Unit 4: Laboratory Techniques and their Application
D: Understand how scientific information may be stored and communicated in a workplace
laboratory
D.P7: Explain how scientific information in a workplace laboratory is recorded and
processed to meet the needs of the customer and to ensure traceability.
D.P8: Explain how useful scientific information is obtained from large data sets and the
potential issues and benefits.
P7, P8
Work in the laboratory is used to enhance an individual's scientific knowledge and curiosity
about scientific matters. The laboratory has been important in the development and
comprehension of systematic techniques and technological and medicinal advancements. It
is critical in any employment environment to keep meticulous records of all events and data
gathered. This can help with cost management and establish accountability for the
transactions that have occurred.
For example, if a laboratory realises that it is running low on supplies or requires new
equipment, it will order it. When the required products/equipment is brought to the
laboratory, it must be received by the appropriate persons and immediately booked, with
the product's provenance recorded. This information can be written down in a book or
entered into a computer database. The sample identification number is used to classify the
equipment. This number is used to identify and distinguish a material or entity from other
substances or objects. This number cannot be used more than once, ensuring that it can be
traced.
This application allows you to quickly determine the minimum and maximum value and the
sum and mean of a set of elements. It can be kept in a computer software, such as Microsoft
Excel, concerning the analysis records (e.g., the concentration/volume of the chemical
compound). This internet medium can also be used to create graphs and charts. It helps you
keep track of how much equipment you have and how much you haven't. To ensure that
the Excel is adequately protected, a password can be added to it. Only individuals with the
appropriate security level have access to it for traceability. If you do it on paper, keep it in a
lockable filing cabinet. A routine password change could be included, ensuring that security
is not jeopardised if a member of staff quits or leaves the job. There is a standard procedure
, for filling out a certification of analysis, which is used to verify that the items satisfy the
required standards. This can be done on paper or the computer.
As an added layer of security, the college or other institution instals a firewall in the
laboratory. It keeps track of and filters web traffic, preventing hacking attempts directed at
the facility. Technicians must mark the threats a chemical substance poses, whether it is a
toxin or an irritant, following the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health legislation of
2002, often known as COSSH. Managers and higher-ups who follow this protocol do
everything they can to prevent injuries. With all of this in place, everyone in the laboratory
and outside customers may simply access and utilise the equipment they require while also
knowing their location, amount, and information about the apparatus.
Certificate of analysis template layout
There is a set of rules that must be followed in order for a laboratory to function properly.
The structure of this hierarchy is determined by a number of elements, including:
1. the number of people in the environment.
2. Programs that take place in the context of the workplace.
3. The location of the staff personnel (difference in job sites).
4. The shifts that people work (day or night).