[Histonet] Floor in a pathology laboratory

[Gayle Callis]

I agree with Rene.  We also have commerical rugs (heavy duty, very low 
carpet, inexpensive, and are the kind found in entry ways of 
buildings).  We place these in front of microtome areas, sinks and 
processor, chairs roll on them without resistance.    They can be vacuumed 
to pick up paraffin shavings, and when eventually trashed, merely 
replaced.   We had an incident on a hard floor, as paraffin seems to 
permeate and coat all surfaces.  A visiting post doc slipped, and if he 
hadn't grabbed a door handle, would have cracked back of his skull on our 
hard floor.  Our janitors here would NEVER think to mop a floor, but they 
do vacuum these little carpets.    Perhaps clinical labs have better 
regulations for cleaning histology lab areas than our research facility ( I 
work in a double wide trailer house! also called a modular) has available.

If you can't use carpets, then consider the sticky peel a away mats under 
your microtoming areas, this catches trimmings that seem to fly around 
willy nilly, no matter what one does. These are also used at entry ways of 
areas where dust, dirt and/or prion associated work is done.

Be sure you ask for acid resistant sinks, that are large, deep and enough 
of them to do the work necessary, staining, grossing areas, etc, etc.  A 
lab with two sinks like ours is NOT a good situation.  Also, ask that the 
the microtoming area has decent bright lighting and NO air vents just about 
the microtome area.

Good luck and congratulations on being able to design a new laboratory.

At 02:14 PM 9/18/2007, you wrote:
>Chemicals resistant, anti-slip, and ascrubbable to eliminate paraffin.
>   René J.
>
>"

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610