Starting up a lab.........

[tinker71]

Hi there

 

I am looking for some guidance on where to begin with looking into starting up a lab in accordance with BS EN ISO 7218:2007.

 

Whilst I currently have access to a university lab working to these guidelines, I have had a job offer which would mean me starting up a lab to to analyse microbiological environment samples from the preparation of agars through to the presumptive plate counts after incubation (obviously in addition to general house-keeping etc.). These are all aspects that I am more than comfortable with but have minimal understanding in the business, H&S aspects etc.

 

I have a copy of the Standard but am wondering how feasible and costly this will be to set up from scratch and am looking for ideas / things to consider. If the exercise is too costly, it could make all the difference with regards to the job offer.

 

Any help woould be greatly appreciated

 

[CharonY]

I think the most costly aspect in addition to the usual lab equipment may be a suitable location to set the lab up and, if needed, to make changes.

 

 

Costs that come up in addition to the pure lab things (that I presume you are familiar with) include the accreditation itself, of course, compliance with biosafety regulations, waste disposal, to name a few aspects. I am not familiar with the detailed requirements and do not know how much it differs from a standard non-accredited test lab, though.

 

It is kind of strange that you have to set up a lab out of your pocked for a job, though.

[tinker71]

Thanks for your reply. One point to make is that I am not having to fund the setting up of the lab myself as the company have a budget set aside for this purpose. It is just that if they have not set aside enough (which I fear will be the case) then to accept a job offer would be a pointless exercise.

 

What I am ideally after at this stage is a 'one-stop shop' to go through the technical aspects such as design, waste disposal, regulations etc. as the other fact is that whilst I am more than capable of carrying out the required work, I have only been doing this kind of work for a couple of years there may be regulations stating that I am not experienced enough to run a small lab on my own.

 

I am just struggling to get enough information together at the moment.

[CharonY]

Unfortunately I only familiar with setting up labs in academic settings (in which rules apply that may or may not be required for private labs).

 

For general laboratory safety regulations you may want to look at OSHA and see if it applies, also the information from CDC may be relevant. For specific information you may want to see guidance from the A2LA.

[TonyMcC]

Any test equipment you use may need to be regularly calibrated by an officially accredited external laboratory or the equipment manufacturers according to a strict routine - particularly so if you are doing work for the government or armed forces.

Edited August 26, 2011 by TonyMcC

[tinker71]

Thanks to you both for your guidance. I think that I have already sourced the UK equivalents of the information you provided CharonY and as for calibration of equipment, I agree TonyMcC that that will be one of the foremost factors to consider.

 

Its almost like a needle in a haystck at the minute but I am sure that if I keep looking, all the information I need will slot into place....fingers crossed!!

 

Thanks again

[maysaa]

I think it is important for a person who runs a lab to be aware of the safety precautions and biohazards. He/she had to make code of practice to all laboratory procedures.

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki-authour of Occupational Health Hazards in Hospitals, What Health Care Workers Should Know?

[LawfulBlade]

Just to give you some fiscal correlates, I was part of a larger triad group of three scientists, each with their own group of affiliated assistants & post-docs, that came together from one institution to another. Each PI was granted $750,000/yr for three years from the department to set up their labs, with the possibility of extending that amount of money for two additional years, if grants had not been received by that time. Our group spent the first year's amount of money within the first day, with the purchase of a single microscope. Before the next ten months were over, an additional year's allocation was spent.

 

In other words, $1.5 million USD went into: 1 microscope, 3 -80 freezers, 1 fridge, 1 thermalcycler, a standard fume hood and a bio-safety 3 hood, 1 analytical balance, 2 pH meters, 7 computers, surveillance software, an electrophys rig, and a microwave, salaries of all workers, all reagents and consumables, starter mice, a rack and upkeep in a barrier facility, surgical equipment, and warranties on all lab equipment over $5K. The warranties were 10% of purchase cost annually, so $75K/annually for the microscope alone.

 

We shared some of the equipment between the three of us, so, even though the group I was in didn't buy a cryostat, one of the other groups in the triad did, so it worked out. Some reagents and consumables were also shared, in exchange for us letting them use our microscope. We also cross-trained one another on techniques.

 

Our facility covered disposal costs of most chemicals and deceased animals. Additional charges were associated with disposal of homeland security controlled substances, and several other specific toxins. Following start-up costs, maintenance for the mice for our group alone ran us $1-2K/month, not including when we'd purchase a new knock-in or embryos.

[matty]

Have they actually disclosed what they've set aside for it, any target dates or signs they're looking into location

themselves?--eh, still sounds a bit unorthodox, some kinda quirky questionably organized offer to me without already having addressed these issues, eeshk...