Scientific laboratories strive to be consistent and mistake-free, but nobody is perfect. Below, we’ll explain the most common errors in laboratories, their causes, and some helpful suggestions for how to avoid them.
In most lab settings, environmental errors are rare, but they can still occur. An environmental error is when the environmental conditions change the results of an experiment or test to produce flawed results.
These errors can come from anything in the environment, like:
The possibility of these errors is why labs are closely monitored for strict environmental conditions to avoid such mistakes. Most labs don’t have to worry about the environment, but if they’re conducting tests and experiments outdoors, the environment is a crucial factor to consider to obtain consistent and repeatable data.
Perhaps the most common and frustrating cause of laboratory errors is instrument error. While the machines and instruments in a lab should be reliably consistent, they can malfunction and fail many times during their lifespan.
Typically, you can trace the instrumental error back to negligence or a lack of oversight—the instrument wasn’t calibrated correctly, maintained enough, or is too old to be useful anymore. These errors are common, so lab instrument maintenance is vital, and every lab should have its instruments inspected regularly. It’ll better ensure quality results and prevent lost productivity from downtime fixing instruments.
Another common but avoidable error in many labs is a procedural mistake. Labs have many procedures in place to protect the integrity of tests, experiments, and the data they yield.
But it’s not uncommon for an error to get made in the procedure—like a step getting skipped or done incorrectly. For this reason, documentation is crucial in labs; it helps avoid procedural errors by clearly tracking processes and whether they got followed precisely.
Scientists may generally be more educated or skilled than average, but they’re still people, and everyone makes mistakes. Human errors are common and usually the most preventable missteps made in a lab, including simple mistakes like spilling materials or incorrectly reading measurements.
The most effective safeguard against human error is having multiple people double-check their work while working in the lab. Even though much of lab work gets done by an individual, the lab should be a team effort, with everyone working together toward one goal.
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