three aspects: the chemical management system; the waste disposal system; and laboratories, equipment, and tools. The experiment gathers safety evaluation reports from 17 educational buildings with laboratories located on a university campus. The methodology includes various procedures, including walk-through observations, documentation, user interview, specialist evaluation, and stakeholders’ data verification. Finally, all the analyzed data identified common safety problems and reviewed existing mitigation plans. The finding shows common laboratory safety problems in laboratories, equipment, and tool components, where both specialists’ and laboratory users’ assessments indicate significant concerns that indicate the need for urgent improvement. In addition, the difference in results between the two parties’ evaluation occurs in some aspects, suggesting the enhancement in integrating the laboratory safety rules and guidelines into safer user habits. In conclusion, the study highlights the necessity to improve laboratories’ physical attributes and facility design, as well as refurbish the building engineering systems and safety equipment to the current building standards. Moreover, the safety awareness gap is another issue that should not be overlooked. Further study suggests investigating facility management or user-behavior effects to narrow down the gaps to improve safety in academic laboratories.