We have written previously on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) certification program for green buildings. In this column, the Safety Guys will look at some of the potential health and safety issues involved when building green.

Want to build a lab? Think you don't have the space or the funds to do so? Think again! You can place high-technology research space in your current office building. All it takes is a good plan up front and creative thinking from an integrated team.

Problem: Contamination in cell culture is a time-consuming, costly and ongoing problem. Research can be invalidated, valuable cell lines lost and weeks and even months of work ruined.

Patents are more than just boring legal documents. “A patent is the link between R&D and the legal processes,” notes Pierre Buffet, executive vice president of intellectual property information firm Questel. “Patents can be used for various interesting business purposes outside of simply protecting a new invention,” adds Director Ronald Kaminecki with Dialog LLC.

Keeping track of the maintenance and safety of lab equipment used in performing laboratory tasks can be a challenge for lab managers. One piece of equipment deserving special attention when it comes to ensuring the safety of laboratory employees is the centrifuge.

It’s a common refrain heard within nearly every business circle today, but only because it’s true: The world of work has changed. Nowhere is this more evident than in the use of contingent workers, or “free agents,” across nearly every global industry.

Over the last decade, traditional office and R&D designs have failed to serve new business models and employment arrangements; the results have been visible at the bottom line of balance sheets. The real bottom line is this: Better workplaces make for better business.

For labs dealing with infectious substances, a biosecurity plan is just as important as a strong safety program.

Before guiding yourself through the Lab Centrifuge purchasing selection criteria below, you should ask yourself four questions related to the protocol or application you intend to use this centrifuge for.

What application are you using the water for? This is the first question you must answer when choosing a water purification system for your lab.

Read Lab Manager's independent guide to purchasing a CO2 Incubator and find the latest instruments on LabWrench.