AI has the ability to take data and spot patterns more quickly and accurately than humans, which poses high potential to transform laboratory functions and services. While AI can help laboratory personnel to verify information and spot problems in the testing, it also offers great benefits to the safety of the laboratory staff and equipment.
AI can simplify the processes of risk prevention, incident management, equipment use and more. By taking advantage of AI services, laboratory personnel can minimize their personal risk, increase the likelihood of accuracy in each task and confirm that the lab remains a safe environment for others.
Improving Equipment Use and Performance
Equipment use and performance factors heavily into laboratory safety, and AI can improve both. Lab staff members may use equipment inconsistently, favoring one piece for its location or other reasons, while identical pieces get little use. Over time, overuse of one machine can lead to an increase in maintenance needs and the likelihood of failure. AI can identify the best ways for a laboratory to structure use of each piece of equipment, for maximum function, accuracy and safety. AI also tracks data from the function and output of the equipment, to identify possible problems or outline maintenance timelines that will maintain the highest level of operation time.
AI Identifying Lab Risks
Humans often cannot identify risks in any given situation, but AI systems can. Humans use their knowledge and senses to determine the safety of the environment and any given action. If everything seems to be working appropriately, they may not notice hazards in the environment or the way that they operate equipment. By comparison, AI can evaluate the systems and behaviors that led to previous laboratory incidents. AI considers information that humans may not see or recognize as contributing to an unsafe pattern. With this data, AI can recommend changes to the function of the lab to minimize overall risk.
Alerting Unsafe Conditions
For real-time hazard detection, AI often outweighs the ability of laboratory staff members. Labs can automate the testing of certain systems within each room, checking for the presence of gases, failing electrical systems or other concerns that could lead to illness or injury. After these tests, the AI system can trigger a series of communications to alert people in the lab and other stakeholders to the issue. AI testing can identify the presence of noxious gases or PPE equipment failure before staff members start to feel symptoms of the problem. By catching the hazard early, AI can reduce negative health effects and make it easier for lab staff to discover equipment failure.
Predicting Equipment Failure
Equipment failure is the bane of any laboratory working on lean margins, but AI can improve overall performance. Failing equipment leads to lost samples, poor result accuracy and higher risk to laboratory staff. In many cases, equipment starts to fail in small respects that are harder for staff members to identify. If they are not comparing the data, and sometimes even if they are, humans may not be able to spot the patterns indicating that a piece of equipment is about to break down. With AI automating tasks to evaluate regular performance and outline maintenance needs, labs can minimize the likelihood of equipment failures and unplanned down time.
Automating Workflow
AI has the potential to automate many tasks to reduce the workload of laboratory staff, which can improve laboratory safety. Labs that lack sufficient staff may run behind trying to keep up with the workload, which increases the likelihood of mistakes and risk-taking behaviors. Overworked staff members could also skip certain tasks entirely, leading them to miss hazards and other problems. AI can automate many of these tasks, such as confirming the accuracy of results or completing safety compliance measures. With fewer responsibilities, lab staff members can focus on the tasks that require human attention, giving them more space to emphasize careful use and laboratory safety services.
The speed at which AI is adopted in various industries is exhilarating, particularly for its potential in lab safety. Labs that make use of AI can ensure that they use equipment efficiently and correctly, checking performance regularly. AI uses data to identify certain conditions and behaviors that have led to previous problems, and it can alert laboratory personnel to the presence of hazards in real time. By automating many of the tedious tasks of the lab, staff members can predict equipment failure earlier and ensure that they have the time to focus on the most important responsibilities.
