Summer weather inspires many to purchase new sporting equipment: golf clubs, baseball bats, snorkels, fishing poles, and other gear. Acquiring ergonomically sound lab equipment, on the other hand, has never been seasonal—and the selection is as varied as ever. If you are in the market for a new liquid-handling device, it may be time to consider those models that will let you do more with less risk.
You may not lose a million-dollar contract, but painful injuries can put a complete stop to your pipetting activities. Pushing down on a new pipette tip, depressing the plunger, and hitting the tip-release lever can all take a toll after hours of unrelenting effort. Every year, such repetitive tasks can add up to more than $120 billion in reduced productivity, lost compensation, and medical and indirect expenses, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While experts aren’t sure of how many injuries stem from life science research, the indicators are that tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other injuries are all too common among lab scientists and staff. Research shows that you’re at higher risk for hand and shoulder injuries if you pipette for more than 300 hours within one year.
Multichannel pipettors have helped to ease certain tasks. But they themselves can also be part of the problem. That’s why companies have developed pipettors that meet the approval and certification of OSHA-accredited testing agencies. These new pipettors not only come with health-oriented features, but also extra bells and whistles that improve your overall research experience.
Electronic manual dispensers, as opposed to those that require mechanical force, allow you to dispense reagents with a virtually effortless touch. Controlled by a microprocessor, the dispenser also reduces the imprecision and inaccuracy that are typically associated with human-powered piston dispensers. Some pipettors come with several volume ranges; others come with various operation modes, such as standard pipetting, sample mixing, reverse pipetting, step dispensing, and gel loading. For gel loading, the pipettor dispenses the liquid very slowly to avoid disrupting the gel.
Once you’re done with a pipette tip, you can release it with a button operated by a different finger from the one used for dispensing. Ergonomic pipettors and tips are designed to minimize the static strain of latching on to a new tip. Other features include a function that tracks the volume of liquid dispensed, an adjustable finger rest, soft handles, rechargeable batteries, and overall lightweight design.
The equipment above is a good start, but you’re not entirely safe from injury if you don’t also assess the position and posture of your entire body. Chairs and lab benches with improper heights can cause back, neck, and arm injuries. Ask your institution for ergonomic consulting. And look at the many products, such as footrests, ergonomic chairs, and tables with adjustable components, that can save you from a lot of physical and emotional pain.
Take a look at the ergonomic pipettors below, and make an investment toward long-term productivity. Now, about that golf swing…
A fully automated, turnkey solution for total control of your pipettes.
To reduce the risk of human error and enhance efficiency, ARTEL has upgraded its PCS®plus (Pipette Calibration System) with new automation capabilities, streamlining laboratory pipette calibration management. Given the critical need for data accuracy and precision and the consequences of malfunctioning liquid delivery devices, regular pipette calibration is mandatory, yet the shortage of trained laboratory technicians stretches resources thin. Launched by liquid delivery quality assurance leader ARTEL, PCSplus’ new features optimize the calibration process, facilitate compliance and help laboratories ensure data integrity.
