How to prepare for a lab catastrophe

Tips for disaster-proofing lab equipment and materials

• Don’t stick your head in the sand and assume it won’t happen to your lab.
• Think about the worst thing that could happen to your lab and prepare for it.
• Use plastic covers to protect expensive equipment when not in use.
• Lift critical equipment a few centimetres off the floor.
• Make sure lab members’ phone numbers are posted on lab doors so they can be contacted quickly in an emergency.
• Consider splitting critical samples and other materials and storing them in multiple locations (and even in different institutes).
• Investigate what kind of support your university’s emergency response teams can provide.
• After the event, take care to focus on the wellbeing of students and staff.