Hexavalent - 23-4-2012 at 07:50
What sort of things do you all use when working in the lab to sit down on? Silly question, I know, but with all this modern panic about posture I
thought it was worth posting.
Personally, I have an old bar stool for working at my main bench, notably for when working and doing very little movements for a long time, e.g.
microscope work. I don't like it very much, however, as there are no gaps in my under-bench cabinets where I can put my legs and thus I have to sit
sideways, parallel to the bench with my torso twisted around 90*. Because it is so low, I have to use a mini office chair to use my fumehood with the
sash at working height, which, again, is an inconvenience but one I can live with at the moment.
DougTheMapper - 23-4-2012 at 08:29
I have a old work stool but it still doesn't allow my legs under the bench. Personally I prefer to stand just in case I need to get away from
something quickly. I have a couple layers of scrap carpet pad in front of the bench so standing for a few hours isn't uncomfortable at all.
Hexavalent - 23-4-2012 at 08:46
Me too, we recently re-carpeted my parents room and put the remainders in the garage for my use . . .as you say, standing isn't uncomfortable at all.
phlogiston - 23-4-2012 at 14:00
Sounds like your stool isn't the problem, but rather the cabinets under your working table.
I use a stool with adjustable height that has wheels so you can move it around easily. Great, except for working behind the fume hoods which have
cabinets underneath them. Standing up is ok, but then I can't work without opening the sash above the calibrated height as I am too tall. However,
mostly when you need to be in the fume hood a lot, it is because of building or breaking down a setup and then no reaction should be taking place.
During reactions, the sash can be down and you will most often only need to make small adjustments occasionally, so I guess it is not a big problem.
BromicAcid - 23-4-2012 at 14:38
Not supposed to have stools in our labs, trip hazard.
Eliteforum - 24-4-2012 at 12:25
Lab stool, bought it when I bought my lab table. They both cost me a small fortune.
Hexavalent - 24-4-2012 at 13:22
I know! My school recently upgraded some of their lab benches with the more modern-looking ones and apparantley it cost a huge sum to do so for each
lab - re-fitting all of the cupboards, benches, drawers, lab taps, gas taps etc.
On that note, (sorry admins for going off topic) do any of you possess a proper laboratory tap, like those seen in professional/academic labs, i.e.
these;
[Edited on 24-4-2012 by Hexavalent]
barley81 - 24-4-2012 at 16:00
Nope. I have a hose in the garden and a tap in the bathroom. I'm eventually going to make a distilled water siphon from a jug, some glass tubing, and
a rubber stopper for easier dispensing. I have had little time in the lab...
Eliteforum - 25-4-2012 at 03:28
Speaking of which, I have a lab table which I bought from Cole Parmer, with acid resistant top, 6x3 ft I think. Cost me close to £600 a few years
ago, it's currently sitting under my stairs in the cubby hole with all the other junk.
If anyone wants it, your welcome to come and collect it.
unionised - 25-4-2012 at 11:50
Way back in the depths of time when I was a student, sitting around in the lab was discouraged. As they pointed out, you can run away quicker if you
are standing up.
Hexavalent - 25-4-2012 at 13:02
I guess so. I should mention, though, that I only use my chair with my fumehood as it's between having the sash at max height at all times when
working or sitting down on the chair, and I only use my chair with my bench when I'm doing fairly non-hazardous procedures, such as using microscopes,
etc.
chemrox - 25-4-2012 at 14:09
My wife picked up a monster with three legs, casters and a bicycle seat at a garage sale. I politely used it for a month and rid the premises of the
damned thing. I have a school stool but it's usually in the way. By the way does everyone have back flow preventers on his water spigots? Fume
hoods? I tried using a powerful exhaust fan at my old place and ended up with solvents in my blood.