Lab safety equipment: what every laboratory needs
A laboratory that works with hazardous chemicals needs, at a minimum, the means to dilute and clean up spilled or splashed substances straight away (emergency showers, eye wash, neutralising agents and adsorbents), safe storage for flammable liquids, and personal protective equipment for the eyes, hands and body. At European level, Directive 98/24/EC on chemical agents requires the employer to assess chemical risks and to prepare for accidents and emergencies, including appropriate first aid facilities. Exactly which equipment your lab needs follows from its risk assessment.
Risk assessment first, then the equipment
Safety equipment is the final safeguard: when everything else fails, it is what protects your people. The European framework directive on safety and health at work, Directive 89/391/EEC, sets the general principles of prevention: avoid risks, evaluate the risks that cannot be avoided, combat them at source, replace the dangerous by the non-dangerous or less dangerous, and give collective protective measures priority over individual ones (Art. 6). For chemicals, Directive 98/24/EC adds that substitution comes first, followed by suitable work processes and engineering controls, then collective measures such as adequate ventilation, and then individual protection, including PPE, where exposure cannot be prevented by other means (Art. 6). Directive 89/656/EEC on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) states the same rule: PPE is used when the risks cannot be avoided or sufficiently limited by technical means of collective protection or by measures, methods or procedures of work organisation (Art. 3).
In practice, the order is: replace a hazardous substance where you can, work in a fume cupboard or closed system, organise the work so fewer people are exposed, and then choose the PPE that protects your people against the risk that remains. That final layer has to be right, because it is what your people rely on when an incident happens. Your prevention adviser or safety officer is the right partner to turn the risk assessment into a list per room and per workstation; for organisations with several labs or sites, we help turn that list into one consistent equipment standard and a single order. The checklist below follows that logic.
Checklist: lab safety equipment by risk
Use this table as a starting point for your inventory. Each row names the European act or European standard that applies, with a link to the official text for the EU acts, and the range where you can order.
| Equipment | What it is for | Standard / provision (source) | Browse the range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency shower and plumbed eye wash | Rinsing the body or eyes straight after a splash | Directive 98/24/EC, Art. 7 (first aid facilities); EN 15154-1 and EN 15154-2, Emergency safety showers | Eye wash stations and bottles |
| Eye wash bottle or wall station | First aid on the way to the plumbed unit, or where there is no water connection | Directive 98/24/EC, Art. 7; complements the plumbed unit | Eye wash stations and bottles |
| Neutralising agents and adsorbents | Containing and cleaning up spills | Directive 98/24/EC, Art. 7 (mitigating the effects of an incident) | Emergency and first aid |
| Safety cabinet for flammable liquids | Fire-safe storage of solvents and other flammables | EN 14470-1, Fire safety storage cabinets – Part 1: Safety storage cabinets for flammable liquids | Safety cabinets for flammables and chemicals; Safety cabinets and hazardous storage |
| Cabinet accessories, waste caps, safety funnels | Spill trays, shelving, closed solvent waste collection | — | Cabinet accessories and equipment packages; Solvent waste caps, safety funnels and canisters |
| Safety glasses, goggles, face shield | Protecting eyes and face against impact, splashes and dust | EN 166, Personal eye-protection – Specifications; Directive 89/656/EEC; Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | Eye and face protection; Safety glasses; Safety goggles; Laser and UV safety glasses |
| Chemical-resistant gloves | Protecting hands against chemicals | EN ISO 374-1, Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms – Part 1; Directive 89/656/EEC; Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | Gloves; Chemical-resistant gloves; Nitrile disposable gloves |
| Lab coat and protective clothing | Protecting skin and clothing | Directive 89/656/EEC; Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | Protective clothing and workwear |
| Respiratory protection | Protection where ventilation is not enough | Directive 89/656/EEC; Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | Respiratory protection |
| Safety signs and GHS pictograms | Marking hazards, storage areas and emergency equipment | Directive 92/58/EEC (safety signs) | Safety signs and pictograms |
| First aid, fire and emergency equipment | First response to injuries and fire | Directive 89/391/EEC, Art. 8 | First aid, fire and emergency equipment |
Emergency showers and eye wash stations
When a chemical splashes onto skin or into the eyes, the first seconds count. Directive 98/24/EC requires the employer to set up procedures for accidents, incidents and emergencies involving hazardous chemical agents, including appropriate first aid facilities, and to take immediate steps to mitigate the effects when such an event occurs (Art. 7). EU law does not prescribe a specific model or position. Emergency showers and eye wash are how labs usually deal with splashes; which units you need, and where, follows from your risk assessment.
