A recommended practice for your lab flooring
The standards for laboratory flooring don’t provide much guidance on what’s appropriate for different types of labs. For example, the floor of a clean room will probably be exposed to different chemicals than a standard lab with a few microscopes. So, how does a flooring company that sells products like FreeStyle BioLock tailored specifically for labs know what to test for?
SelecTech abides by the
Scientific Equipment & Furniture Association SEFA 8-M-2010 Recommended Practices For Metal Laboratory Grade Furniture, Casework, Shelving and Tables.
Of specific interest to us—and our customers—are the 49 chemicals SEFA recommends testing for on lab furniture, casework, shelving and tables. A chemical that can splash on the floor as easily as any of those surfaces, right? But does that mean you have to test your flooring for all 49 chemicals?
Yes and no.
It really depends on your comfort level and current and future work being done in your lab. If you think it’s possible your floor could be exposed to a chemical now or down the road, test for it.
That's just one of the questions we typically ask lab customers prior to recommending a flooring solution. With flooring or any other lab activity, you want to be cautious. It is always best to test for a chemical before you buy your flooring than after the fact.
For the list of SEFA’s 49 chemicals, click on the button below. If you’re thinking about upgrading your current lab flooring, please give us a call at 508-583-3200 or
drop a line.
