Is it compulsory to maintain protective equipment in the laboratory?

Article 170 of Law 31/1995, of December 8 on the prevention of occupational hazards states that “Where the use of work equipment is likely to pose a specific risk to the health and safety of workers, the employer shall take the necessary measures to ensure that: Repair, modification, maintenance or repair work must be carried out by workers who are specifically trained for that purpose”.

Royal Decree 374/2001, of April 6 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work, in Section II Obligations of the employer, Article 4. General principles for the prevention of risks from chemical agents, requires: ''The establishment of appropriate procedures for using and maintaining equipment used for working with hazardous chemical agents, and for carrying out any activity involving hazardous chemical agents, or any waste containing them, including their handling, storage and transfer in the workplace.''

Royal Decree 486/1997, of April 14, establishing the minimum health and safety provisions in the workplace, in SECTION II Obligations of the employer, Article 3. General obligation of the employer, states that “The employer shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the use of workplaces does not give rise to risks to the health and safety of workers or, if this is not possible, that such risks are reduced to a minimum.
In all circumstances, workplaces shall comply with the minimum requirements laid down in this Royal Decree as regards construction conditions, tidiness, cleanliness and maintenance, signage, service or protective facilities, environmental conditions, lighting, toilets and rest areas, and first-aid equipment and facilities”.

Article 5. Tidiness, cleanliness and maintenance. states that “Tidiness, cleanliness and maintenance of workplaces shall comply with the provisions of Appendix II”, Point 4 of which states that “Workplaces, and in particular their facilities, must be regularly maintained“.

Royal Decree 656/2017, of June 23 de junio, approving the Regulation on the Storage of Chemical Products and its Complementary Technical Instructions MIE APQ 0 to 10. Point 1 of Article 15. Maintenenace Plan. of Complementary Technical Instruction MIE APQ-10 “Storage in mobile containers” states that “Every storage facility shall have its own maintenance plan to check the availability and good condition of the elements, installations and personal protective equipment”.

How often is maintenance of protective equipment in the laboratory recommended?

Our recommendation is that maintenance should be carried out at least annually, without ruling out the possibility that in some cases specific maintenance operations may have to be carried out at shorter intervals.

How do I request a verification of all of the laboratory's protective equipment?

Send an e-mail to service@burdinola.com with a list of the equipment to be verified, stating, where possible, its location, model and manufacturer.

How do I request maintenance of all of the laboratory's protective equipment?

Send an e-mail to service@burdinola.com with a list of the equipment to be verified, stating, where possible, its location, model and manufacturer.

How do I request technical assistance for all of the laboratory's protective equipment?

Send an e-mail to service@burdinola.com providing the serial and model number of the equipment or a photo of the equipment, as well as a description of the fault.

The fume cupboard is beeping. What does this mean?

Please refer to the manual for your fume cupboard, which details the possible reasons why the fume cupboard will trigger an alarm.