More topics for Laboratory
Lab facilities
The Onondaga County Department of Water Environment
Protection has a state-of-the-art environmental
laboratory. It is located at 7120 Henry Clay Boulevard
in Liverpool, NY and covers nearly 25,000 square feet.
The lab has wet chemistry analytical equipment and
also an atomic absorption spectrometer for
analyzingmostlymetals. The lab also has a
solid-phase extractor for oil and grease.
The lab is spacious, clean, and bright with natural
light drawn from the perimeter windows through the
labs to the hallways.
The lab uses special heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning systems to maintain negative pressure
inside the lab to promote a healthful environment in
the building. The staff now has seventeen hoods to
manage any fumes or smells. Some of the work benches
have special built-in downdrafts to keep chemicals
away from the staff.
Security and convenience
The lab is secure, a critical factor in the
chain-of-custody of laboratory samples. All entry is
handled with card-keys. Both the checking-in and
storage of samples are controlled. Records are
centralized in the laboratory.
Each of the technicians who collects samples has his
own work-station. And, a garage with ample room holds
the specially equipped vans and boats used to collect
samples.
Features
The laboratory was designed for the staff's
convenience and productivity. It has a separate
computer network for data management and reporting.
The following are among the features of the lab:
- Conference room with multimedia facilities
- Walk-in incubator
- Separate wash room and bottle preparation area
- Cold room for storage of reagents and samples
- Hazardous materials room
- Isolated area where gases are delivered
- Detached area where supplies are received
- Class 100 mercury roomfor potential future expansion.
The environmental laboratory is a critical component
of WEP's efforts to promote water quality in Onondaga
County. The vital data developed by the lab insures
that WEP is meeting regulations and government
standards. |