There are two families of equipment. Plumbed units are connected to the water supply and deliver a continuous flow: a body shower, an eye wash, or a combination of both. Typical lab set-ups are a floor-mounted combination with eye wash and two shower heads, a wall-mounted combination with eye wash and basin, or a hand-held eye wash mounted on the bench next to the sink. Portable eye wash bottles, for example with physiological saline in a 500 ml bottle, or a wall station holding several bottles, work without a water connection.
In practice, labs treat the bottle as first aid: you start rinsing at once and continue at the plumbed unit, or you use it where there is no water connection. The European standard series for these units is EN 15154, Emergency safety showers. Part 1 covers plumbed-in body showers for laboratories and part 2 plumbed-in eyewash units; non-plumbed units fall under other parts of the same series. Choose a model built to the relevant part, keep the access route clear, and test the units regularly as the manufacturer instructs. Emergency showers and eye wash bottles are both in eye wash stations and bottles; neutralising agents and adsorbents for spills are in emergency and first aid.
Safe storage of flammable and hazardous substances
Solvents do not belong on open shelves. For flammable liquids, use a safety cabinet built to EN 14470-1, Fire safety storage cabinets – Part 1: Safety storage cabinets for flammable liquids. Check the standard named on the product page. You will find these in safety cabinets for flammables and chemicals, within the wider range of safety cabinets and hazardous storage.
Keep acids and bases apart from flammables and from each other, in cabinets intended for corrosive substances. Spill trays under containers catch leaks before they spread. Shelves, trays and complete equipment sets are in safety cabinet accessories and equipment packages. For solvent waste, safety funnels and waste caps keep the canister closed between fills, so fewer vapours escape into the room; see solvent waste caps, safety funnels and canisters. Finally, label cabinets, containers and storage areas with the correct GHS hazard pictograms and safety signs, available in safety signs and pictograms. Directive 92/58/EEC on safety and health signs at work requires employers to provide signs where hazards cannot be avoided or adequately reduced by collective protection or work organisation (Art. 3).
Eye and face protection
The general European standard for eye protection is EN 166, Personal eye-protection – Specifications. It covers safety glasses, goggles and face shields. Choose a model built to EN 166 and check the marking on the product page against the risk at the workstation. As PPE, eye protection placed on the EU market falls under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment, which sets the design and manufacturing requirements and the rules for the CE marking. Before making PPE available, distributors must check that it bears the CE marking and comes with the required documents and instructions (Art. 11).
- Safety glasses protect against frontal impact and are the everyday choice for general lab work. See safety glasses and spectacles.
- Goggles seal all round the eyes and protect against splashes, droplets and dust. They suit work with corrosive liquids and pouring. See safety goggles.
- Face shields protect the whole face and are worn over glasses or goggles when the splash risk is high.
Lasers and UV sources need dedicated eyewear with a filter for the wavelength in use; those are in laser and UV safety glasses. For staff who wear prescription glasses, over-glasses, or goggles with a polycarbonate lens made to fit over spectacles, are a practical solution. The full range is in eye and face protection.
