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Sunday, May 18, 2008

Why using lab coats in the laboratory is important?

By Joe Alexis

All medical professionals and practitioners will understand the importance of a good lab coat. Especially for those who are involved in doing research that often uses a wide variety of chemicals, many will find that a good lab coat is vital in ensuring you do not get harmed by any accidentally spills of substances that might be physically harmful.

Even though the common perception of lab coats is that it must be white, you will be surprised to know that today, lab coats come in many different colors. One main reason for this being so, is for the purpose of identification. With different colored lab coats being assigned to different staff, the identification of the many roles that each staff plays becomes much easier.

Though it is common to find most medical institutions issuing white lab coats to the doctors, it is not mandatory. You will also find that most nurses and staff, who play a supporting role, will be issued green or blue lab coats. Either way, different institutions will have different guidelines; none of which are wrong.

You might also be surprised to know that there is actually more than one type of lab coat. Most lab coats are made from treated cotton, but today, there are lab coats made from all sorts of materials, designed specifically to give you maximum protection from specific chemicals and substances you might be handling. Also, there are disposable lab coats that allow you to dispose them easily and cleanly, without having to constantly send your lab coat for washing.

However, there is a common and general rule of thumb to follow concerning lab coats. Once a lab coat is stained or contaminated by a chemical, it is very important that you remove your lab coat and send it to professional chemical cleaners immediately. This is normally done to prevent any further contamination of other chemicals, or in some cases, to prevent any physical harm that might happen because of exposure of the split chemical or substance.

For lab coats that are severely contaminated, it is advisable for you to discard them immediately, and replace them with a new one. It is important to note, that these lab coats should be disposed of carefully, and not be mixed together with the rest of the common trash. Once again, this is to prevent further contamination, as the lab coats have already been contaminated with unwanted substances.

To ensure that you are well protected from any accident concerning chemicals that might be harmful to you, you should always remember to wear your lab coat properly and at all times. To check if you are doing so, you will need to make sure that all buttons and zippers are well utilized and you have your arms covered by your entire coat sleeve.

These are just some of the reasons why a lab coat plays a vital role in any medical practitioner?s line of duty. As a result, you should always wear a lab coat whenever necessary, and never underestimate the amount of protection you get from it.

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