Reducing Repetitive Stress Injury And Improving Ergonomics In Microbiological Quality Control Procedures

The repetitive nature of routine laboratory procedures can put technicians and scientists at risk for repetitive strain injury. Routine activities often include reoccurrence of the same movements over and over, which can take a toll on hands, wrists and shoulders and ultimately can lead to serious damage. While analysts in the laboratory require and expect high precision and quality results, they often overlook the fatigue and contact stress they are experiencing. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), RSI in the workplace resulted in over 300,000 cases as far back as 2015.

Reducing Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI): Choosing the Right Products
When working in a microbiology quality control laboratory there are many ways to avoid manual labor stress and work in a more ergonomic manner. Choosing the right tools can make all the difference. Filter funnels are a more efficient option for microbial contamination and quality control testing, with the funnel and membrane in a ready-to-use, disposable system. The membrane is contained within the funnel for filtration, limiting handling and transfer, which reduces repetitive laboratory motions.

On most of these devices the funnel top is removed by twisting or other motions that can put stress on wrists and arms. Additionally, twisting the top of the funnel can often tear the delicate membranes beneath, resulting in the need for retesting. When using the Pall MicroFunnel™ filter funnel all that is needed to remove the top is a simple squeeze. Simply by squeezing the sides of the MicroFunnel filter funnel the analyst is able to remove the top of the funnel to access the membrane easily.