Gloves for chemical risks
The European standard for gloves against chemical risks is EN ISO 374-1, Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms – Part 1: Terminology and performance requirements for chemical risks. It replaced EN 374-1. Like all PPE, gloves carry the CE marking under Regulation (EU) 2016/425. Choose by the type of contact:
- Disposable nitrile gloves protect against incidental splashes. Change them straight after contamination. The selection FAQ on nitrile disposable gloves helps you choose thickness and fit.
- Reusable chemical-resistant gloves are for longer contact, immersion and cleaning work. They come in several materials and sizes; see chemical-resistant gloves.
Always compare the chemicals the glove was tested against with the substances you actually use; the product page and the safety data sheet of your chemical are the starting points. Cryogenic, heat-resistant and cut-resistant gloves are covered by other standards and are chosen separately. The complete range is in gloves.
Body, respiratory and other protection
A lab coat that is closed at the front and has long sleeves is the basic layer of body protection in any chemical lab. For work with larger volumes or corrosive substances, add aprons or chemical protective clothing; both are in protective clothing and workwear.
Respiratory protection comes in when ventilation and the fume cupboard are not enough, for example during spill clean-up or maintenance. Choose the type and filter with your prevention adviser, based on the substance and the exposure; see respiratory protection. Complete the list with safety footwear where heavy items or liquids can fall, hearing protection near noisy equipment, and skin protection and hand hygiene, including hand disinfectant at the exits. Under Directive 89/656/EEC, the employer provides PPE free of charge and keeps it in good working order and hygienic condition (Art. 4(6)). The directive does let Member States ask workers to contribute to the cost of certain PPE where its use is not exclusive to the workplace.
Emergencies and first aid
Prevention reduces the risk; it never removes it entirely. When an incident does happen, the response depends on the equipment within reach. Directive 89/391/EEC requires the employer to take the necessary measures for first aid, fire-fighting and evacuation of workers (Art. 8). Make sure every lab has a stocked first aid kit, fire and emergency equipment within reach, and clear signs showing escape routes and the location of the emergency shower and eye wash. First aid kits and emergency equipment are in first aid, fire and emergency equipment; the overview of all categories is on the lab safety equipment page.
Frequently asked questions
Is an emergency shower mandatory in a lab?
EU law does not name the emergency shower as such. Directive 98/24/EC requires the employer to prepare for accidents and emergencies with hazardous chemical agents, including appropriate first aid facilities, and to mitigate the effects immediately when an incident occurs (Art. 7). For labs where chemicals can splash onto the body, an emergency shower is the usual answer. Which equipment you need, and where, follows from the risk assessment, made together with your prevention adviser.
Is an eye wash bottle enough instead of a plumbed eye wash?
In practice, an eye wash bottle is first aid: you start rinsing straight away and continue at the plumbed unit, or you use it in places without a water connection. It complements a plumbed eye wash rather than replacing it. The right combination follows from your risk assessment. Both are in eye wash stations and bottles.
Which standard applies to a safety cabinet for flammable liquids?
EN 14470-1, Fire safety storage cabinets – Part 1: Safety storage cabinets for flammable liquids. Check on the product page whether a model is built to this standard. You will find these cabinets in safety cabinets for flammables and chemicals.
What is the difference between safety glasses and goggles?
EN 166 is the general European standard for personal eye protection. Safety glasses protect against frontal impact and suit general lab work. Goggles seal all round the eyes and protect against splashes, droplets and dust. See safety glasses and spectacles and safety goggles.
Who pays for personal protective equipment?
Under Directive 89/656/EEC, the employer provides personal protective equipment free of charge and keeps it in good working order and hygienic condition (Art. 4(6)). The directive does allow Member States to ask workers to contribute to the cost of certain PPE where its use is not exclusive to the workplace.
Can I buy a complete lab safety set-up in one order?
Yes. Send us your list or the rooms you need to equip through the quote request page, or write to sales@luminixhealth.com, and we will put together one quote for all categories.
Equipping a complete lab or planning an annual order?
As a European distributor, we supply laboratories with safety equipment across all the categories on this page, in one order. Request a quote or write to sales@luminixhealth.com.
