Session: 15-01-01: General Topics on Risk, Safety, and Reliability I

Paper Number: 164267

Risk Analysis of Modular Research Laboratories 

Modular laboratories utilize highly specialized equipment in a mobile setting to employ research in numerous areas. These laboratories have a wide range of applications but are typically used to conduct specialized research projects with a singular process or goal in mind. Mobility and flexibility do come with special hazards to be thoroughly evaluated to ensure safety, functional effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Such specialized projects are often linked to commercial companies, requiring efficient analysis to identify system risks. Several techniques, such as failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), standard risk models, and fault tree analysis were used to analyze modular laboratory environments to identify system risks and potential impacts. This work focused on the analysis of literature focusing on laboratory risks, translating them to a modular setting. The main difference in the traditional laboratory to the modular laboratory is the size of the workspace and the environment. Factors, such as limited bench space, reduced storage, and potential for poor ventilation, can serve as event drivers which result in a high-risk environment for inefficiencies and failure. It was determined that such environments as modular labs have the highest impacts in the risk of potential financial loss due to sample rework. Failure modes with the greatest impact were linked to the operational issues have more severe economic consequences than physical hazards, as they can lead to delays in the project and sample loss that has to be re-created. In these cases, samples were ineffectively prepared, analyzed, or were lost due to poor processes. Other risks that posed significant physical damaged were less likely to occur but had significantly worse outcomes to researchers in the lab. While such physical hazards can be present in modular laboratory environments, they are observed to be less frequent than other, less severe risks. To reduce the occurrence of such impacts, our analysis suggests limited exposure to event drivers, in this case, limiting chemical, biological, or otherwise hazardous material exposure. Reduced exposure has the strongest potential to minimize the financial loss and physical damage seen as impacts from failures in the modular laboratory. The study lays the ground for future risk analysis in modular labs and serves as a platform to improve risk management strategies in modular research laboratories. It serves as a basis to refine risk management in the increasing instances of modular laboratories and their associate risks. We highlight the importance of considering both the economic and physical risks that are connected in the operations of such facilities.

Presenting Author: Sarah Hernandez Colorado State University

Presenting Author Biography: Sarah currently works as a lab manager and research associate for Peccoud Lab at Colorado State University. She explores cell work while maintaining the lab management practices. While her background is in analytical chemistry, she has broadened her horizons by exploring the different techniques in cell culture, colony picking, and transfection/transformation of cells. She also is the lead researcher on a high-throughput plasmid assembly process used in the lab.

Authors:

Sarah I. Hernandez Colorado State University